Rating: 
Summary: a great read not just for the blues geeks
Review: An extraordinary read! I feared that this book was receiving so much praise because blues geeks felt that they had to eulogize the talents of this famed sixties blues promoter. No, it's not hype, this book really does hit new highs in great closeup shots and portraits, woven together with rich and personal tales that describe the crossing of Waterman's path with that of many of the greatest blues musicians ever. Some chapters are touched with sadness, such as the exploitation of Arthur Crudup's royalties (only for Waterman to help secure a rich reward for the family estate shortly after Crudup's death). Others are hilarious, such as the exposure of Robert Lockwood as being perhaps the sweariest bluesman ever. I could go on, but readers deserve to discover these stories for themselves. Albeit to say that the human sides of many famous musicians are exposed here, be they glorious or grim or bizarre. The only other blues read that I know of that gets so close up and personal in text and pictures is perhaps Tim Duffy's from the Musicmaker Foundation, entitled: "Musicmakers: portraits and songs from the roots of america". In fact the two books are complementary because whilst Waterman's subjects are by and large towering figures of the blues who have mostly died by now, Tim Duffy's subjects remain somewhat obscure and undiscovered by the main stream but many are still alive and kicking the blues in a neighbourhood near you.
Rating:
Summary: I owe Dick Waterman a beer for this
Review: As a blues enthusiast, I have always found myself looking for the inside stories, the newly discovered photographs or the alternative recordings of the players that literally changed my life 35 years ago when I was in high school. To find that Dick Waterman was a common link among so many of the greatest blues figures of the last century was a revelation. I knew of his relationship to Son House, and will forever speak his name with reverance for bringing him out of Rochester, NY to record again in the 60's. But all these other guys? Dick Waterman, thank you for putting more flesh on to the legends of so many of these guys, most of whom are now gone. I am grateful.
Rating:
Summary: Windows on the Blues
Review: Dick Waterman's photographs are a stunning chronicle of the art and music that are most important to me. Dick calls his photographs products of opportunity and access, but they are far more. I would submit that Dick's "Son House at the Liberty Bell" ranks with the top echelon of 20th century American photographs.If you have a passing interest in blues or fine photography; you need this book. If you are a fan of the music or the art, you absolutely must have this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Historical Masterpiece
Review: I saw Dick Waterman read from his new book this weekend at the 17th Annual Fort Lauderdale Sound Advice Blues Festival. As I read the book a few days later, I could hear his soft voice over the text. The Black and White photographs are an important historical documentation of Legendary Blues Performers. The accompanying text are detailed stories that accompany the wonderful images. The stories are personal and will move you as they add dimension to the people beyond their images and their music. Dick Waterman has finally documented his lifetime of love of Blues Artists and the Blues.
Rating:
Summary: The book of the year in the Year of the Blues!
Review: I've read a lot of praise for "Between Midnight and Day" on an Internet Listserver devoted to the blues. I usually discount that kind of hype, which tends to come from hardcore "bluenatics" rather than average readers. Then I received my copy of "Between Midnight and Day" from Amazon.com. Surprise: It's actually as good as all the hype. You've read the cliché: "I couldn't put it down." In my case, it was literally true. I got the book at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and I couldn't put it down until I turned the last page at 10 o'clock that night. It's like Waterman's publisher sprinkled the book with some kind of magic goober dust that makes you want to see and touch every last page. I've read many, many books about the blues over the last few years while working on one of my own. (I'm co-writing a biography of bluesman Howlin' Wolf.) I can't think of a single one that I've enjoyed more than this one--nor any other that's taught me more about my favorite blues artists. The photos are stunning: among the best ever taken of the great blues artists active during the 1960s and 1970s. During those years, Waterman booked and managed Son House, Skip James, John Hurt, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Pete Williams, and other blues performers, and he met and got to know many others whom he didn't represent. They're all in here. Equally striking are Waterman's anecdotes--no surprise, since he actually started his career as a journalist. He has not only a great eye for the iconic personal image but a great ear for the pithy tale that cuts right to the heart of a character. His observations about the creators of this music are alternately funny, moving, sad, shocking, and above all, revealing. Waterman says taking great photos is "all about access." The same is true of telling great stories. He had inside access when only a few people knew these great performers personally. Waterman was there when the music was hot, and he's returned to show and tell the tale. Let me put it as simply as possible: "Between Midnight and Day" is the best blues-related book I've read in the Year of the Blues. If you're on a tight budget, skip the others and buy this one. It's that good. My only complaint is that it's not twice as long. It's a great book at a reasonable price, but I wanted to keep flipping those pages, staring at the amazing photos and reading the startling stories, and they ran out after a mere seven hours. Fortunately, I'll be savoring these photos and rereading these stories for years. I'm surprised that it took Waterman so long to get a book like this into print--thirty years, according to the book's Foreword--and I hope we don't have to wait decades for another one from him.
Rating:
Summary: The book of the year in the Year of the Blues!
Review: Just before this book was released, I read a lot of praise for it on an Internet Listserver devoted to the blues. I usually discount that hype, which comes from hardcore "bluenatics" rather than average fans. Then I received my copy of "Between Midnight and Day" from Amazon.com. Surprise: It's actually as good as all the hype.
You've read the cliché: "I couldn't put it down." In my case, it was literally true. I got the book at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and I couldn't put it down until I turned the last page at 10 o'clock that night. It's as if Waterman's publisher sprinkled the book with some kind of magic goober dust that makes you want to see and touch every last page.
I've read many, many books about the blues over the last few years while working on one of my own. (I co-wrote the first biography of bluesman Howlin' Wolf.) I can't think of a single blues book that I've enjoyed more than this one--nor any other that's taught me more about my favorite blues artists.
The photos are stunning: among the best ever taken of the great blues artists who were active during the 1960s and 1970s. During those years, Waterman booked and managed Son House, Skip James, John Hurt, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Pete Williams, and other blues performers, and he met and got to know many others whom he didn't represent. They're all in here.
Equally striking are Waterman's anecdotes--no surprise, since he actually started his career as a journalist. He has not only a great eye for the iconic image but a great ear for the pithy, personal tale that cuts right to the heart of a character. His observations about the creators of this music are funny, moving, sad, shocking, and above all, revealing. Waterman says taking great photos is "all about access." The same is true of telling great stories. He had inside access when only a few people knew these legendary performers personally. Waterman was there when the music was hot, and he returned to show and tell the tale.
"Between Midnight and Day" was the best blues-related book I read during 2003, the Year of the Blues. I'll be savoring these photos and rereading these stories for years. I'm surprised that it took Waterman so long to get a book like this into print--thirty years, according to the book's Foreword--and I hope we don't have to wait decades for another one from him.
Rating:
Summary: Rush to your book store!!!!
Review: Once I started reading this book, putting it down was impossible. Dick Waterman's stories about the various blues musicians were as impressive as the outstanding photos in the book. It felt like I was pulled inside this incredible book and for a moment felt like I personally knew and was living with these people. The believability of this book was truly enhanced by Dick Waterman's honesty. He truly says it as it is. This book is not only interesting for blues officianados, but also for anyone interested in American history, great photography and captivating stories.
Rating:
Summary: Rush to your book store!!!!
Review: Once I started reading this book, putting it down was impossible. Dick Waterman's stories about the various blues musicians were as impressive as the outstanding photos in the book. It felt like I was pulled inside this incredible book and for a moment felt like I personally knew and was living with these people. The believability of this book was truly enhanced by Dick Waterman's honesty. He truly says it as it is. This book is not only interesting for blues officianados, but also for anyone interested in American history, great photography and captivating stories.
Rating:
Summary: Indescribably Wonderful
Review: There really are no words to fully describe what a treasure this book is--which is entirely appropriate given that Mr. Waterman himself is an American treasure. Whether you are a hardcore blues fan or a casual listener, the photographs in this book will take your breath away. The stories that accompany them strip away the mythology to reveal the humanity beneath, and leave you looking at these legendary artists through fresh and more honest eyes. I simply can't recommend this book highly enough. Buy a copy for yourself, and then buy as many as you can for your family and friends. You will not be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: The Gateway to the Soul
Review: They say the eyes are the gateway to the soul. I've spent the last week or so gazing at the stunning photographs in Dick Waterman's new book and have been enamored by the beauty and depth of the artistry. I've felt an extra heartfelt emotional bond with the musicians that elevates their music to new heights while I play their recordings and peer into their eyes. The difference between the blues of today and the blues of yesterday can not only be felt but can also be seen in the depth of their eyes and on the lines of their faces. As Skip James states after a young guitarist rudely plays his guitar and then asks Skip if he has him down, "Skip has come and gone from places that you will never get too." The quiet wisdom expressed by many of the artists such as Mister Hurt and Mister Crudup only adds to their greatness.
However, the eyes will tell you a life story that words cannot express. The gorgeous sepia toned prints, the quality of the book's paper, and the stories behind the shots only enhance the visage. You'd have to look into my eyes to see the tears well up as I reflect and comprehend the contents within this resplendent document to see how I truly feel as I see these blues giants finally get the respect due them. Thank you Mr. Waterman for sharing this magnificent historical archive.
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