Florence Mills: Harlem Jazz Queen (Studies in Jazz)

I like the way the Seller was just on point; I received my book in record breaking time ; I hadn’t have time to read it yet, but I know that I’m going to enjoy it. There’s nothing that I dislike about this book or it’s service.

Everyone in show business and especially those devotees of stage performance owe a debt of gratitude to Bill Egan for his outstanding biography on Florence Mills. She was the pacesetter of her generation and set the bar very high as a real double-threat with dancing and singing skills that were exceeded by none in her time. Bill Egan has presented a full picture of this forgotten gem of the live performance idiom in first quarter of the 20th century. Jazz historians who want to trace the lineage of the female side of the vocal equation will have to place Florence Mills at or very near the top. Though not a historian or writer by formal training Bill Egan has succeeded in creating a full and rich portrayal of not only the life of Florence Mills but important vignettes concerning her contemporaries. This is a rewarding read that will introduce the reader to a world that few lived and not many know even existed. I recommend it without any reservation.

Suffice it to say that there are few individuals who have ever heard of Florence Mills, and that includes some resolute jazz enthusiasts. But through much persistence Bill Egan has changed that and has illuminated our awareness of this entertainment legend. Irish-born Egan, while doing research on jazz great Duke Ellington, came across Florence Mills' name, the woman who inspired Duke's recording of 'Black Beauty'; his tribute to Florence, a fellow Washingtonian.She was born Florence Winfrey on January 25, 1896 in a middle class section of Washington, D.C., but hard times forced the family to move to a less desirable section of the city known as Goat Alley. Florence began her exodus from the Alley at the tender age of three and by the time she was seven, she was supplementing the family's income by performing in the bordellos where her mother did laundry. Florence and her two sisters traveled the globe displaying their talents and gaining prominence in a world dominated by people who were different, by race and by gender. They did the chitterling circuit long before it was given the name.Florence opened the door for generations of female stars as she was able to break through white barriers. She performed before crowned dignitaries in Europe and earned the title 'darling of the diplomats', was listed in the New York Times as a dignitary herself, and helped to redefine the entertainment world. Florence's untimely death in 1927 created an unexpected outpouring of grief. Although she was never recorded, and for the most part was nearly forgotten decades later, she is an icon in show business. To understand the history of the industry, from Bert Williams to popular culture, you need to understand how Florence Mills changed the rules.HARLEM JAZZ QUEEN explores the association between Florence and the early beginnings of jazz and ragtime, her keen intelligence and strong social conscience, and her phenomenal success as the first black international female superstar. It also documents her association with classical music with noted composers William Grant Still and Constant Lambert. This is a history that was too long coming, but one that will captivate and enlighten readers.Reviewed by aNNof The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers