Black and Blue: The Life and Lyrics of Andy Razaf

Chronicles the life and Prohibition-era times of the legendary songwriter whose lyrics include those for ""Honeysuckle Rose"" and ""Ain't Misbehavin'"" and whose musicals pioneered a distinctive African-American musical theater on Broadway.

With geniuses like Gershwin and Porter at their peaks, the 1920s were thrilling years for Broadway and Tin Pan Alley. Uptown in Harlem, talented musicians and composers were working to shed the image of minstrelsy and to find mainstream success within the structures of that particularly African American music known as jazz. The subject of this biography was lyricist for hundreds of songs, including "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'." His contemporaries formed a Who's Who of jazz greats, from Louis Armstrong to Razaf's most noted collaborator, Thomas "Fats" Waller. Razaf brought a sensitivity and sophistication to his lyrics that ensurethe timelessness of his best work. The poignant "Black and Blue," dealing with the plight of being black in a white world, may be the first racial protest song. This entertaining look at an underappreciated artist is highly recommended for music collections.
- Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.