Exploring Top Books of Shelfari

Signifying Rappers: Rap and Race in the Urban Present

Signifying Rappers: Rap and Race in the Urban Present

by Mark Costello

The author of Infinite Jest and his co-writer discuss rap and popular culture, power, money, racial politics, and language in the first book to seriously consider rap and its position as a vital force in American culture. "Brilliantly written . . . (with) great wit, insight, and in-your-face energy."--Review of Contemporary Fiction.

And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey

And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey

by Studs Terkel

The Pulitzer Prize winner's "latest indispensable oral history" ( New York Times ) of the twentieth century's most celebrated musicians. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, Studs Terkel hosted a legendary daily radio show in Chicago, presenting listeners with his inimitable take on an eclectic range of music, from classical, opera, and jazz to gospel, blues, folk, and rock. And They All Sang ... (more)

Fritz Reiner, Maestro and Martinet (Music in American Life)

Fritz Reiner, Maestro and Martinet (Music in American Life)

by Kenneth Morgan

This much anticipated book is the first solid appraisal of the legendary career of Fritz Reiner (1888-1963), the eminent Hungarian-born conductor. Personally enigmatic and often described as difficult to work with, he was nevertheless renowned for the dynamic galvanization of the orchestras he led, a nearly unrivaled technical ability, and high professional standards. Kenneth Morgan has consulted printed and... (more)

American Favorite Ballads, Tunes and Songs as Sung by Pete Seeger

American Favorite Ballads, Tunes and Songs as Sung by Pete Seeger

Copland on Music

by Aaron Copland

Composers' Voices from Ives to Ellington: An Oral History of American Music

Composers' Voices from Ives to Ellington: An Oral History of American Music

by Vivian Perlis

The first decades of the twentieth century were a fertile and fascinating period in American musical history. This book and the two CDs that accompany it present an exceptional collection of interviews with and about the most significant musical figures of the era. Tapping the unparalleled materials contained in the Oral History American Music archive at Yale University, Composers’ Voices from Ives to Ellington ... (more)

Irving Fine: An American Composer in His Time (Lives in Music)

Irving Fine: An American Composer in His Time (Lives in Music)

by Phillip Ramey

A composer and pianist, Irving Fine lived from 1914 to 1962.

Francis Johnson, 1792-1844: Chronicle of a Black Musician in Early Nineteenth-Century Philadelphia

Francis Johnson, 1792-1844: Chronicle of a Black Musician in Early Nineteenth-Century Philadelphia

by Charles K. Jones

Nineteenth-century musician Francis Johnson (1792-1844), a free black Philadelphia native, lived at a fortunate confluence of musical traditions that abounded in the rich cultural life of post-Revolutionary War Philadelphia. He absorbed it all: traditional European music, local white and black folk music, dance and theater music, religious and martial music, and added his particular stamp of genius to achieve... (more)

Accordions, Fiddles, Two Step & Swing: A Cajun Music Reader

Accordions, Fiddles, Two Step & Swing: A Cajun Music Reader

Looking Up At Down Pb

by William Barlow

More than just a history of a musical genre, "Looking Up at Down" traces the evolution of the various strands of blues music within the broader context of the culture on which it commented, and discusses its importance as a form of cultural resistance and identity for Afro-Americans. William Barlow explores the lyrics, describes the musical styles, and portrays the musicians and performers who created this... (more)

Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World

Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World

by Bart Plantenga

Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo is the first book to address the question: How did a centuries-old, Swiss mountain tradition make its way into American country music? Along the way, the reader discovers that yodeling is not just a Swiss thing--everyone from Central African pygmies, Nashville hunks-in-hats, avant-garde tonsil-twisters like Meredith Monk, hiphop stars De La Soul, and pop stars like Jewel have been known to kick... (more)

A History of African American Jazz and Blues

A History of African American Jazz and Blues

by Joan Cartwright

Jazz: A History of America's Music

by Geoffrey C. Ward

The companion volume to the ten-part PBS TV series by the team responsible for The Civil War and Baseball . Continuing in the tradition of their critically acclaimed works, Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns vividly bring to life the story of the quintessential American music—jazz. Born in the black community of turn-of-the-century New Orleans but played from the beginning by musicians of every color, jazz... (more)

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Tags: american music