Product Description
The bestselling WORLDS OF MUSIC, now in its fifth edition, provides authoritative, accessible coverage of the world's music cultures. Based on the authors' fieldwork and expertise, this text presents in-depth explorations of several music cultures from around the world, with new chapters on China, Eastern Europe and the Arab world. The student-friendly, case-study approach and music-culture focus gives students a true sense of both the music and the culture that created it. Additionally, a high-quality 4-CD set (purchased separately) contains a variety of recordings from multiple sources, including the authors' own fieldwork, other ethnomusicologists' field research, and commercial releases. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Book gets the job done.
The book had a lot of tears but the content is all there and it gets the job done.I love that it came with the CD's.

Make sure to get the CD's in the deal
Bought the book new but didn't realize that the CD's are sold separate, look for a used book deal that has them included if you are going to need them!!

Exactly as I ordered
Book was fine but ws disappointed that it did not come with the cd's that were required for my daughters class. In reading the description again, I got exactly what I was promised. Had to go purchase the cd's seperarly bringing the price near what the school was charging for the set.

Excellent Service
Excellent service. Shipped very fast, and received well within the time stated. Product is in great condition, same as described.

A decent text
While the text book is informative and enlightening on many of the aspects of World Music, it is frustrating that he continually puts out newer editions that have minimal changes except for the CD.For the general information gathered from this text, anyone will be able to gain loads of interesting facts about the different cultures and their musical ceremonies/practices. ... Read more

Product Description
No background or training in music? No problem. This shorter version of WORLDS OF MUSIC: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSIC OF THE WORLD'S PEOPLES is written to make music accessible. Using the case-study approach, the text presents in-depth explorations of music of several cultures from around the world. The authors all ethnomusicologists working in their fields of expertise base their discussions of music-cultures on their own fieldwork and give you a true sense of both the music and culture that created it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Need to Return
I just placed an order for this book and I ordered the wrong one. I need to cancel my order.

Overpriced & Missing CDs
One of my biggest pet peeves is the price of college text books. I am stunned that this little book costs $100, I personally think it is totally unethical to charge this much for a book. Another huge complaint I have it that I spend $100 for a music book and the three companion CDs are not included, I would have to fork out another $40 just to have the music to go along with the book. Shame on these publishing companies that overcharge for books and leave out critical material.

Be sure you order the correct ISBN
There should be an ISBN number for a bundle that includes the book and CD.I have taught using this book and had no problem with orders as long as I used the right ISBN number.It pays to do your homework.

Worlds on Music
I also received no CD's with mine.Now I am trying to find the CD's seperately online.Does anyone know where to get them?!

No CDs!
Ridiculous! The book did not come with CDs! They are a critical element of the book and expensive to order separately. ... Read more

Product Description
This shorter version of the best-selling WORLDS OF MUSIC is based on the 4th edition and provides much of the authoritative coverage of the comprehensive version in a format that's accessible to students without any background or training in music.Using the case-study approach, the text presents in-depth explorations of music of several cultures from around the world. The authors all ethnomusicologists working in their fields of expertise base their discussions of music-cultures on their own fieldwork and give students a true sense of both the music and culture that created it.General editor, Jeff Todd Titon, has written the text's opening chapter, that introduces students to ethnomusicology and relates each chapter's music heard on the accompanying CDs to the fundamentals of music in a worldwide context. The text concludes with a chapter that invites students to participate by undertaking a fieldwork research project that increases a student's understanding of music in daily life.Two CDs accompany every copy of the book on the inside back cover. The selected recordings cover a wide range of music-cultures and include authentic recordings from the authors' fieldwork. Leading off is the long-standing jewel in the Worlds of Music crown - James Koetting's magnificent recording of postal workers canceling stamps at the University of Ghana post office. A Western-sounding hymn tune performed against African rhythms, this piece, more that any other, lets the student hear contrasting music-cultures. Packaged with the text, the CDs make this book the best value available for the course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good, but for the price, and for being a college text, should be better.
For one, some very important regions (Middle East, for example) are missing from this "World Music" text book. It also seems to be a bit choppy in the efforts to highlight the most relevant areas of regional music. Rather than taking an overview perspective of each region, the author delves fairly in-depth into certain divisions of the specific examples he seems to find most interesting.

Since the book is intended to be an overview, I would have like to have had a systematic approach to each region, and the traditions, influences, instruments and patterns seen in each type of music. It wasn't that easy to follow, although the information provided was interesting.Unfortunately, there's not a lot out there in this subject, so there is little competition.

As with all text books, the price is immoral!

Good Book!!!!
The book is interesting and the CDs that accompany the book are perfect with the reading!

Good book for your Music Class
I have enjoyed this book a lot. It really goes into the world's music cultures in detail. The CD that comes with the book has some very interesting listens on it.

Overall, an interesting book if you have to get it for your World Music class, as I did.

Expensive, yet very useful
I don't mean to take the same words of the reviewer Nicholas H. Canale, but he's right. Worlds of Music is an excellent book containing two CDs to introduce you to the music of the world and its relation to the culture the music is found in.

The book contains an introduction which explains musical terms to non-musical people. From there, you're on your own to understand the how these terms apply to odd music cultures. Hopefully you will have a great professor or musically-inclined friend to help you out. Nevertheless, the authors all have Ph.D's in ethnomusicology (or a similar subject) and are very good at presenting information.

The book does indeed cost a pretty penny, but its well worth it. Then again, worth doesn't mean much if you're taking a 'World Music' class at college and don't have a choice. Even still, the situation isn't bleak - the audio examples are great, and you're bound to enjoy at least one foreign music you never considered worth your time before reading Worlds of Music.

Costly but damn interesting!
My opinion is this is def. not worth the money. It is a very interesting text, but not worth the amount the writers set out to get. ... Read more

Product Description
From cha cha chá to jeliya and Hindustani raga to hip-hop gamelan, this exciting new text takes students on a journey through diverse musical cultures and traditions of the world. With a clear and accessible presentation style and lively and engaging writing, it is an ideal introduction to world music for non-music and music majors alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

good book
This was a required book for a class that I took. I liked that all the terms weren't overwhelming as some texts can be. My teacher knows the author and seemed to have respect for him (obviously or she wouldn't have used the book!!) He described things well because he had actually studied all the music that he wrote about.

Great book even if you want a quick guide to world music. ... Read more

Product Description

The second edition of World Music: A Global Journey introduces students to the diversity of musical expression around the world. It takes the reader across the globe to experience cultural traditions that challenge the ear, the mind, and the spirit. It presents a systematic study of varied traditions in a non-technical language accessible to any enthusiast of world music and culture. The second edition continues with its geographical orientation to each locale, and visits each of the seventy musical "sites" with a three-fold listening review that begins with an experiential "first impression" of the music. This is followed by an "aural analysis" of the musical organization and a closer look at the interesting instruments that create the exotic sounds heard. Finally, the authors consider the cultural connections that give the music its meaning. The second edition of World Music enhances its pedagogical efforts with Listening Guides, an enhanced website, and improved interior design. With nearly 300 photos of instruments and cultural settings, over two hours of music on the accompanying audio CDs, and online resources, World Music: A Global Journey provides a fundamental resource for teachers, students, researchers, musicians, and any enthusiast beginning their exploration of world music and culture.

Customer Reviews (7)

Very useful launching pad for further research
I've used this book and accompanying CD's for the past few years as the basis of the world music aspect of the IB (International Baccalaureate) programme.My students have noted that they've found this text book easy to read and comprehend.Not all world musics are reviewed.However, it gives enough of a basis to allow the students to use the framework model noted within the book for further individual research within other musical contexts.

Certainly worth it if you have nothing else near you!Used in conjunction with the Schott World Sound Matters materials, the world music part of IB is sorted!World Sound Matters: An Anthology of Music from Around the World (Schott)

Outstanding Overview of World Music
This textbook takes a travel approach to learning more about music from around the world. This helps you relate the music to the various lands and you really get a sense of how neighboring regions' music can affect each other.

The writing style is very readable and never comes across as "stuffy." I purchased this textbook because it was required for a college masters class and I truly enjoyed the reading assignments. So often textbooks at that level get so bogged down in terminology and "academic speak" that they are a chore to read. While there is plenty of terminology with this subject, the authors take time in the first 3 chapters to set you up for the journey. This includes explaining their philosophy and terminology used throughout the book. Major terms from the text are also defined in the margins next to where they were introduced which makes studying for tests and researching for papers and projects much easier.

Accompanying the text are 2 CDs (included) and generous amounts of photographs that allow you to hear and see the cultures as you study them. There is also a website for the book which includes even more supplemental materials. The book is broken into "sites" and as you "arrive" at each site you are introduced to the history, geography and native culture. You then dive in to one or more styles of music native to that region. Since music is a reflection of its culture, you can really understand the cultural basis of the music with this approach.

The book is designed to be an introduction to world music and not an exhaustive text on any one culture. That being said, I still came away with what I felt was a thorough primer of music from other lands. There is a lot of material in this textbook and it is a worthwhile read. While clearly a college text, I believe it would work well for a high school class in the hands of an enthusiastic instructor.

world music
the book and both cd's were in really good condition and came in soon after placing my order. thanks!

Required purchase.
Bought for a global diversity required class.I do not use the book and I ripped the CDs to MP3 and so basically I completely wasted my money.

Did not match specified condition
I payed a little extra to get this "Like New" book instead of a few cheaper ones, but when I came the pages were dirty on the outside, there was some writing inside, and worst of all the cover was bent all over the place. I was pretty disappointed and the bent cover bothers me every time I read it. Didn't have time to return and order a different book since I needed it for school, so now I'm stuck with it. This seller has a few reviews where the condition did not match the stated condition--I'd go with someone else. ... Read more

Product Description

 This dynamic introductory book takes readers on a vivid exploration into the major musical cultures of the world by first presenting a lively vignette of a musical occasion, and then placing that occasion in the context of a general description of the society and musical culture.  KEY TOPICS The book divides the world into ten major culture areas—and devotes a chapter to each, exploring the musical cultures of such fascinating lands as India, the Middle East, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. The presentation features a synthetic treatment of musical life and ideas about music, musical style, music history, and musical instruments; briefly describes additional musical genres or contexts; and considers recent developments. For individuals interested in the music of the world.

Customer Reviews (1)

Cool Book
This is a very informative book about world music. If you are ever interested its a good one to have. ... Read more

Product Description
After extensive field-testing in the U.S. and Canada, World Music Drumming has passed all the tests! Aimed primarily at grades 6-8 with extensions into the lower elementary grades and the high school, you and your students will learn drumming techniques, sing lots of great songs with accompaniment and movement, connect African and Latin American cultural traditions to the music performed, and discover how music can be the perfect vehicle for teaching team building, respect, focusing, listening, problem solving, and other important life skills. The Teacher's Edition provides complete lesson plans and a step-by-step teaching process. The handy reproducible Cross-Cultural Student Enrichment Book offers a variety of information and fun for your students. The helpful video goes right into the classroom to show how to teach the lessons, using middle school students to demonstrate the parts. Available: Teacher's Edition, Video, Reproducible Cross-Cultural Student Enrichment Book, Classroom Kit (includes all of the above components). Grades 3-8. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Drum Circle Curriculum
The World Music Drumming book is extremely clear, direct and easy to follow.My students immediately grasped the concepts and were playing effortlessly right away.I really enjoyed the format of the lesson plan outlines with cross cultural references, review of past lessons, concepts to reinforce, assessments and reflections.My lesson plans were written for me for several weeks!I was inspired to ask our Music Boosters to purchase 3 new conga drums.I highly recommend this book for the general music classroom as well as a unit for any ensemble at the Middle School or High School level.

World Drumming By Will Schmid is the Best!
I am a general music teacher and have been using this as a curriculum with my 6th and 7th graders. They love the drumming and respond well to the entire book. There are so many things to think about as a teacher and this book helped alleviate all the stresses of being a music teacher. I had more time to plan engaging lessons with my students and I did not have to think about how or when I would assess. It was all well laid out in the book. Plus the author was the head of MENC. THis is by far one of the best music education books I have purchased. It has been used in my school for a while and I am happy to be part of the program. ... Read more

Product Description
In its first edition, Soundscapes broke new ground by organizing the study of world music according to its cultural significance, rather than by geography alone.The Second Edition provides even better coverage of the cultures surrounding the music and focuses more closely on honing students’ listening skills. The Second Edition also features a striking new design, new chapter organization, and expanded listening guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Got the textbook, but no CD's.
It's something buyers should be aware of when buying this textbook at this price. Obviously the book is this cheap because it doesn't come with the CD's, alas. But on the other hand, I received the textbook on time and in perfect unopened condition. If you want to buy this book along with the CD's, find it elsewhere or in a more higher price in this site, such as this one:

Soundscapes: Exploring Music in a Changing World (Second Edition)

Hence the CD's itself cost around $45.00. Overall, it would've benefited me more if I were to receive the CD's for my Music Fundamentals class, but I guess the textbook at this price is great if you don't have the money to spend on excessively high priced books and supplements.

Great Condition
I am very happy with the text book I got, it is in great condition, super cheap and was mailed very quickly. Thank you so much for the great service!!!

Buy It in the Store
I was extremely unhappy with this product. It was listed as including the 3 CDs, which is required with the book, and I received the book without CDs. If the CDs aren't included, this should not be listed this way, as it's wasting my time. I can't take a class using this book without the CDs, so why would I want only half of what I paid for?

Take my advice and buy it in person or you'll be boned too.

soundscapes
I recieved this promptly and in good condition, with the CDs included. The book does a good job of engaging musicology from a multicultural perspective, but at times is quite juvenile in its approach.

Eh...
The book was in great condition... But it didn't come with the three CD's that were supposed to come with it. ... Read more

Product Description
World Music draws readers into a remarkable range of historical encounters, in which music had the power to evoke the exotic and to give voice to the voiceless. In the course of the volume's eight chapters the reader witnesses music's involvement in the modern world, but also the individual moments and particular histories that are crucial to an understanding of music's diversity. This book is wide-ranging in its geographical scope, yet individual chapters provide in-depth treatments of selected music cultures and regional music histories. The book frequently zooms in on repertoires and musicians--such as Bob Marley, Dana International, Bartok, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan--and attempts to account for world music's growing presence and popularity at the beginning of the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Musical Globalism or Globalization?
Philip V. Bohlman is a professor of musicology and ethnomusicology at the University of Chicago, an institution reknowned for its foundational works in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology. Being the nature of interdisciplinary ethnomusicologgical research, the book covers areas of study including Musicology, Anthropology, Sociology, History, Political Science, Economics and Philosophy.

He begins by expressing the limitations inherant in approaching a global phenomenon with only 150, 4"x7" pages. The reader is consistently reminded of the authors initial disclaimer when reading two paragraphs into an intriguing topic, and finding that it ends there.

Nevertheless, Bohlman presents a myriad of ways of approaching and interpretating the global phenonemon known as "world" music. He focuses on topics including: the history of western musicology and ethnomusicology, music in tradition, music in nationalism, music in diaspora, music in mediation, and music in the era of globalization. He also provides the reader with a nice collection of further readings, references and listening suggestions in the bibliography, organized by chapter.

A constant theme for Bohlman is the notion of "encounter". He attributes that it is within the experience of the encounter that we attribute meaning to the music itself, and to the context in which it is experienced.

He also postulates that there is a concurrent tension in so far as the way we "encounter" world musics, being mediated by global capitalism and market forces. This can potentialy take a traditional music out of context, resulting in an extention of post-colonial cultural hegemony or "cultural imperialism made sonorous" (147). Conversly, it can provide a medium for identity formation, revival, and representation, while potentially bringing people together, fostering empathy and harmony. You make the choice!

Is it musical globalism?

-Is the current manifestation of world music a reflection of a global world, where cultural bridges are being reconciled?

or

Is it musical globalization?

-Is world music a reflection of an economically globalized world, mediated by market forces and economic manipulation?

This is a complex question that Bohlman poses, ever so succinctly, yet all too briefly.

Great introduction for the student, active musician or passive listener.

Anthropological/ Sociological view on World Music
The author examines the anthropological, sociological and ethnomusicological aspects of World Music.This is an essential text to the introduction of world music.

VERY ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES
This is a very academic study of the phenomenon of world music. As such it provides interesting theories and also some important facts, but I doubt whether the average world music fan would derive much enjoyment from it. The author includes worldwide music from the folk, art and popular traditions and mentions that it can be sacred, secular or commercial. So far, so good, but with sentences like: "As we encounter world music, therefore, it is important to recognize the need to reckon with different epistemologies and ontologies if we are to understand what world music can mean in its virtually infinite varieties," I nearly fell of my chair laughing. In its defence, the book does include informative albeit short pieces on the 1932 Cairo Congress of Arab Music, the great Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, Rai music, Leadbelly, Celtic music, the Eurovision Song Contest, Bob Marley, Manu Dibango from Cameroon and the musics of the various diasporas. Two maps are included: The Celtic Fringe in Europe and the Polka Belt in the USA plus there are illustrations, a bibliography, discography and an index. I picked up the book without properly checking the contents - it's great source material if you want to write a dissertation on music from different traditions, but not a text that reflects the rhythms of the rich variety of world music that is becoming more and more available to everybody in our current era of globalisation. ... Read more

Product Description
The World of Music is a music appreciation book designed for instructors who want to focus on listening to music as it exists in the real world of their students. Expanding the traditional repertoire used for music study, this popular text begins with American folk, religious, jazz, popular, and ethnic music before introducing some world music and concluding with a thorough overview of Western classical music. The approach captures the essence of each repertoire, and equips students to recognize different styles, appreciate their different functions, and possess a solid foundation for a lifetime of musical appreciation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

good purchase in this item!!!
i purchased a book called The "World of Music" for my son's college study and i was very satisfied...

Needed it for class...
The book was used in my Music Appreciation class. I liked it. It went along with the cd set well and is an easy and fast read.

I am SOO.... HAPPY!
I was very satisfied. The book came within a few days of just ordering it. I will definitely do business with you guys again. Is there a favorite or bookmark page for you guys or something?

Good concept but inferior to previous editions
The previous editions were actually better.They contained a better variety of music, listening and topics.The new edition has blatant errors... ie page 60, the performer is misidentified as Huddie Ledbetter, it is Taj Mahal.Pat Metheny is misidentified as "Bob Metheny" p. 133.There are more errors and shortcomings but the worst part is the brevity.Can you imagine the only listening examples of American popular music include Ethel Merman, Bob Wills, Ricky Skaggs, Gretchen Wilson, Little Richard, the Allman Bros, and Toni Braxton?

World music topics are arbitrary and spotty.There is no mention of Arabic music, Flamenco, and other important and influential traditions.

Only a passing reference is given to Latin Jazz, Jobim's music has been eliminated from the current edition of CDs even though his Girl from Ipanema is one of the greatest selling jazz records of all time. The French Gypsy Jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli is not even mentioned.

Overall, a great concept but needs augmentation.

Disappointed
I ordered this new because I needed the 3 CD Discs for the class --- when I received the package it came without the discs.I called and found out that they did not have any more --- they still went ahead and sent the book and they did not send a note nor did they reduce the cost.I think that is ridiculous.I now have to return the item for credit. ... Read more

Product Description
Listen to and appreciate music of different cultures with MUSIC OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD! Stunning illustrations help you to better understand the people, music, and instruments of the 11 musical cultures discussed. Active Listening Tools, a free download from the World Music Resource Center, enhance listening and understanding by allowing you to view instruments and cultural settings while you listen to musical excerpts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

good buy
returned due to package deal at school but they delivered in perfect condition and book is great. very helpful

Music of the Peoples of the World Book
Book came exactly as descirbed and in great timing. I would use them again for other textbooks.

stiff and horrible (from a music lover's viewpoint)
this book actually caused me to drop the class I was taking it in. I love music and was really looking forward to taking a class learning about how it effected and was used by the entire world. That's not at all what this book gives. It is so stiff I had a very time getting through any of it. I did learn a few neat thing about classification such as idophones, membranophones, etc. really, this book is good for an intensive music major that wants to learn every term possible for every area of the world. what they call every instrument they use, what classifications it all falls into, etc. it has no culture involved, or as limited as possible, and for someone taking a class to meet a general requirement (not me) it's horrible and STIFF. really a failure for anyone who is wanting an overview of how exciting music can be. : (

Music of the Peoples of the World
I was very happy with condition of the book and the condition in which it came.A++ transaction, great seller.

No cds and not wrapped in plastic.
I purchased this itme and it was suposed to be new.That's definitely not what I got.I got an unpackaged book that was probably used and was without the 2 cds that are supposed to come with it.It's not even worth trying to get a replacement.Good luck next time Amazon. ... Read more

Product Description
The 28 stories in this book each contain a simple song which children can join in as the story unfolds. Song-stories are as old and as universal as storytelling itself, and this selection has been especially retold by contemporary storytellers. It is ideal for storytelling sessions in schools, libraries and homes. The song-stories include "The Lonely Mermaid" (Scotland), "Spider the Drummer" (Sierra Leone), "Momo-taro-san" (Japan), "The Lion on the Path" (Zimbabwe), "Little Cock Featherfrock" (Russia), "Gluskabi and the Wind Eagle" (North America). There is also a cassette which contains songs and tunes from "The Singing Sack", to help you learn the melodies and appreciate the foreign languages more fully. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful! A gem!
This is one of my favorite books of all time.If you do not read music, you can purchase a tape or CD to go with it.We got the CD from our local library.I highly recommend it to anyone who is not too shy to sing a little bit with your storytelling!

A Storyteller's Goldmine
It's got story texts, music, source notes and tips on how to tell these wonderful and varied song-stories: what storyteller could ask for more?The tunes are very singable (now if only Amazon offered the accompanyingcassette, too!).Some stories are best suited to young audiences, butthere's something for nearly everyone in this little collection. ... Read more

Product Description
This classic anthology assembles over 200 source readings, bringing to life the history of music through letters, reviews, biographical sketches, memoirs, and other documents. Writings by composers, critics, and educators touch on virtually every aspect of Western music from ancient Greece to the present day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

good book
We use this book as additional readings in our music history class. The book provides letters,critiques or concert reviews at that time. It's very interesting to learn history in this way.

a useful text
I ordered this book as it is a prescribed text for my University studies next Semester. It arrived promptly and in good order. As for the content? Ask me again in 6 months time!!!

Good service
This book was in stated condition and was sent in a timely manner.

Highly Recommended
Music for the Western World is an excellent anthology of source readings in western music history. Texts are well-chosen and entirely relevant to the period being discussed. What's unique about this book is the breadth of issues addressed and variety of sources cited. You get to hear from all sorts of people, from composers, to critics, to philosophers, and the texts offered take the form of letters, articles, reviews, autobiographies. All is given within a clear historical context, with reference to such events as the Reformation, French Revolution, and World Wars. Interesting introductions by editors Richard Taruskin and Piero Weiss (my professor at the Peabody Conservatory) as well aspictures, diagrams, and a good glossary allow this book to go beyond being simply a textbook. Anyone with an interest in music will find it easy to understand and entirely enjoyable.

Fine collection edited skillfully for readability & breadth
This is a particularly fine collection of a couple of hundred readings on Western Music from the ancient Greeks to the 1980s.That is a broad span, but the editors, Weiss and Taruskin, have done a fine job and keep things moving in a lively manner.The energy and vitality of these articles holds the reader's interest and wondering what treasure is coming next.

Of course, this is a perfect volume for students in courses on music history and music appreciation, but it is also a very fine book for the general reader who is interested in learning more about the history of Western Art Music ("Classical Music").

What I like about volumes of source readings is the way the writings give a better context and flavor of their time than any later writing.Yes, the editors have to provide some context for us, and the editors do make choices about what to provide to us and they are almost always in translation, but they make a valuable contribution to one's education about the matters at hand.

This is a fine collection that is edited in a skillful way for readability, breadth, and vitality.Superb job! ... Read more

Product Description
"The Rough Guide to World Music" is the unchallenged work on sounds from around the globe. This third edition is even more comprehensive than ever - updated and expanded including playlists for all countries and new chapters on Bangladesh, Burma, Corsica, French chanson, Malta, Slovenia and New Zealand. "Volume 2: Europe, Asia and the Pacific" has full coverage of genres from Balkan brass to Bollywood song and from fado and flamenco to Filipino fusion. The guide includes articles on more than 60 countries from Albania to Wales and Afghanistan to Vietnam written by expert contributors, focusing on popular and roots music. You'll find discographies for each article, with biographical notes on thousands of musicians and reviews of their best CDs. "The Rough Guide to World Music" is packed with playlists of the greatest tracks from each country for your iPod and MP3 player. ... Read more

Product Description
Global Pop examines the rise of "world musics" and "world beat", and some of the musicians associated with these new genres such as Peter Gabriel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Johnny Clegg. Drawing on a wide range of sources--academic, popular, cyber, interviews, and the music itself--Global Pop charts an accessible path through many of the issues and contradictions surrounding the contemporary movement of people and musics worldwide. Global Pop examines the range of discourses employed in and around world music, demonstrating how the central concept of authenticity is wielded by musicians, fans, and other listeners, and looks at some of these musics in detail, examining ways they are caught up in forms of domination and resistance.The book also explores how some cross-cultural collaborations may fashion new musics and identities through innovative combinations of sounds and styles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unique Perspective On World Music Phenomenon
The book is full of insight into "world music," which is mainly a marketing concept but also encompasses most of the world's popular music! This is an academic work that is also enjoyable to read and complementswell those studies that focus on the artists and music, such as "WorldMusic: The Rough Guide" and "The Brazilian Sound." ... Read more

Product Description
The music industry is one of the most exciting, glamorous and fun places you could ever work in. It's also a fiercely competitive world, both for jobseekers and those already on the inside. But opportunities arise constantly, and are within the grasp of almost anyone with a true passion for music and a hard-working attitude. This book aims to help you take your first step into what will hopefully be a long and satisfying career in an endlessly fascinating world. Each chapter covers a field of work within the music industry - from record companies to recording studios to roadies - and is crammed with honest, realistic, practical and helpful advice. Insider secrets and individual case studies throw even more light on the subject. ... Read more

Product Description

World Music: The Basics gives a concise introduction to popular musical styles found around the world. Organized alphabetically by region and then by country, it provides essential background information on the cultural and musical history of each area. Styles featured include:

• Celtic
• Dijeridou
• Bossa Nova
• Reggae
• Bluegrass

Covering key artists and recordings and with guides to further listening, this is the perfect introduction for the student, scholar or general listener.

Customer Reviews (4)

now I'm cautious...
This book seems to be everything I've been looking for in a world music guide: simple clarity about what kinds of music are being made where, with suggestions about how to start listening to it.It reads like a good book on rock or jazz, avoiding the too-typical dry academic approach to "world" music.That's a good thing.

One day into it, though, and I've already caught a glaring error (and I'm no expert).The book discusses Amadou & Mariam as a Senegalese act, when in fact they're from Mali.It's a pretty bad mistake, considering the book's premise (country-by-country coverage) and especially considering Amadou & Mariam's global stature.

If there's a factual error in one of the areas I know anything about, how much can I trust the rest of it? ("The rest of it," of course, being where I want to find value in the book.)

So.Helpful: yes.Authoritative: no.Treat it like Wikipedia I guess...a decent place to start, but don't take it to the bank.

World Music: The Bible
The title, World Music: The Basics, is too modest for the breadth and depth of research, time and money saving recommendations, and the author's concise and intelligent style. The book serves as a primer for the newcomer to world music, as well as a reference book for the aficionado with a growing music library. Because the selections are based on the author's very exacting standards, the information remains timely and vital.

Worth buying for the CD recommendations alone!
Being a huge World Music junkie, I have been searching for a book of this sort. I have always enjoyed exploring new artists from all over the world, but the hunt can prove overwhelming and this book gives a great help.
It is great fun to read, full of interesting historical and musical facts - this guy really did his reasearch! It has some really interesting and daring political insights that impress me very much.
But the best thing for me about this book is all of the CD recommendations which are incredible. I have gotten more than 10 cds so far, based on recommendations from "The Basics" and they have been right on! Really discovering lots of new and fabulous stuff here.

I unhesitatingly recommend picking this up. A gem!

Fantastic survey!Covers tons of ground in a concise way
Wow!The world of World Music has gotten its first definitive guide.I can unhesitatingly give this hefty little tome 5 stars.This is an entertaining guide that covers an immense amount of musical territory in an enjoyable and beautifully written way.This book is so smoothly written that it could be read cover to cover, but it is also ideal for consulting as an encyclopedia.I have found that Richard Nidel has impecable taste, and as a result this book is also a great resource for choosing the best recordings of an artist.
I would say that the sections of Brazil, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, West Africa, and Celtic Music are especially strong, and always peppered with extra facts both political and historical to give the music more background.
I find the real strong points of this great survey to be the spot-on cd recommendations and the obvious vast knowledge of World Music that comes through in Nidel's fluid prose throughout this little book.Being a World Music follower for some time now, it is obvious that there was an immense amount of research put in because this guy really knows his stuff.

There is an excellent intro by Jazz legend Branford Marsalis, and the book is a beautifully packaged 400 pages.

Pick it up! ... Read more

Product Description
All entries in this reference are fully revised and updated with expanded discographies in which the CD reviews are preceded by quickly-accessible, biographical three-liners on the artists and bands. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Extraordinary: Overwhelmingly Wonderful
The research here is remarkable. The scholarship is first-rate, the information exhaustive (although never definitive since world music grows with leaps and bounds moment by moment).

I love dipping into this attractively illustrated, logically organized, and utterly helpful guide to find whole realms of sound which I not only didn't know existed but also could not even have imagined existed without the help of these fine fans of the music about which they write so clearly and well.

The world today is a depressing place. Sorrow is everywhere one turns. But this celebration of music continually energizes and revivifies. Buy it; enjoy it; and expand your CD collection.

Everything V. 1 was for Middle-East, African, & European ...
... this one is for Latin & North American, Caribbean, Indian, Asian/Pacific idioms.I picked up the original '94 edition to explore World Beat rhythms in improvisatory settings, and was excited to hear the new edition would cover two volumes.I am NOT displeased !! ... Read more

Product Description
All entries in this reference are fully revised and updated with expanded discographies in which the CD reviews are preceded by quickly-accessible, biographical three-liners on the artists and bands.Amazon.com Review
Once you start flipping through World Music, there's nostopping. Unlike other genres, world music spans so huge a territory(the world) that there are surprises and new pleasures foreveryone. The table of contents sets the tone. Laid out as a map ofthe world, the chapters are located directly on the map. This isfollowed, however, by a traditional table of contents, laid out inlinear 1 to 13 format for those who don't go for the visual approach.However you chose your dive-in point, you won't be disappointed. Atremendous amount of work has gone into this guide, covering aremarkable number of subgenres and groups. Search for a group you'veheard of, read up on a specific genre like klezmer or flamenco, get CDrecommendations, or troll for new finds like Altan, theIrish band of the '90s, and Ibrahim Tatlises, the premier Kurdishperformer. There's a wealth of sounds out there that Rough Guide makesaccessible. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Still the Gold Standard for the Curious
Growing up, I would check out nearly any unusual recording from the public library, just out of curiosity.Learning about far-off lands and cultures via record labels like Folkways and Lyrichord, I was into "world music" ages before that phrase was used to pigeonhole any sort of ethnic folk or pop.

This book, initially checked out from the library with an equal degree of curiosity, opened my eyes and whetted my ears' appetite for armchair world travel.Reviews of regional music and culture (from dancing to politics), photos of artists and obscure album covers, and discographies of mostly vinyl and audiocassettes, all combined to create an intoxicating, seductive overview of much of the world's musical contributions.

So fifteen years have passed, and newer, expanded editions of this guide have hit the bookshelves.But I still appreciate having all of this information in one volume, and will refer to it first, even before doing online research.The essays and photos still enchant, and the discographies now contain geuinely rare recordings for which I will eternally quest.

If you are curious about world music, and don't wish to invest in heavier (both in weight and content) volumes, this book is an ideal place for bith study and browsing.The writing is informative while remaining funny, and the whole package will answer many questions before sending you into the world for any further information.

A good Introduction to World Music
This is a good introduction to the major figures of world music and is a handy companion for anyone exploring the music. My other favorite world music book is "The Brazilian Sound" (Temple University Press,1998), which I also purchased through amazon.com.

Keep politics out of world music
I purchased this book because I wanted a guide to unfamiliar (for me) world music. It is wide ranging and if browsed quickly, appears encyclopedic.Imagine my surprise when I searched for Israel and findNOTHING.There is a large section on Palestinian music, which is rife withanti Israel rhetoric.Music is a universal language. All cultures havemuch to offer of interest. Music is a force for peaceful interaction amongpeople of different cultures. Even peoples whose politics are in conflicthave found common ground through musical expression. I am dissapointed thata book with such promise turns out to be an outlet for some of thecontributors political views. I write this not merely because I disagreewith the point of view of the editors:I feel we should KEEP POLITICS OUTOF WORLD MUSIC. ... Read more