Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake
New York: Viking Press, 1973. First Edition. Small Folio. (28.5 cm.), 255 pp. Half cloth, deco-metallic silver boards and dusty rose colored cloth. Titles in silver on spine. Very small white spot to top left of front board. Modest edgewear to dust jacket with a closed tear to head of spine with a little loss, not affecting text. Fine. Item #28
"Still there, still radiant."
This book is the definitive dual-biography of two musical theater giants and how they changed the cultural identity of a nation. "Sissle and Blake" refers to singer and lyricist, Noble Sissle, the son of a Minister and his songwriting partner, ragtime piano player and composer, Eubie Blake, the son of slaves. This is the story of how they brought down the house, with their play, "Shuffle Along", and how returning African-American World War I veterans created Jazz and changed the world forever. This first-hand interview of both men is a history of the deep influence of Black American Music on American Musical Theater and the outrageous survival and lifelong friendship of two of the greatest talents of the golden era of 1920s musical theater. With an engrossing amount of reproductions of photos, handbills, letters and posters from the subject's own collections. Inscribed by Eubie Blake, "To Dr. and Mrs. Wilber (William) Strickland From, Eubie Blake"
Price: $500.00