Ethnic and Border Music - (Greenwood Guides to American Roots Music) by Norman Cohen (Hardcover)

About the Book

Just as American culture has been constructed by people of many ethnicities, roots music in America is multicultural in nature. Native American music resonates from Indigenous traditions of the Great Plains and the American West. Hispanic culture has spawned Border Music styles such as Conjunto and Tejano, while Cajun and Zydeco grew from cultural cross-pollination in the American South. In northern regions, Polish-American musicians popularized Polka, while Irish-American music holds a rich tradition throughout many regions in the East. This unique volume presents influential musical cultures from throughout the multicultural history of American vernacular song.

Series blurb: This series presents five volumes on genres of music that have evolved in distinctly regional styles throughout the nation. With volumes authored by leading music scholars, the series traces the growth of Blues, Country, Folk, and Jazz in their many regional variations, as well as Ethnic and Border music traditions throughout America. Each volume presents an accessible analysis of the genre in its many regional forms, examining the musical elements and, when applicable, lyrical subjects as tied to specific cultures throughout the United States.

• Traditional music placed within regional perspectives
• The study of music shown to illustrate cultural nuances
• Musical elements explained in accessible language for the lay reader
• Glossaries of important biographical and topical entries related to the genres

Book Synopsis

Just as American culture has been constructed by people of many ethnicities, roots music in America is multicultural in nature. Native American music resonates from Indigenous traditions of the Great Plains and the American West. Hispanic culture has spawned Border Music styles such as Conjunto and Tejano, while Cajun and Zydeco grew from cultural cross-pollination in the American South. In northern regions, Polish-American musicians popularized Polka, while Irish-American music holds a rich tradition throughout many regions in the East. This unique volume presents influential musical cultures from throughout the multicultural history of American vernacular song.

Series blurb: This series presents five volumes on genres of music that have evolved in distinctly regional styles throughout the nation. With volumes authored by leading music scholars, the series traces the growth of Blues, Country, Folk, and Jazz in their many regional variations, as well as Ethnic and Border music traditions throughout America. Each volume presents an accessible analysis of the genre in its many regional forms, examining the musical elements and, when applicable, lyrical subjects as tied to specific cultures throughout the United States.

Review Quotes

"This collection of essays serves as a staring point for anyone interested in music that has developed within certain geographical areas of the United States, but clearly has its roots beyond American borders. There are five essays covering the musical traditions of Franco American, Irish American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Polka music. Each essay is written by a scholar in the field. While the authors approach their respective topics with unique writing styles, each essay provides an ample historical background as well as a contemporary overview of the musical traditions."-MultiCultural Review

"The book opens with Kevin Fontenot's detailed overview of Cajun and Zydeco music centered in Louisiana. Subsequent essays include Paul Wells's on Irish musicians and recordings in America through the 1970s; Steven Loza's fascinating, complex study of chicano/latino music "from the southwest to the northeast," a discussion that includes some song lyrics and covers a wide range of musical styles from Mexican, Cuban, and other Latin performers into the 21st century; and Maria Williams's on North American indigenous music, detailing the music of various Native American tribes and including scattered musical notations. The volume concludes with Richard March's "Polka and Tamburitza: Ethnic and Dance Traditions in the Upper Midwest," an intricate history that includes Czech, Polish, German, Norwegian, Slovenian, and other European national musics. Each chapter provides a detailed bibliography and discography; some film listings are included. A solid resource for those interested in this music. Recommended. Undergraduates; general readers."-Choice

About the Author

Norm Cohen is the author of Long Steel Rail: The Railroad in American Folksong (1981) and Traditional Anglo-American Folk Music: An Annotated Discography of Published Recordings (1994). He has edited and/or annotated two dozen albums, and written extensively on various aspects of folk, country, and popular music. He is a retired chemist and currently teaches physical science in Portland, Oregon. His previous book for Greenwood is Folk Music (2005).