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| A Bluesy Collection of African-American Prose and Poetry "By the Rivers of Babylon: Singing the Blues", by G. L. Taylor plucks the chords of the music that carries us from Africa to America. Weaving together a captivating combination of original poetry, sacred writings, passages from Scripture, and even quotations from legendary musicians, author G. L. Taylor quickly pulls the reader into a world of unexpressed dreams and expressive music, unholy oppression and holy wisdom, and the earthy music and lyrics that tie it all together in a thread that runs from Africa to America. These are the moving reflections of someone who genuinely understands the power of the music, and the power of the people who created it from deep within themselves. G. L. Taylor has gifted the world with a compelling and readable book that is full of mesmerizing and sorrowful words, as he skillfully weaves together a bluesy account of The Roots -- the roots of an oppressed people, and the roots of the music that echoes their pain. Read his passages, close your eyes, and listen for the soulful sounds. You can almost make out the lonesome melodies and anguished chords, plucked in the Deep South of America, or sung heavenward on the ancient, dusty plains of Africa. G. L. Taylor, a native of Los Angeles, serves as the President/CEO of The Manasseh Network, Inc, a faith-based agency helping to create after-school programs and cultural competence among adolescent African-American males in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds a Doctor of Letter in Religious Humanities from St. Stephens Bible College, Los Angeles; a Master of Religious Education from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts; and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, Seattle. An Ordained Minister, who has pastored in Los Angeles, CA; Saint Albans, WV, and College Park, GA, Rev. Taylor and his wife LaRetta live in Baltimore, Maryland. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |