Speakeasies to Symphonies by Scott E Brown

Speakeasies to Symphonies by Scott E Brown

James 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. Speakeasies to Symphonies: The Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson seeks to rectify this.

Johnson, 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.

Speakeasies to Symphonies presents 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.

Scott E. Brown is an independent jazz researcher. He has written two books on James P. Johnson and has published several articles and lectured widely about jazz. He is a practicing physician and holds a master’s degree in jazz history and research.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781496857538
Title	Speakeasies to Symphonies
Author	Scott E Brown
Series	American Made Music Series
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Year published	2026-01-15
Number of pages	432
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.