Soul on Soul

Thank you to Net Galley and University of Illinois Press for the chance to read and review this book.
I found this book to be just fascinating! Even though it was long and had a lot of details, it kept my attention throughout the whole book. This is the story of Mary Lou Williams. She was a jazz musician, composer and music arranger with a lot of talent. Even though she was so talented, her life was not always easy. Being an African American woman, she was faced with a lot of prejudice and she had to put up a tough fight to survive. I enjoyed all the history in this book-learning about all the other musicians as well as what was going on in the world. After I read this book I went on YouTube and listened to some of Mrs. Williams music. I like books that make me want to learn more. If I could rate it higher then a 5, I would because it is so well-written and informative. I highly recommend this book if you like to read about history and the people that influenced it!

Mary Lou Williams wrote for some of the greatest jazz artists in the world, but being a woman as well as African-American, she wasn't given due recognition for her contribution to the evolution of the genre. Kernodle changes all that with her book. A must read for any jazz aficionados.

Thank you to University of Illinois Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Professor Tammy Kernodle's Soul on Soul is a passionate, engaging and frank discussion about the incredible yet still underappreciated life and music of Mary Lou Williams. As a Black woman, Mary Lou Williams pioneered several movements in contemporary jazz, including integrating classical music and gospel music into the work. In addition, Lou Williams worked closely with other legendary jazz artists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to shape the future of jazz.

What struck me again and again is Mary Lou William's tenacious spirit and belief in her craft. Faced with constant racism and sexism in her industry, Lou Williams rarely expressed her frustration. Instead she chose to return to work again and again despite the lack of financial reassurance that other contemporary male artists were receiving. There is something both incredibly hopeful and incredibly tragic in her story, in a society that refuses to invest in Black women's talent. What would the world of jazz music be like if Mary Lou Williams was encouraged and reached her full potential?

Overall, this is a thought provoking and well-written exploration of an incredible artist's life.

For lovers of Jazz or amazing women in the music industry, this is a must read.

Musical pioneer, Mary Lou Williams was a composer, arranger, and amazing jazz musician at a time when women, especially black women, weren't given much creative space, but Ms. Williams stayed her ground.

Diligently written, the book covers 60 years of Ms. Williams' life, her involvement in the jazz scene and civil rights movements as well as her own personal battles.

More people should know Ms. Williams name and the barriers she broke. Because of this book, so many more will.

I received an ARC for an honest review of this book.

A look at the life of Mary Lou Williams who worked sixty years in jazz with some of the biggest names, Monk, Bird, and Gillespie. She also worked within a band with Art Blakley before he had his own band. which all of the people that were spoken about I have listened to or have the records, she even sold a song to Duke Ellington besides the work with other jazz artists in arranging and or composing. A sad story that she end up broke through bad marriages and business investments and finally, she became sick with leukemia. I am so grateful that I found this book and read about her as a truly amazing person.