Reviews for Black music

The average rating for Black music based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-10-02 00:00:00 Jaime Cooke I'd never read Baraka prior to this and I'm impressed at his ability to tie music, sociology and spirituality together to help the listener get inside what's happening with this one truly original American musical form. I spent some time going through this relatively short book as I was doing a lot of listening right along with it. I've been a jazz fan for decades, and a music fan generally my entire life. It's my primary passion and has inspired self-reflection, historical examination (personal and on a societal level) and is responsible for how I've made a living as well - music/radio/media programming and radio presenting. The theme of the black experience or soul actually being the primarily foundational element that has manifested this music is nothing new per se but Baraka has the ability to make you "see" how this is so. I don't know how else to explain it. I'm still trying to learn all I can about this soul because this IS the soul of America and our only hope for saving the god awful mess we have in 2020. I'm so tired of racist denials in our country from the same people who then turn around and denigrate black people for not doing more for themselves. Get the fuck out of here. There is no more beautiful purely American form than black music. Every other form of modern American music has been appropriated from that and the rest is a carryover from Europe. And this priceless art has been created not only in spite of oppression but directly out of it - they have transformed the cruelty that this country has never stopped giving into a gift to the world. This is a powerful book and has allowed me to hear jazz in a way I never have over decades of listening. But I AM knocking off a star for the misogyny and homophobia you can detect in the tone. I'm aware that this was the "norm" in the 60s and the book shouldn't be cast aside because of it but there were a couple of cringe-worthy sentences. Still essential reading not only for music fans but for a better understanding of the emotional process behind beautiful black art.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-08-29 00:00:00 Derek Starnky Gran libro sobre música, raza y política. Una adecuada manera de recuperar el legado musical más importante del siglo xx