Thomas A. Dorsey 1899

From Hokum Style to the Lord
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Pianista, cantante e compositore statunitense (Villa Rica, Georgia, 1.7.1899 – Chicago, Illinois, 26.1.1993). Inizia a studiare pianoforte e harmonium a dieci anni e si mantiene agli studi grazie a mille lavoretti, come la vendita di bibite al teatro Atlanta 81, dove canta Bessie Smith. Sotto il nome di <<Barrelhouse Tom>> si esibisce nel 1916 nei cabaret di Chicago, in cui è scoperto da Mayo Williams, direttore artistico dell’etichetta Paramount, che lo assume per comporre brani destinati alle cantanti Trixie Smith, Monette Moore e Ma Rainey.

Nel 1923 King Oliver incide il suo Riverside Blues. Dopo un breve soggiorno nei Whispering Syncopators, assieme a Les Hite e Lionel Hampton, dirige la Wildcats Jazz Band, che accompagna Ma Rainey nei circuiti TOBA. Scrive anche temi gospel (Someday Somewhere) ma, non riuscendo a vendere con facilità le sue composizioni, si mette in società col chitarrista e cantante Tampa Red (Hudson Whittaker), col quale ottiene, nel 1928, un grande successo: It’s Tight Like This. Sotto il nuovo pseudonimo di <<Georgia Tom>> inventa lo stile hokum, un duo voce-pianoforte che, grazie alle possibilità offerte dai doppi sensi, riempie il blues urbano e il boogie-woogie di allusioni più o meno salaci. Oltre a Tampa Red, i suoi partner saranno la cantante Jane Lucas (che usava spesso i nomi di Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May o Mozelle Alderson) e i chitarristi Big Bill Broonzy e Scrapper Blackwell. Si ascolta anche con Amos Easton, Victoria Spivey e Memphis Minnie.
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Nella sua rovina finanziaria, avvenuta con la crisi del 1929, Dorsey vede un segno divino, e rinuncia quindi alla musica profana per gettarsi in quella sacra (suo padre era pastore battista). Con la cantante Sallie Martin dirige il coro della Pilgrim Baptist Church e diventa un prolifico compositore di arie sacre, modernizzando il gospel con nuovi elementi melodici, armonici e ritmici tratti dal blues, dal boogie e dalla commedia musicale. Tra le sue composizioni, entrate in gran parte nel repertorio dei Gospel Camp Meeting Singers e di Mahalia Jackson (con la quale Dorsey compie tournée durante la seconda guerra mondiale) ricordiamo Precious Lord, Take my Hand, Just One Step, Shake Me Mother’s Hand, When Day Is Done, Save Me As I Am, I Will Trust In The Lord, The Lord Has Laid His Hand On Me, Peace In The Valley, When I Have Done My Best.

[F.T.]

thebrassradio.net©2020

From Hokum Style to the Lord
​
​American pianist, singer, and composer (Villa Rica, Georgia, 1.7.1899 - Chicago, Illinois, 26.1.1993). He began studying piano and harmonium at the age of ten and continued his studies thanks to a thousand chores, such as the sale of drinks at the Atlanta 81 theater, where Bessie Smith sings. Under the name of << Barrelhouse Tom >>, he performed in 1916 in Chicago cabarets, where he was discovered by Mayo Williams, artistic director of the Paramount label. The latter hired him to compose songs destined for the singers Trixie Smith, Monette Moore, and Ma Rainey.

In 1923 King Oliver recorded his Riverside Blues. After a short stay in the Whispering Syncopators, together with Les Hite and Lionel Hampton, he directs the Wildcats Jazz Band, which accompanies Ma Rainey on the TOBA circuits. Dorsey also writes gospel themes (Someday Somewhere) but, unable to quickly sell his compositions. He joins the guitarist and singer Tampa Red (Hudson Whittaker), with whom he obtained a great success in 1928: It's Tight Like This.
Under the new pseudonym of << Georgia Tom>>, he invents the hokum style, a voice-piano duo that, thanks to the possibilities offered by double senses, fills the urban blues the boogie-woogie with more or less salacious allusions. In addition to Tampa Red, its partners will be singer Jane Lucas (who often used the names of Kansas City Kitty, Hannah May or Mozelle Alderson) and guitarists Big Bill Broonzy and Scrapper Blackwell. He also listens to Amos Easton, Victoria Spivey, and Memphis Minnie. In his financial ruin, which occurred with the crisis of 1929, Dorsey sees a divine sign and renounces profane music to throw himself into the sacred one (his father was a Baptist pastor).
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With the singer Sallie Martin he directs the choir of the Pilgrim Baptist Church. He becomes a prolific composer of sacred arias, modernizing the gospel with new melodic, harmonious and rhythmic elements drawn from the blues, boogie, and musical comedy. Among his compositions we remember Precious Lord, Take my Hand, Just One Step, Shake Me Mother's Hand, When Day Is Done, Save Me As I Am, I Will Trust In The Lord, The Lord Has Laid His Hand On Me, Peace In The Valley, When I Have Done My Best.

[F.T.]

​thebrassradio.net©2020