{"product_id":"speakeasies-to-symphonies-the-jazz-genius-of-james-p-johnson-paperback-softback-9781496857538","title":"Speakeasies to Symphonies; The Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson (Paperback \/ softback) 9781496857538","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eSpeakeasies to Symphonies\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eThe Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eScott E. Brown (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781496857538\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 5 January 2026\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e277 pages, 52 b\u0026amp;w illustrations\u003cbr\u003e23.5 x 15.6 x 3.5 cm, 0.752 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"This is the kind of research scholars must do when writing about the lives of Black Americans in the early twentieth century. By turning to other and sometimes nontraditional primary and secondary sources, Brown creates a menagerie of scenes straight out of Johnson’s life that illuminate his career’s resonance with early Black entertainment. \u003ci\u003eSpeakeasies to Symphonies: The Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson\u003c\/i\u003e is not just a biography of an artist but a rich text providing endless insight into the experiences of many Black Americans leading up to, during, and beyond the Harlem Renaissance. - Stephanie Doktor, assistant professor of music theory at Temple University\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This is the most comprehensive book to date on James P. Johnson, ‘The Father of Stride Piano.’ Anyone interested in jazz, popular music, Broadway shows, and the struggles of African American artists trying to find success in the white world of classical, or so-called ‘serious’ music, will find much value in this book.\" - Vincent Pelote, senior archivist and digital preservation strategist at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJames P. Johnson (1894–1955) is one of the most important figures in twentieth-century American music. However, few people other than scholars and serious fans know of his life and work. Rare jazz aficionados know him as the Father of Harlem Stride piano but his other monumental contributions to American music are seldom acknowledged. \u003ci\u003eSpeakeasies to Symphonies: The Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson\u003c\/i\u003e seeks to rectify this. \t\u003cbr\u003e \t\u003cbr\u003e \tJohnson, born in New Jersey, absorbed many musical elements in his youth, especially the African American culture of the Southeastern Seaboard, to create a new musical and rhythmic force for jazz, musical theater, and symphonic music. Johnson’s career stretched from the early 1910s to the early 1950s. His heyday was the 1920s—the decade known for the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance, rent parties, classic blues singers, the first golden age of Broadway and the great American song book, and, perhaps most notably, the worldwide music and dance phenomenon, the Charleston. Johnson not only composed the signature tune that has come to define the decade but was a critical part of the other seminal cornerstones of American music. \t\u003cbr\u003e \t\u003cbr\u003e \t\u003ci\u003eSpeakeasies to Symphonies \u003c\/i\u003epresents a detailed portrait of Johnson’s life, music, teachers, associates, protégés, and activity right up to his death. Scott E. Brown explores primary sources previously unavailable, including Johnson’s personal papers, to fill in many gaps and answer lingering questions in his biography, painting a complete picture of his essential legacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"University Press of Mississippi","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52670835097880,"sku":"9781496857538","price":23.86,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/speakeasies-to-symphonies-the-jazz-genius-of-james-p-johnson-paperback-softback-9781496857538","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}