Crossing Musics Borders I Hate World MusicThe New York.docx

Crossing Music's Borders: 'I Hate World Music'
The New York Times, October 3, 1999
By David Byrne
I hate world music. That's probably one of the perverse reasons
I have been asked to write about it.
The term is a catchall that commonly refers to non-Western
music of any and all sorts, popular
music, traditional music and even classical music. It's a
marketing as well as a pseudomusical term
— and a name for a bin in the record store signifying stuff that
doesn't belong anywhere else in the
store. What's in that bin ranges from the most blatantly
commercial music produced by a country,
like Hindi film music (the singer Asha Bhosle being the best
well known example), to the ultra-
sophisticated, super-cosmopolitan art-pop of Brazil (Caetano
Veloso, Tom Zé, Carlinhos Brown); from
the somewhat bizarre and surreal concept of a former Bulgarian
state-run folkloric choir being
arranged by classically trained, Soviet-era composers (Le
Mystère des Voix Bulgares) to Norteño

songs from Texas and northern Mexico glorifying the exploits
of drug dealers (Los Tigres del Norte).
Albums by Selena, Ricky Martin and Los Del Rio (the Macarena
kings), artists who sell millions of
records in the United States alone, are racked next to field
recordings of Thai hill tribes. Equating
apples and oranges indeed.
So, from a purely democratic standpoint, one in which all music
is equal, regardless of sales and
slickness of production, this is a musical utopia.
So Why Am I Complaining?
In my experience, the use of the term world music is a way of
dismissing artists or their music as
irrelevant to one's own life. It's a way of relegating this "thing"
into the realm of something exotic
and therefore cute, weird but safe, because exotica is
beautiful but irrelevant; they are, by
definition, not like us. Maybe that's why I hate the term. It
groups everything and anything that
isn't "us" into "them." This grouping is a convenient way of not
seeing a band or artist as a creative
individual, albeit from a culture somewhat different from that
seen on American television. It's a

label for anything at all that is not sung in English or anything
that doesn't fit into the Anglo-
Western pop universe this year. (So Ricky Martin is allowed out
of the world music ghetto — for a
while, anyway. Next year, who knows? If he makes a plena
record, he might have to go back to the
salsa bins and the Latin mom and pop record stores.) It's a none
too subtle way of reasserting the
hegemony of Western pop culture. It ghettoizes most of the
world's music. A bold and audacious
move, White Man!
There is some terrific music being made all over the world. In
fact, there is more music, in sheer
quantity, currently defined as world music, than any other kind.
Not just kinds of music, but volume
of recordings as well. When we talk about world music we find
ourselves talking about 99 percent of
the music on this planet. It would be strange to imagine, as
many multinational corporations seem
to, that Western pop holds the copyright on musical creativity.
No, the fact is, Western pop is the fast food of music, and there
is more exciting creative music
making going on outside the Western pop tradition than inside

it. There is so much incredible noise
happening that we'll never exhaust it. For example, there are
guitar bands in Africa that can be, if
you let them, as inspiring and transporting as any kind of rock,
pop, soul, funk or disco you grew up
with. And what is exciting for me is that they have taken
elements of global (Western?) music apart,
examined the pieces to see what might be of use and then re-
invented and reassembled the parts to
their own ends. Thus creating something entirely new. (Femi
Kuti gave a great show the other night
that was part Coltrane, part James Brown and all African, just
like his daddy, Fela Kuti, the great
Nigerian musical mastermind.)
To restrict your listening to English-language pop is like
deciding to eat the same meal for the rest of
your life. The "no-surprise surprise," as the Holiday Inn
advertisement claims, is reassuring, I guess,
but lacks kick. As ridiculous as they often sound, the
conservative critics of rock-and-roll, and more
recently of techno and rave, are not far off the mark. For at it's
best, music truly is subversive and
dangerous. Thank the gods.

DavidByrne.com - I Hate World Music
http://www.davidbyrne.com/news/press/articles/I_hate_world_m
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Hearing the right piece of music at the right time of your life
can inspire a radical change,
destructive personal behavior or even fascist politics.
Sometimes all at the same time.
On the other hand, music can inspire love, religious ecstasy,
cathartic release, social bonding and a
glimpse of another dimension. A sense that there is another
time, another space and another, better,
universe. It can heal a broken heart, offer a shoulder to cry on
and a friend when no one else
understands. There are times when you want to be transported,
to get your mind around some stuff
it never encountered before. And what if the thing transporting
you doesn't come from your
neighborhood?
Why Bother?
This interest in music not like that made in our own little
villages (Dumbarton, Scotland, and

Arbutus, Md., in my own case) is not, as it's often claimed,
cultural tourism, because once you've let
something in, let it grab hold of you, you're forever changed. Of
course, you can also listen and
remain completely unaffected and unmoved — like a tourist.
Your loss. The fact is, after listening to
some of this music for a while, it probably won't seem exotic
any more, even if you still don't
understand all the words. Thinking of things as exotic is only
cool when it's your sister, your
co-worker or wife; it's sometimes beneficial to exoticize that
which has become overly familiar. But
in other circumstances, viewing people and cultures as exotic is
a distancing mechanism that too
often allows for exploitation and racism.
Maybe it's naïve, but I would love to believe that once you grow
to love some aspect of a culture —
its music, for instance — you can never again think of the
people of that culture as less than
yourself. I would like to believe that if I am deeply moved by a
song originating from some place
other than my own hometown, then I have in some way shared
an experience with the people of
that culture. I have been pleasantly contaminated. I can identify

in some small way with it and its
people. Not that I will ever experience music exactly the same
way as those who make it. I am not
Hank Williams, or even Hank Jr., but I can still love his music
and be moved by it. Doesn't mean I
have to live like him. Or take as many drugs as he did, or, for
that matter, as much as the great
flamenco singer Cameron de la Isla did.
That's what art does; it communicates the vibe, the feeling, the
attitude toward our lives, in a way
that is personal and universal at the same time. And we don't
have to go through all the personal
torment that the artist went through to get it. I would like to
think that if you love a piece of music,
how can you help but love, or at least respect, the producers of
it? On the other hand, I know plenty
of racists who love "soul" music, rap and rhthym-and-blues, so
dream on, Dave.
The Myth of the Authentic
The issue of "authenticity" is such a weird can of worms.
Westerners get obsessed with it. They
agonize over which is the "true" music, the real deal. I question
the authenticity of some of the

new-age ethnofusion music that's out there, but I also know that
to rule out everything I personally
abhor would be to rule out the possibility of a future miracle.
Everybody knows the world has two
types of music — my kind and everyone else's. And even my
kind ain't always so great.
What is considered authentic today was probably some kind of
bastard fusion a few years ago. An
all-Japanese salsa orchestra's record (Orquestra de la Luz) was
No. 1 on the salsa charts in the
United States not long ago. Did the New York salseros care?
No, most loved the songs and were
frankly amazed. African guitar bands were doing their level best
to copy Cuban rumbas, and in their
twisted failure thay came up with something new. So let's not
make any rules about who can make a
specific style of music.
Mr. Juju himself, King Sunny Adé, name-checks the country
and western crooner Jim Reeves as an
influence. True. Rumor has it that the famous Balinese monkey
chant was coordinated and
choreographed by a German! The first South African pop
record I bought was all tunes with
American car race themes — the Indy 500 and the like. With

sound effects, too! So let's forget about
this authenticity bugaboo. If you are transported by the music,
then knowing that the creators had
open ears can only add to the enjoyment.
White folks needed to see Leadbelly in prison garb to feel they
were getting the real thing. They
need to be assured that rappers are "keeping it real," they need
their Cuban musicians old and
sweet, their Eastern and Asian artists "spiritual." The myths and
clichés of national and cultural
traits flourish in the marketing of music. There is the myth of
the untutored, innocent savant whose
rhymes contain funky Zen-like pearls of wisdom — the myth
that exotic "traditional" music is more
honest, more soulful and more in touch with a people's real and
true feelings than the kid wearing
jeans and the latest sports gear on Mexican television.
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There is a perverse need to see foreign performers in their

native dress rather than in the T-shirts
and baggies that they usually wear off stage. We don't want
them looking too much like us, because
then we assume that their music is calculated, marketed,
impure. Heaven forbid they should be at
least as aware of the larger world as we are. All of which might
be true, but more important, their
larger awareness might also be relevant to their music, which in
turn might connect it to our own
lives and situations. Heaven forbid.
La Nueva Generación
In the last couple of years, there have been any number of
articles in newspapers and magazines
about how Latin music in particular was finally going to become
hugely popular in the U.S. of A. Half
— yes, half — of the current top 10 singles in Britain, that hot
and sweaty country, are sort of Latin,
if you count Geri Halliwell's "Mi Chico Latino," and why not?
The others are watered-down remakes of
Perez Prado's hits from the 50's and 60's. The Buena Vista
Social Club record is the No. 1 selling
record, in any category, in funky Germany. Les Nubians, a
French-African group, is getting played on

urban (translate as "black") radio in America. So is this a trend
or what? Are these more than
summer novelty tunes for anglos? Are we really going to learn
to dance, or is this some kind of
aberration?
But what about the alterna-Latino bands that are touring the
United States and Europe in increasing
numbers. The Columbian band Bloque (which, I confess, is on
my label) was named best band of
the year by a Chicago critic; Los Fabulosos Cadillacs won a
Grammy last year. Both bands, and many,
many others, mix the grooves of their neighborhoods with the
sounds and attitudes of the North
American tunes they also grew up with. They are a generation
with a double heritage, and their
music expresses it.
It's tough for this bunch to crack the American market: they're
not always cute, safe or exotic. Their
music is often more innovative than that of their northern
counterparts, which is intimidating. And
as cool as they are, they insist on singing in their own language,
to an audience that identifies
completely with them, thereby making it more difficult to gain a
foothold in the States.

These bands are the musical equivalent of a generation of Latin
American writers, including Gabriel
García Márquez, Isabel Allende, José Amado and Mario Vargas
Llosa, that was referred to as the
Boom. These musicians are defining their generation, finding a
unique voice, and will influence
countless others outside their home countries. Here, I believe,
is where change will happen.
Although they don't sell very many records yet, these and others
(for things analogous to this are
happening everywhere, in Africa, in Morocco, in Turkey) will
plant the seeds, and while I enjoy
hearing Ricky Martin's merengue on the radio, these others will
change my life.
| PRESS | TOP |
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Street musicians in the new Eastern Eufope

Edly cach weekday and Saturdar morning, ncrchants gather in
tle
markclplace ofclqj Napocr, Romari4 lo scll thei| ltares.
Surrounded by ihe sterile md cnunbling ccmcnt edilices tlat
make
it dillicuh ibr Rommjans to forBet th€ $cialisl cconoDry t]rat
dotuinatcd thcir naiioD fron the end of wo.ld war ll Dtil the
199os, thc Drnhdls oflhe Ch,j nufteqtrce sel evc.lthing, oid
abd D.r locally produced aDd nrtenatbnally ndulhclLrfed.
There
is a ldind ol pasl.nes rnd folkloric authcrlticily tharperwdes the
ndrkctplacc.lD ndry bootlE sumpluors lcdihcr ADd 1trr Eoods
arc
1br salc, and cloih goods piled hiSh:ud hdrging on lines
stretched
n om onc booih io ihe next catoh tb€ elt bccausc ol the colourful
needle$'ork t}:t leads onc to beliel€ thtt thel dc troduccd bv
cralislcoDle fi oh tbe CdrPdilitur Mouniaiis thtt dohinntc
ccnlml
'l ftmsJlvnDia, where Ci is ihc calital ciry. TheDe'thanis, too,
would bc dcso ibed by suidobooks os 'coknn tul' and Iblklikc'.
obviNsly, mnnyhwedaivcd lbr lhc day 1l!n ihc $uloudnrg
vilh6cs, oDlyto leave i}c city lator jn thc dry,lvhcD ihc o'irel
closcs.lfwe t.ke the Sddcbooks liLe* ly, 'stou!tuI' nod 'lblklihc'
nighirclcr to Lhc eLhDjc atrd racjal difcreDccs thal ,bourd id
lhe
md (et. At LcAst lbrr lnngua8cs domindethe discussions
flbouLthc
sde of soods: Ron.ni.n, Hunsdrix!, 'lt ulhcDirn' (the SllNic
lMsuasc ol LLc ccnlr.l Carydihians, wlich
'nixes
Ukriininn md

Slovak in nlmcbus dia.lecrs), dd Roumy (the rndo-Etrrcpean
raDsuage ofthe Roma). Thete,s no linsuaJian& i n)s
[email protected] not sen C{rmaD dd Enslish, both ofF,hictr are
atso
NINi. is everr.lhere in t}e Chj markerpl.ce, very much a
panicipnnt in the cultue of conmerce. Lou{trpeake6 blare, an.l
the merc}ants aI.N thcir ndios to contibure to the crectronrc
counterpoint. Some merchdrrs hale ca$ettcs ind CDs 1br sate,
and
more than a leiv otrer handcrafted insrruments, u{atly llut€s
made
fton wood or c.lay, but also more claborare striDsed
iDsrruments.
MlsicidN ply the aisles, wending their {,a)s through
labyrinthine
booths. They als, use ihc narketpl&e as a staains pojnt for
forays
i.to the centre ofchi, domnrated by a cathcd.al squarc anil tbe
once-pruud lldoque archirecrure ofa uDivcrsitr cib. I.h music oi
the stcct enters the everyddy wolld of Clui liom irs market. The
musicians know only too w.lljust where tbey can ser up urctr
po'tablc stag€s in o.der ro attracr rhe most gcnerous audrences.
They know whjcb relerories vill bcsr sel ro Ctujk many
studenrs,
and they are sensitivc 1]o not making a fahc step by drawing
attenlion to thc iongstanding frictions behcen Rotr,anhn- mq
Hungdian{peakjng r€6idcnts. Thc street nnBicians a,e urLn
more
a$are ofthe newatrdienccs inr}e citl, the growing nunrbes of
tourists $ho re visitibg Tfansylvania and Ronranja since the thll
of
the Ceau$oscu govclnfteDt in t99O. Etutern Eurolc cntered a
period ofdizzyilgiransition int}e r99os, d'd Romanus srlecr
nlusicians s€rc quick to malc rlle mosr ofit.

Thc street nNic of Cluj NapoQ is world nusic in ttre
nlostmodcm
scnsc. Il is glolnd husic tcltn)cd loc{lly. rtsjuxiryositions md
uDprodistoblc mixtLn.cs c postmodcur. If orc toot$ rn(lthtcns
l rg cnorgh, otre will clcornrcr mlsicnl cvidcncc garhcred fion
cvc'y p{rl ofthc world. i he srrccr mrsicirbs Arc good &t
h.rkcrirs
thcmselvcs; ihcy uc prclc$ionAls, $d tbei. sLock in u.r,o N e
cll)&ity to adapt thcftscivcs 10 ihc c}^ngnrg cuncnis ot.
!,ultiottMnl q)ciery. r'hc streel nn$icofCIL{ is ,rl!) tudirion.l in
€olomiaX rNlrxs8esu pos&-
colonial worlds, ancl the
oloDa zaf ron or woff(I mu5!(
g
1
art s€nse $c might choose to usc that tetn, Man! musudns
plalin8 on rhe ci1,l s st.eets in thc day return to lillages ar night
or
on the rveckcnds, r'hen the! plar lbr dances, weddinss, or olhcr
dtuals that constihte traditional nrlk.!ltue. $'hereas
'nany
musiciarsrellorre.cnttecbnologies. sii 1biprodlc gcass€ttes
dd CDs ofthen own, thcy also pla! innndents made bI local

instnunent bdldcrs. lvhere eke $u d they lind handnvork and
lunins proftss to ival that of the locL bagpipcbujlder?
The orcidl poirt is lot t|at tbese strccl musicians are ,,ti lvorld
mNiciaDs od trxdilional foll nrusicians, bul rather that they
havc
collapsed the ditr€rcn.c bel}ten the two. r'hcJ have not been
ii)rccd
inlo an economic situation tlrere they cbooscbclwccnthe hcd
and
Lhc global. btrt rntler ds mtNicians, they arc ablc b dnd ways of
rccolnnodahrg both. Ior thcse mnsiciaDs dt local !n retPlace
rnd ftc global mdlel arc at some ls'el th€ s.drc. t'he comPlex
roles
of Cluj s street musjcirns should not surydse us CLuj NaDoc,is
tu)dcnib aDd DostntudernitX de th e Prxl[cts ol its pdt, that k,
of
it! cullural accomDul ion to thcAusi!-Ihnr8drid tjDPire, to
the contcsLc.l culhrres oflluntsd.idns and Romanians, dltt to a
plethofu ofmiroritl sroups, anorg don Jeis, R(nnd dDd
cerDnnsllayed M €nmordimrily inrprtant rn. insbapinsthe

.iry's hisbry So cnlhndly complcx wu the I*t thar thc cib htus
ducc names eveDtod4, cluj Napoe (Rornxniar), Kolos^ar
(lluBaridt. aDd Klrtscnburg (GcnflD). Thc haditidtal music
h* bccn and contiNes t )he tldt ol a cosnopolirtrr cil},
dislinctivc
i,r itl orvn w.Lys, yci constnrtlx i,r tftursiiior. llistoricdl], its
ci(ryddy crllurc truiccl cd thc sdtrlc .osmoPolilaDish thrt
detd'nriDes wlnt wo d ntsic is lulay, iD a postnftlen, glo1ll cm
L thc bcginnjnS ol!l)c 2lsl ccnhrry i.hc crcornler $ith workl
D,ustuh.s bocome on cvc'y(hX cxpoicucc, do inr$1!ithc
Rtrnrdscrlpc oi thcn$v ccnluryi
iotrr oerlut} . 1 utghl cvol 8o so lfu
rs ro susgcsL rb.t !r 'rvc' wlo nre d1.rtu8 thc bcgin rnlg oi'thc
ncw
krruN {rccodrcctcd ir DosnrllnlcNnrc bcctrusc olrlrc
er$unLcfljlb$o dDn$icwcsh €. Thcrc is, howcve A Ddedol
that hn ls in dre fonns of encounro t}at gcnerate Atobatization.
Tf
iDdccd {'e sha.e {'o.ld nusic globalry through our eDcounter
$,ith
it, we noDet|eless expcrience it in rtn difinrcnt so.lds, whictr nr
lun are shaped nr distindiref- ditierenr wiys becausc
of€coDomjc,

cthnic and mcial, political dd historical djsradries. rhere are
todat' more diilercnt techDologies thar cnabte !s to cncou er
more
wodd music than elcr before, but rhe rtucstion arises as to
$,herhcr
thcs€ facilitate or conplicare en.ounter Moe b the point,
pronouncetncnls by ltcdia erpcrts abour rhe ubiquiU ofcDsj
iridnet, drd the transn,rtional rccording inilusr.,
notwithstanding, Dor cvel]lnc jn tne sod.i has equal access t rhe
tc.hnolosics oforld husic, and mosrpcotte in rhe world lare no
access.'tb. wo ds of$old rnusic, th erctbre, n^ve lrolife.ded
D.cause 11r can eDcount€r thcm $) nnrh hore nnrncdiatel)i_ To
uhom, wc incr€asingly find o!Bclves askin6, do ttre elcryilav
$odds of$o.ld music .eally bcldrs?
The global city and world music history
Th€ cil.y is the entrcdt lb! rhc encounrc$ $th worl.t htrsic tu a
postDrodc.n {'orld. 'fllroughort hkrory rhe ciq, has occrpied a
disti :tivc position on the musical todscapc because oi Oe
divcrsity ir cotrld atmct rnd rtrc pwer thar prt ttrft divcsiry to
i!o|k bwad comnloD lblirical goals. The Dlusics ofrhc cii.y
undersirdcd its positidi rrs rhc cent.e of tho nrsical laDdscrre.
Thc
nn,sical lilt ofthc prenrodcrn cilynight bc srid to possess
thetrairs
ofdprc+vodd music. h a city donlinarcd by r, adc, say, or ttrc
Medilcrdnean co$t or dongille Silk ltoad, rhc ncrch.nrs sto
prssed lhrougl 1lrclc undoubtcdly dccoNp{nied bynNsicirDs, ud
D sicd goods - pcrlbNellg {ud ftc nlrkrid cuttrr of,nusic, $loh
as iNtr,uxxlts - nnry luve con$riluicd nmch rh{r rva$ o crcd li)L
*Llc. As ljhc lrcw)dcm ciiy glvc wtLy ro rhe nrodcN cir}' iL
dcvelopcdtrom a nnrsicnl nrdkcrdacc for wor.ld music ro tr sjre
lbf
trr)rc cxrcdsiyc pmdncrion and cousuDrptior. ,s prirt cuhn.c
tdijcte<l Lhd !mducrion of ii)lk rnd poputarnrNics, p{|Licuhrly
durin,athc Agc of Dhcolcry dnd thc.cnnn.ics of[trcpcan col(hi.l

g
1 3 3
I
E
:
er?dsion from the 16th to the late 13th centulx'. nes l'ms of
specializatior came to exert a prcfoud etrect on the dive6rt] that
nolrished a ciq"s nusical lifc lt 1Es in the tgth atd 2oth
certuries'
hosevcrt that ubd culture undeNent an explosion oftrulv
wo dwide pn)pottions Cities multillied iD number and grew in
size. Thcy rerc no lonBcr ollv a PhenoncDoD of an overcrcsded
t u - p . . L u , n r h e c " n j P . d n J . t r l - . P o i n r ' '
L u r o ! ' n ' T " n ' ; o n
they began to rePlicatc EumPcm u$d stmLtur€s Asrhe
disintcgration ofcolonial emPires began in the carh' 2oth
century
aDd eceleratcd later in the ccntutt, the internationd meFoPolis

what $e no$ call 'Slobal cities'or. more Parochiallv, 'world-clas
citieJ - surn*d d the sites ofcoftintrcd encouter, dominating
the dap of world mlsic.
The& is Do single trPc ofencounter iD Ure slobdl ciw, and it
slrculd
surprisc Do onc Lhat thc t)l)es o{wo d music wc cncitnrcr are
virtu ly unlinitcd Thc Dodern citv Save the indtuiduat a greatc!
dcgree ol freedom to tu,ve abo![ in th€ public spaces ofrhc
nctropolis, and onc ofthc most comnon ibmN ol'ncounlcfis
belween rhc indj dual dd the pLrblic sPr.cs tlrcqh which sle or
hc has thc liiee&n lo movc Tte Gemd philo$phcr Wdllcl
tscniami! (1892-1940) thcoriz.d the
jndividual's cncounlcrs NitLl
rhe cdr!rc of thc city by enrPloying tlt mct'Pho! of th' sholling
arcade, whicb in the Pd is, li ankfud, dd lerlin of thc carlv
2oth ceslury had acqtrircd I spccial signilico!'c 'l be individlal
wdkirg thrcrgh thc sloPpiDs strccts of thc ciB comcs to kDorv
rlis
ctrllue lry geiig ai the disPlav windows and heding thc
irag'netrts

of conaersntion exch.nged bcl$tfl PasseN-bv. Musrc' too' rs a
ld|i
o{ thc etcounto$ nade Possible bv lhe shoPPi!8 ararde, tb! its
uicries p s ii 1rcnlo{cal6swith nnrsic, the{trcs, and sfcet
trNsi(i$s. AL fisl glilncc, such iDdividrrd cn( rtc' s might scctr
nndo , bul Bci4min suggcsts tb.!t lhcv c Placcd ir
p'ltorN lry
thc city ilsclf aDd conllibuic to thc wavs the cilv kllccts irs o$r
The physical loPosr.Phy of lhe NclroPolis dso eDlDn'es lhc
possibilities for encountcr, drd no one rccognizcs this more
stiltully t day thd street mlticiaDs. The world ofthe sbeet
musicim is eircmcly fluid, yet bound b the slreet irseli as $eI d
the other arteries along $ hic.h the civs residents md lisito.s
movc
Stfeet mnsicials depend on movement, Their andicnces are not
stationa{'. bft rather in transit, and the mnsic of the s lreet mDst
lespond to the listen€B in-morion. Regulations ofvariols knrdr
rnale it possible to stay in one sPot for oDly shorl pedods, but
this
does not necessariry work to tle disadvant.ge of the
'nusicians,

ib!
drey hav€ the opporlunil to play for new audicnces, in other
words,
for those $bo balc not already given mo.ey or purc}ased audio
cdsettes and CDs.'lhc musicofthe sn€et, which incredingb
enters the slbwats, bus stalions, dd Pedestrian ntals. only nre
belongsto thestrccL.lt is lot the nnNic ofaD cthnic
Deighbou.hood,
but instead is tutc oilen imported irto tlre city, Sfeet mNicians
benefit fi om the poicntiaL to nolr from ciry to ciqt and it j$ not
3. Slrcet rnsi.ir$ in o.urLelplm h'ch$c*, Ro .nit(1993)
i
f
uncommon for ensenbles (c.9. AndeaD nnFicians nr DnmPe) to
develop vdt nenvorks that connect uban cenb-es as if they $crc
nodes on aglobL clniurc ofstreet music.
Thc posrmodem ci$ belies the .lains ibr global grey-oli, because
nusical diveNiry toda! is, if anlthing, greatcr than eler before. It
is
clcd that the old models ofid,lligranl cdture, $dth the traces of
thc old cotrntrj/ disappearing allo thrce generatiols, e€re ol€rly

snnpllled. The sity ofiers nan) oppotunities for acculturation
and the fomation of dNica] h) brids. It also oileF many more
oplonunities for celeb.ating .iilcsjry. MtrsiciaDs jn tle
poshoden city do lot jrn pcdbirn in public or P.il ate setttuss,
nor do theX functron widrnr sn1glc cthnic conmurities or cla$
structures, bnt rother thcy ibr .omllcx aliiliations tlrat cut
ncn)ss
socioecoDomic, relisn)us aDd ethnic boundaries.
the music cultures ofcitics kday deinoDstnte latterns ofetLnic,
racial, dd relisiols dn'e$jt] ih.tl diflirr iion oDe aDot}er, but
gr^f
ftom thc disftictive s'r$ thlt ea.h cit) accomnodates em,Sranon
iion ftc outsidc, migrotioD eitbiD the cily, aDd l.hc constart
rcmixing oloLd aDd nerv neisbbouftoods. Thc mctaphor of
island
sNlds' rlighr cttlcti'elr represent thc Hispmic md Ca bbean
! sics olNcwYo'k Citr, ihercas itl ChicaSo cortnmnrs excbmge
bcilveen the city .nd Msiro lcdrc silDess to tbe $ecial mcaning
of
s.cnd pilglimage to Gu4ddtrpc, honr io ihe shrnre to an
xpltarucc o{thc Vir'gin Mdry in thc lalc 16th ccnttry. Tlte
difereDt coluial histories of London atrd Palis, sinilarh hav€
troDsforDed tlcnr inio vastly ditrerent sites lbr wo d nnNic, sll
the
morc il^s fost-col('n ialism gjves s1ly n) Posimodcnisft and still
oftcr proccsses ofSlold Nllu ol ransitidr'
My lcfcrcn.e nt thc bcginnjnB ol'lhjs sjcli(r ro Urc ci[y $ m
tnltrt t lbr sofld usic wils not sirnPly a lct(tricd gcstLuc Jr it$

odgnul scnsc m cntre$t wes n wnrchonse thal scrvcd .s . lrcnrt
lbr sarhq ius goods tllat would bc ,nade .vajlablc li)f salc lhe
orcouoi-crs wiur wo d nnLsic h tbe city, td), uc cornccled ir
compie{ i ats to the rnarketing ofwodd music_ In the premoden
ci$ music acquimd its dirtrsif quirc litsattl iD the marketpla.e.
The shops that lined Redanin's arcades, too, were plees of
bNin€ss. Sbecr tulsicies deremire wherc dd $,hen rhey perfom
in larB€ pafi becduse ol the financial benetits at e&h noile
a.]ong
thcir urban musical routes. Thc economies ofwo.lo nusc
production dd con mltion will al$ inforn the discussio$ nr the
renaining sections of rhis cbalter, ibr musicat tourism and the
testiyaljzation ol *.rld Drusic a.e, at base, economicallr
motn,at€d.
And jllh€v {'erc not, tliey $(Nld nor haye sprea.l ro$ the global
nusical laDdscipe ofthe 2ist centuy, definiDg .ver Dore shrph
the domirant prcseDce of .ities oD lhlt lanckcape.
,4anu Dibango: autobiography ofworld music
I harc felt t,ushed rora otheN Ls I n.de hy ornr path. rfr hc{r
easicr for me tl, till dre Bap nris v.y. I who Fas neirhd lbr€i$ef
nor
fo'nplelely inl(€nted into nrv wo.ld olorigin. I r?6 alrotren br gc
Lrct$€en Lro rcids.
(Dibnqto, 1994: 2)
Rorn i,r canicrcon ir r9rs, Mnnu DibaDso hs crjoJed a m{sjcal
carecr that is iuseparaLrlc tonr the p osr,cotoDial hisrory of
lves r
Afi ica and irs irrtcNcctioD rviLh wo d nruic$ ofthe Atii.an
di6poh. Wrerctus his Wesi AfricaD roo rs {.e ceicbrai"od by Fr
ancc

ud by ir{nsnalidal rccoding coDgloncrltes, hc has perh.ps
flhv.ys been s lruc} | Wcsrcn.s anAftjcan Dtrsjcjan. Ditrflngo's
carccr D world mrsnr mighr well bc rhc exhlodindry crse otpost-
coloDial ctr.ounlc! wcre it nol 1bx rhe lbcr thar, {s he {trcsls in
bis
dutdio8rehy, mrch ol ir rvrs thc prcdrcr of d musicidn,s tite th.r
wds ir sevc& signiicont ways qritc oxliDart
M'uu Dibm8o spcr1. ffosr of his chiklhood h l.hc tod ciry of
Dorr a, Cdrcrlo,r, *hcrellis lhrhcr wu r.ivitscrvdnt, which
aflbr.l0d hirn h.ny {dv{nrr8cs lior the Frencl colonRl
sovcnnnctrt. As a clrikl, M{nu DibturA)was able Lo trtrcuo
1 3 6
6'
E
nissionary schools, and at thc agc ofr5 hc was ablc to go with
the
suplort of a l'rench scholaNhip to ftrrher his studies in Fnnce.
whereas his car cx!.ricnces $ere with other children in Douala,
these entei his antobiographl vagtrcI wo€n into images of a
past
evident ontt as occasbnal traces, albeit ne.essary tra.es for the
images ofa world musician tbat &company Dibanso toddy.
[email protected] with Western nusic, on the other hd4
ac.ompdies thc
r€ry firit memoies. By attendnB church, he writes, i discolcrcd
the importdnce ofritual and song. His mothcr dircdcd rhc
w)men's choir at dr church, and it ivas rhc ncnt choirmN tcr $
ho
'sare me the maBical nusical virrs'- So ordlnary em thc

cncotrntcr
tlat Dibanso bar€ty sensed its presenc€ and impact. "Ihc lchrch]
nelodiesNere not mine, but orcr tine I apprcpriated thetu - so
much so that when I later heud Bach's Card.lc, rhich I d lcarncd
i,r cburch, I ms Rue it $ as nusic lion hon€, a sonB liom ny
The course ofManu Dibango's career bd! pdalleled thc !osl'
coloDial history ofFrancophoDe Afiica. soon alid taking trp
sludics
i n l m r c c i n 1 9 4 8 , h e s u p p l a n t e d t l € m n s i c o f t
h e d o D i n l
commuDitics ofCaneroon with new encountcrs, tbis tifte rvith
Alrican lmedcan nrlsicians, both iez aDd bh€s, md with Frcnch
polular Dusic and Nrediter.anean .,/id?r.t. IIe beSd to $ttdy
music more fornallri, rnd by his latc tecns hc dcvotcd nrorc and
more time to learnins alto sd, which would qd.idy mnkc his
tra.icctofy lo$nrd t]le nn*ic of bhcl ANericans unstomablc. li
nright bc lcmp|iDg io sL,Sgcst thrt srrc.} r n Ajedorf workl
destft)y
what hw lrmcs ol Allfican musichtd sltrflved thetrm$ {nt*nnr
Lo l.){Dq bul h l!rc|the r ulllowrrdjuz rnd the bltr€s opetrcd
ncw
ott oltuDitics Io! cnco!trlcri'ig AU icdls n knrg nrusic, h othcr
wods, rhc colonjalprcscncc of tficMs in ile populd Nusic sccuc
ofpost-Wo (l W{r ll llancc. Dibdgo devolopcd tlvcb olDttsical
cotrtrds fion lDncothonc Alficr {nd blnck ,niericrn exfdridics
iq tmd.c.nd Belgnnn.Ilis nudcll comhhjtt nrchtlcd notorly-
mdnotp.imarily- Canrercon, |ut Also zairc.nd orho lcncl And
Bclgi.n colories. IIc would cstrblish his playing.nreer
inierndtionally with [email protected] Aoerich musicids _ Harry
Belafonte, Ar't Bla.key, Don Cherryt Hefiie H&cock - but atso
with
white musicians, amona rhem paut Snnon and JohnnJ ctegg.
Cme.oon bJ no nea.s disappetued fiom Dibango,s ousical

adnities, especially dlrin8 p€riodr when he neeiled to depenil on
the hore srabte income rhat carne from plaling for invitations to
Cameroon. His career, noDcthete$, folowed an ino.Nnsry
,.teDational !ath, unde€irded b]' !-rcnch ed inrernational rccord
comtdies. His brcakth.oLrgh into world music rrcul.t happen in
1974, rv}en his hit Sont MakNSa,wa5 nonindted for a cEmmyi
liom that poi.t on, strccesscs and a$,ads pile{l up aL an aeF
At thc end ofdre 2orh cenrury, Manu Dibdgo hecdnc the
chanpior ofhulticulturalisn nr world music. Frdrcc and the post,
colonial wodd in whicn he grew np sc.e, morc than evcrj
templarcs
for what orld music conld beconrc. Music irself had acqljred
the
Dotential to qrickcn the pace ofan cvenhat rarurochemeDr
bcl,ween thc West and its colonies, Dibango wites h bis
P n is bc.o.ring nrixedjaco . . . I he rilhphone $x$ rc soru
rvith tne hJ,tbn nDd cniclts ft. Thc ru r rcnnbrcer rh( drun!
krt. Llorn .r drv: suddcn nrvenrnnrs, rhd nNsicd ,nisudor-
slrndnrgs bdsrecn ihe conrineDr ff .t paris tihrltldissit:rte
'l he d4wn that fouowcd the post-colorjrl ela horuldcd a new
t8c,
whcLc Do rhusic i.om ile world need bc sroiticcd. ,Aliiqr ftusic
rvds and renmirs ahtsic ofcncotrntosj inthis lics rrs Lracrrvc
1 3 3
:
R e c o r d i n g a n d t h e t e c h n o l o g i e s o f g l o b a l
i T a t i o n

lmaEile 1br a noment $'hd aD ethnomusicologisti gallcry of
fi el;rcrl rvoukl conidn on one Nall tle'c would be rhotographs
oftlt peoplc the c lhnomosicologjst had studied On another
thcre
misht be af.ilhcts brolrsht back liom the fi€kt' srclv Nrcd
iistruments and trore than likcLy othcr ktuts of rihrtl artiiir'ts
'rhen therc *oul.t lrobrblv be d ared in fr'nt ofthc
third s'all $'jth
ilispla], cascs in 'lich ihc 1n$ic itscLf $as gath€rcd the
a;scn|tions. trPes, and liticos. amplned Mth evidencc fion
ne.lihvorkera $']rc had rrcvio$ docutnented the s'nre nrca
linallt the.c rvould be I area demtcd to thc technololjr's that
marle the nekl{mk possible. eilh disPlav cascs fi of rccordnrg
nE.nnres dd cNrcras, and with a wdll devoled t(' photogra]rls
of
dre cthnomlsicologist jn lhe ad of r€'ordn18 lhos€ sit} $ ho'n
he
or she lnd cons tdL, in orher sords, lhe nnbNaDl i
AD imngiuory muftum of.lhnomusicological rcsearch? Hardh
A
retroflccrive cthbit on fieldivorh iD m age ofcolonhlhm? Inde&l

that, but more rs well !-'tlDolNsi.olosists havc ahvrvs dnphitd
n
DerchaDr Ibr shosin8 rlie nx,ls ofthen tnde
and documentdlton oI
thcte.hnoloAics th allo(cdthen totrD the Iicld Dloa
ldboratory (sec lis$cs 21dnd 2 2). iflou -isir the eiimologv
dirisnD ofr nationd Knlnd adive o' mulctrl ofsciences' v{r
dre
likcly n) lird scvcrrl alers Llcvotcd to thc lleldork"f nnd thc
technoloSics o{:the iield Unn'crslrv clhnonrsicologv dcl
tlrenLs'
1oo, Dntthcir rc.ordtug deviccs on disph)', at thc vcry
lcast those no
lons;radcqudc lro lhc latosl licldwor'k
'fhc rllotogrrphs ol'
c[hnom$icoli)gists ttodinS sitlScF rDd nnlsicians, 'ud
rcllccttu$
nltcNnws an(l Pc bNtsccs cou1.1 lill vohnnos dct(ttcd
to tl)c
llol(ls history lruccs Dcnsnrore is smrcd irl trotrt oflhc
Amcrican
llLncAU olljthnology in r9r6, rc( il1gMonntaiD 'hnifol'tlc
Blactlbot ttx)ltc (scc IiSuLc r'l) Bilt lldt6k

stxnds nr avilhgcin
Slovlrlli., s|eLcvilligt s snrgitrlotlc ltoN ol his$d'cvlindcr
rcco d(scc llisu( a 1). C.rl StrrnDfrnd
'rNrs
s'hiincnr'tru
sit with prisorc$ ftom thoughour rltc $orld iD r
']crmNd
pi$'rer of$d camp durinB world war l, recording their $ngs ibr
a slobal t,nonohy of nusic (see l igur€ 7.3). Domnutins thc
phot.graphs ofrhc cthnomrGicologisr a1 work is not so nn.h its
luman 6pect Ls the rna.hine its.li; givcr piide ofplace in the
photosraph in orde. b document someding .rucial about the
ethnomusicologist: eay of encounterins tire world-'l'he recoldins
machine is tlere to nate a statement about autheniicrt], loeer,
and tie potential ofthe indiljdudl s.nohr io enter the field as an
ff we waDted lo $ rite d history ol ctdnomNicology by tracidg
rh€
resroDse ofthe field to slecific technological admDces, it soul.l
not
be nr the least difficr t. -A-s a discilline, modcrn
ethnonnNicolosr'

has come to depend o,1 what wdltd tscnjarin called tl€ 'a8c of
m€cbaniol reproduction'. Indccd, in thc spirit oftechnolosl its.U,
a histo,t of etlrnotulsi.ologlca,l rcchnologics might pronde us
*ith
an historiographic sbateBt tlnr coukl claim all the h apings of
Lrenrs scientinc. Tecbnolo8y nediatcs lhc cncounter xith world
Dnsic, {nd with e.cb techn(noBicd adlancc cthromnrido8isrs
gaiD a sense that they can gadrer more details alout world
nrusic
throngh [email protected]€r lt's a s€dnctive beliei; which no
ethnonrusicolosist rcNm$h rcsirts. Ar8udlly, ihe neld of
p r l - n n m u . . ' . 1 ' ! J I L L , . i r . ' l i n p r . - l i s b " c
. . J " c , d r . ' r r ' . n r
. ' . h . r + . B i ' r h - v . a l l o * c l r h c l i . d b c l . , i
m - I n , { - | i d { u ' r r
scientific basis. ftc( arc $rbdiscillincs withnr e$no rsicologi! irr
fi(t, thnt nly dhrosl .ntircly on tcchnologics lo Fediate tuusic
rL!
drtt for objedive nrteryrctatn)n. S)s icmaiic musicologists ttu c
thcir irtelle(turl gencdbl{r ro l9rh- And 2olh-ccntuyschohB s'clr
$ Alexdddr Ellis, to dcviscd d sysLcn lbr diridnrs nusical

scAlcs
iiro eqrd rno{strrcmcn ts ol licqucncics, or 'cc!ts', md carl
shupl;
illc Ccrnd psychologisl s,ho cstablishcd d1c lirsl]a}orai(try
dovotcd to dnrly$ing lccotdin6s ol lorld mlsic al thc Univcrsily
ol'
Rcr'liD.
llynohc.ns ist}e systcDtrti. iupllsc iD c tI nomusicokrg! orly
d{licatcd tothc scicnLili.dcs.d ion ol sound. Dshblishing lhc
t
,
d
.i!
E
E
a
6
E

E
q
d
6 h
3 '
t t
: 4
pa.aneteN of arthenticitr is e$ally a mottuation. Can the anahiis
ofthe sound itsef reveAl more about shat we hear and interyret d
mNic? Can the !hFi6 ofmusic, rhe ftpresentrtion ofmusic a
walefon and timbral displays, tihsfom our undeNrmding of
the metaphysics of music? Rcco.dins technology allows us -
cvcn
requires us - to think iD dillefent @!s aboui vhar authenLiciry
might be. chansins technologies, it follo$. prodlce a listory of
ethnomusicological ided thahcveals authenticjf tu consranr flL
The question eises as to vhether dlsctr$ions about the ethics of
recording dd technology can kccp !p with rhe blindiDg lace of
technological ddnnce. The digital tech.ologi€s thai flood€d rhe
Blobal m6ic mdlet dudng rhe 199os nrade ii po$ible lbr almosr
anyon€ ro cnter the feld to encounter world mlsic.Irorld music
alleared cvcryTbeE on CDs and the Internet, and rhe sheer
welrer
ofrecoldin8s owmhelm€d tirc lcgal encumbrances that mighr
have
siven the listoner rause tbr considdins tle ethical dimensions of
encoultoing d world music with no other culhrral conrert rhan
rhc
IDternct. By raising these crhical dilemmas I do not med to takc
a
rcactionaiy stance. As clhical dilemm6, which arc alrcady

spawning debate md {lion, they are ditrerent only in kind fton
thc
dilemmas about l)o$€r, allropriation, and cuhunl conilici thai
havc always accomtanied cncounters sith Norld nnEic. Ifthcy
aris€ f, om thc technological scctors ofthe [email protected]
etrdeavon! they are no less trcnchant h the tuys tley.equire the
ethnonrsicologist to nccept lhc noral responsibiliw of schol ship
The Rough Guides and the ethnomusicological
encounter today
As i1therc wclc iintcdng dotrbts that world rlusic had comc
ofa:i
with tlre 21st ccntlDi thc ,Rrugh Guides to Warld Mwb rcbrt
th.-
from thc sur( In no uncetain tems thc 8or8, Gzid?s cclebrlt.
lheit own compreheNivencss I wo}ld hrsic js boundlcss and
boundaryless, and it is'liLlir8 that [the] new cdiiion... ei'rcide!
I
I
with the stat of a new millennim, for it dedls with the oldcst and
nes{st music in the wo d'. Ifthen daims ring a bit herdldic' tbe
,qozgl Gztd.r noncthelss document the lostmodern encotrnter
with vorld music $ c(eDsively that few etlnomusicologisls, llon
amateur to eademic, from aficionado to actirist, $ould lot
redonably 1'ant to be witholt tbem. l he -Rozal Grala de a!

much ndvcrtisement - 1br musicids who tour the torld aDd their
rcco.ding comlanies, not to mention tbr tbe travcl industrv that
sponturs the braDd ofwo d-hopping touism chaacteristic ofthe
Rotlh Guides as it is a real suidc ro the diesilv ofmnsi"l
phenodena that it claims 6 iLs subjccl LrltimatcLy, the R,zglr
Gztd$ conceln theDsclves far nxft $ith facilitating etcourtcr
rith sorld music than vitll sorld msic itseli ThJough its Pagcs
dd the $trltit ofcDs drd s'ebsites lhey introducc, the
ethnomusicologist of thc ,Rotg/i cziddr' lles dillcnnium' ert.N
ihc eorld of virtual etuomtei
ll sould be eNX e.ough to Project i tonc of Pe$snnisn and
rcsignatioD abotrt the stdtc of ethnonusicoiogls ApProi.hes to
worl.l music this linal section devoted to thc field add its
scholars.
My usc of the tern litlaral .ncotrnter' niSht seem srggcstive ot
tcchnolosies oul of contui drd of music rcduced to mcdiaiion
tionc. Anyonc who turns lo the Ro,.sn Gu?d.r wil quicklv nnd
rcNous to dhw attentio! to tbeir [email protected] E!e! withnr
acadcnic
cihnoNsicolosy, most ofus love to hr c the e'al thc Rou8n Gtil6

.cducc qodd nNsic md discouBe obotri world m$ictoso nrrnv
qrict-and-diftir bhr$s, but 1iw ol'us $ould derry thdl ihose
blurbs
rrthq olLn come in handy. Alt ol us recognizc thnt scvcral ofolr
N)sl rcslccted collcdgues arc now contlibutiigthch cxPcttise Lo
ftc &rqr, Grtrdr, cvcn lvhcn wc hrve to close olr evcs to Lhe
cuss
jonrDdlism rld ioo oilcn lills in lbe Erps. l hc norgl 6r,id?s lo
lilo/Ll M".rtd nuy prcdrce tuIcrlbct scholrirshiP, bui il is slill
emblcmnlio ofthc wrys in which i}c clbromusicologic,l
cncounicr
does lakc plae lodrY.
It is possible n) oPcn thenoz8t Cr c.{just dbott dvwltcre n)
witness the cooditions of ethnomusicologicat encounr.r nrda].
Thc
ho olumes tue first dd f{'Emosr a slide to [email protected] dd
the
'nusicids
whose success hd resutied fronr the disseminarion md
consuoption d recordnrss. The issue $irh wlich
ethnomusicologists toda], musr rcckon is not s,hetlru rco(urgs
wrench music liom its coDrcxts: this is what all rccordings do.
rte

recording does, howcver esrablish new conterls, and rhese axe
atlracbng an increasinB ievel of s.rutiny liorn
ethnonusicotosists.
As naftnalisn spreads i. mmy parts ofrhc *!rtd, feco(iinss hare
edoged G d important context 1br slppor.ing and r€sisrinA it,
Globilh recodinss and tlet cxchan8e arc !e raDs rhc most viral
discouNe for eDcoul.crnrs diaspora.
Thc Ro&gn czldls also sen e as a suide, pohlps uninrcntbnallri,
to
reccnt direc lions in ethromusicology. Most obviols ot,aI, rtrey
a.e
guidcs DriDarilr to popular musiq aDd there can bc lirLle
qnesrion
thal. no area - I should Bo so i:u as t{) ca| ir a subdisciptine,
wirtr fts
o*! inlly arLiculat€d rLeory aDd merhods, ofethnonuscorosl,
$Nr a-s rapidh aDd becme d innueDtial nt the r99os as popltar
tuusic studies. Growinsnr ldgc parlrom the aoi€n 6z?drr,
privilegiDg of popular music is a discour$c that embraccs and
analyses h),biditjr, 1iNnm, aDd bordeFc&ssins, h orhcr $r s the
conditions of Slobalizafi)n rhar are nrescapable todal. t]Ic n,zsn
Gutde! could bc .oniirscd n)r a pudsr,s bible b) no oue, Dur no.
roo
lhcrc is o trtcssd8e, pcrdars l biurr one ro rhc ptrrisr clin8iDg to
an
oldcf sospcl, about thc cn(ounr.r$ thnr gcncrrte lor.td nusi. rod
..
Iindl)r thcrt can bcnoqncsrion th;rt rhcsites ofcncounre.rre
ihenrseNcs vi$tly dilftknr. ,r'(r'td nruic intensilics in nnnrignnt
and cxilc comnnhiticsi it le ds jrsclf to idcotognjal nnniPl rtnrr
across thc slcctrun of poliric{l poweri it trllixcs irse! to
rcvivatno
lcss thaD ro Urc avrnLgardc; it is thc stutfoflistiyd Nrrrrc uq
xouristr.'l hc globd dtlturc thrl wodd nusic tu.ticularcs is
irnpcnctftbly dcrse, so much so rlnr cncoutrrcflil.b $orld nnric

hru, hddy, bccoNe iDscprRLblc t'iodr ou! cvcryd.y *ortds.
World music festivals: all the wofld's a stage
The ethrographic present: 22 Seltenber 2001- Wo.ld mnsic as I
cncounter it in my home city, Chicago, d I mite the closing
section
of thc linal chalter ofthis book. .!!orld Mtrsic Festtual, Chicaso
2oo1' has bccn unde$my for only tro days, btrt the entire ci$
has,
lbr thc third year, been transfotued into a stage for world music.
LooKng at the eve.ts schedlrled for today a total ol selenteen
appear in the oficial pmsrdmc - we get some jdea ofinat we
night uDdexstand 'a stase fo. rvortd musiC really to be.
Thc melropolis becomes r metaphor ibr the ltotld, mappins its
muric dd its nusic clltru€s so that dyonc dd everyone can
parllcipab h the eDcounter The map ofthe festival delibeutely
sttutchcs to all distncts ofthe ciry, tu lhc neighbolrhoodJ, as
chicaBoans arc accustomed to rcfer to lhe lasing oftheir cultltrl
Beqralhy. fhe rcnue for e&h conced is mdked by a twoletter
neighbourhood address, such as 'HP'for Hydc Parb the
nejgllbou.hood $tcre ihe UDiIeNi!, of ChicaSo is locatcd. It is
pe rairs not by chrncc $ar the leiSirbou rood dddrcsscs assume
the appeardrce ofthc caf siick€F iliat escribe ndiidMl origin,
such
as GB'or'?L'. chicdgo nejghbouriroods dt rdthcr lamous lbr
clannjng ndtidhl And natioDalist alle8l{nco, so much so that
hosr
residents ol l.hc ci! know thet ?ilsen is McxicaD md the
Northwcsi
Side k ?olish. A cl.xcr look at the tr{p o{ thc city's world music

lbstirl, howere! rcvcals ihat ii doer not sinply replicatc the
DciShboufhood's etbnic and naiiontl identities Perhaps hAll
ofthc
ddrcsses arc not jtlst Deishbourhoods reconnsured as stascs 1or
lvorld nusic, brt fllc re. stages lcconligurcd, ifl mtiy bc
dehberatc rcdundur, rs stAgcs lbrworld husic: thc chicqo
Sybphory Ccntcr 1br examplc, will host. pe bmancc of|he
I,olestiDi{n ,l pldycl, Sinotr Sh.Lhccn, lhis $eDin8, and
AlSedan
rai stxa Khdlcd, i5 biucdlbr the'cl$ing concct' on SdPtembcr
30th
ri lho Rivien Thcairc. Ncjghbou lood 'ccnlres', usudly
dominrred
by brold'nngnrg socifll Dd civic selviccs io the neigllbourhood,
also bemnestagcs. Lcast$lrprising oi nll, so do bstions ol'1blk
and
tmditioDal n$iq Dotably the Otd ToM School or Folll Music,
and
mary sites oflrdrsDational culture brokering in the citJ, such as
Bo.deN Books drd Music.
Werc one so inclincd, it woutd be e6y enoush to dEmiss the
.Worlil
Music Festivnl, Chiago 2oori d no more thm cnterlainhent an.t
tourism. Thcrc is a fair ntrmber ot srl-knoM $ortdbeal
eNehble' nost ofthem le|fonnirg at lhe dpensrve venues. The

Lstival's oryanizeB, the Mayois Omce ofspecial Events, makes
no
bones abour rhc porential io draw tounsts to tle ciry 6 aurtrhn
begins, alier ile sunner scasoD oi Dusic lbstiujs concentHted nr
ceDhalrylocated Grant Pdk. The tslus Festn al, J&z Fesrivit,
Gospel Fesinal, Celtic Festiwt, dil Via Iatina, wtic} roScther
punctuated the srmtue. monrls, have prcv€d that rwrld nusic
brings moncX to thc cib! cvcn thougtr they th€nNelvcs requtrc
no
ddnission chdrge, lhe concern about atrrdLtjDg culture tourars
to
chicago is all the motu crnicat dutjn8 the ,lrrortil Music
treslilal,
Chicago 2oot'because oi$e unccrtanrry accompdyjns thc sh,ck
oftho *tacke on Scttenbcr rrrh,
It is also thc cNe rhdt ryone wishins ro attack world music as
homogeDized Eiobal poD, cuttu.at inf erialisd nnde smorous,
wuid lind convenient td8crs. Snch att(ks, howercr, M)ura
nisintcryretthc srys in which world lnusjc had remapped rtre
ciiy
and rcExDdcd to iD cnodnous raDgc oflocal thcto,s..l !e
deDscsr
neighbouhood c tqr.phr ii)r exaDtle, is that Drcvide{l by blucs
nnsicixns. t]. is denso becousc ttre map ol rhc lestival
nerelydr{ys
{tcn|n)b to whd is! ready { densc, cosn]opotiratr husiccriture,
kno$n tlfoughout the $o.ld os,Chiclgo btucs'orillban brL,es.ln
cont'.s1, thc weckcDd providing lhc wor{d Nusic ercuunleF rof
this closing section is ffllcd with Ndivc Anreicau evcnis,the
donrnrnnt ol'whicir is Lhc Dschilogor IMiatr I'osvow
Socomptcx
a re xhc cont€,{Le fbr this linal grcdr gdr[cling of Lhc lDrvsow
scayrr,
whichbcgnN in ihc wcsrcm Arncdco srdes andCanadi.D
troulccs, ahd DD$ tumss drc cotrrincnl to concl c tu chicago,

thot it is almost inrrcssible ro sotl itrem out. The pcrlbNances
:
ro. Postc i qilvctising drc EchiknE,u PorvlvoN 2oor, t€aruring
th€
Nrtic Amcricm horscman fron ltu montrnent at dE enFaD.e to
GrmlP&hat l}€ ni€rsectionoflric]rigan Arcnnc dthc Congress
begin $ilh a Ntrtic Amcdcd nqnnrox celebrdnni, $ hjc indc.d,
t*cs llacc loday, the vellai equnrox. The roNlxv ilsell,
histodcallyan ildigenizarion of ideDtilrnd resistancc anong lhc
p.oplcs olrhc Greal PhnN, will occuprthc sitc initially loc cdon
tle ma! of Chiclgo at the lv('ld's colorbia! Cxposiiion o11893,
thc lhirgrouDds where t}e liNt etllno8nphic L.(trdirg$ ol wofld
nusic wcrc Dndc. Avisible, hig}ly D$nrctdl sct ofwcckend
ped(rJn.occs, thc ilschikagou ltrdio Po$wo{ respnds io lhc
i(lcohgi.rl slrlrgglc 1i)! idcDtjiy in 2l sl-ccnnnf Ndth Ahcd.{ by
historiciztug lhurgh musical lcrlbdnnnk tho unchccltcd
cncornter dul ptrshcd NrLiycADrcricds fion the vql lards ao oss
whidr thcir'2oor |meu(^v scason h.$ nuvdl,
ts thc lcsl.ivaIol$uld Nrsic jus1. Molhcf idcttrocc oltrn.h&kcd

sl<)hdtdliod.trd tho ri.rnnizaLi, ',
ol i'rliSlnousaDd bcd
nnsiciris ro b(trressthc Dolvcr oltho prcd uccs ofwotldlc.Lt?
orly if one wis|es to trcat iL ntrolilhica llti .s I singlc evcnt
LhdL h
no morc nor lcss thtu a Drctaphor for the hegemoDl, of the
.ivcat.
,nd thotrshour this book I have resisied iloing precisety thai. A
ttstival is nor a singlq conccntrarc.l monent for rne peribfmdce
of
rvo d husic. tr rendls, nrher fron the confltrence or tuaDv
J , f l e r , h , . t , , t r . f r r p i . . a r h J . r d ; d i n t r h r '
r r i . . . . - ! t u r - L o
t p w . r l d n u ! l J , 1 1 . , , r p - i , e . a r I , r . . t h n
p d , R i r , 1 l h , , - . O l
the lirst lercl, mnsi.ians dd audjences continue to lcsponil, Lhe
fcstial norwirhsrddil8, ro local ethnic, narional, aD.l religious
communities, Music nakjng at ihis lercl iltersccrs wirh orher
cvrnts at the iastnd dd ftus estabtishes c.nnectn,N bctond rhc
local th.mes.'Ibe music irsetf dohnrahs the sta8e. Thc sportjght
is
iocuscd onjazz of lio,Cuban lisnD or cettic.tance lrscorru.lt
miahl also Lrc ttre ca* rhar a holiday or hkioricat eltnL rs
ccleLrrated, efcctil,ely recoDnectjng thc husic to contclt rlrorgl
rerilrl, wlich deDends oD tcnivats for irs lifeblood. Fjnattr, ther
can bc no dorb hat *o d nnNic festnah explicitb, aftonlt ro
kconlrgur nn$ic itself as a means of rchaDDirg the $rrtil l,thour
bonnda.ies, thereby c}arrtns a ubpiaD wo d ii wtrich locat,
ertrdit,
racial, and rolisious difier.nce dissotvc. hr thar uiopid $odd rhf

encounter with $orld rnusicis dcniedtono onc.
In thc cthnograf hi. prescnt of rhis ctosinB section the lbstivd of
world music is as ubiqLrirous as jt is oerydali No rader oI rtrjs
book
nc.d look very tar no! writ vcg long Lretbn hding the olportunitl
lo rttcnd i'ch a fesiivnl..lhouljh I hrR D)ade a cale ror ur.
ltstirali2dioD ofwolld DrNica trctur! ofourccnhry r $,nnr !o
crntion thcrxder liun rc8ardiDg thot lcstjvdizdnn s rhc
ldeololitul cndpojn r ol ar historicrl /irrAa ./z?trl for rvorld
DrNj..
'lhe lrpcs ol cncotrnlcr bktr,g)rr rbour lry r lorld nn,sic
lirstivrlrre
nol ncw' rn(l thcytrrc surcly nolthc iDcvit$h conlorrcrcc or
hist(nical t&mds h Lhc Dcir nritlcnnium. Sonrc ti)nns or
cncotrnr.,
htrvc dis{Dpe cd,butoihos luvc incrc$((] iI ntrjnb.r {n( vucol
' l h - . r . l i l , , I . h . , t . , r t , r . . n u c r i , t . r , , r t
. r r r t r . , 1 - r n . r . , l
wrys ol cncounieringM d !N$ic i4lay shxv dn], si8trs o f db nrs.
lfwc cxADriic the ercounfcru rh^r tillawor,ld nnNj.
t..sri!.t1oday
more eLhnoAr arhi(ally, $ erbnonnuicot{)sisr b L rlso xs slobrt
citizens in the 21st @ntury, we reognize that e&h event,
[email protected] on
the sia6e ofa met opolis remnpped 6 ihe world, bears witnes to a
differeni kind of encomter It may or may not require our
participatioq md it may or may not alter the ways we iDter&t 6
selves ed otheN. The history ofencouter ftom which world
music
ha.s emerged, howeyer, is Dot about to come to a halt. E&h of
N
ethnonNicologisf nusicidr, avid amateur, pa$ive listener will

inrcdingly [email protected] the nusic of the world in a Srowing
vdie1'
of ways, drawing us ineluctably into a wodd, the identitX and
culture ofwhich is no longer sepdable from our oM livs.
E
3
1 5 0 151
References
rIft are rhe details of the wolks and researct€s discused in this
book.
Silce t}e ea.ly 199os, it hs [email protected] common pr&tice to
lulljsh CDs
with bools on mdd nusic, eslecialy wtren tne book hs BroM fton
ext€nsive S€ldmrk, in th€ lists that follow, rherefore, I haw
ind'cated
wl€n a book inctudes a cD.
chtuls Keil ahd Steren Fel4 Muic cjooe*: Essdys dhd Dialagut
(Univesity of Chicago !re!s, 1994)
Bfro NenL me W6tem Impact on Wa d Muic: Chdkg.,
Adaptatio4
dnd [email protected] (Sclim€. Bools, 1985)
Bnrno Nettl at' dl, 4*ar&iotu in tvora Muic, d edn. (p€nri.e Hdl.
2007)
Timothy D. Thylo! ciobai Pop : WotA M6ic, wortil Mmhatt
(Routl€dt€, 1997)
Iefr'rion et dl., worlda ofMurrc, 9!d €dn. (Schi.m€r Books,

1992)
c[!pte] 1
David W Ames and Arrhony U KjnE, cksffiry afHausa MBic ana
ftt
Soatal Cor,€ars (Norrbwalreln UlireEity !re!s, 1971)
Pi.tEn Chea, Chank af w [email protected] Buddhist Monattd*i
(A-A
Editions, fortcoming) (CDinclud€d)
Stephen Creenblatt, [email protected] PoMtiow: Tha Wond'r
aftha Ntu
ryorld (oxford UlireFity !.e$, 1991)
: i a : ' v V l L L T h o m a s P i n k
: , D A M E N T A L I 5 M
Malise Ruthven
. L O B A L I Z A T I O N
Manfred Steget
HAB E RMAs Cordon FinlaYson
H I E R O 6 L Y P H S P e n e l o P e W i l s o n
H I R O 5 H I M A B . R . T o m l i n s o n
H U M A N E V O L U T I O N
Bernard Wood

I D E O L O 6 Y M i c h a e l F r e e d e n
I N T E R N A T I O N A L R E L A T I O N 5
P a u l W i l k i n s o n
JAZZ Brian lvlorton
L I N 6 U l 5 T l C 5 P e t e r M a t t h e w s
L O C K E J o h n D u n n
M A N D E L A T o m L o d g e
M A T H E M A T I C s
Tim Cowers
M E D I C A L E T H l C 5 T o n Y H o P e
T H E M I N D M a r t i n D a v i e s
M O D E R N I R E L A N D
Senia Padeta
M O L E C U L E 5 P h i l i P B a l l
MYTH Robert Segal
N A T I O N A L I 5 M S t e v e n G r o s b Y
N O R T H E R N I R E L A N D
M a r c M u l h o l l a n d
P E R C E P T I O N R i c h a r d C r e g o r Y

P H I L O 5 0 P H Y O F R E L I 6 I O N
lack Copeland and Diane Proudfoot
P H O T O C R A P H Y S t e v e E d w a r d s
P LATO Julia Annas
P O S T C O L O N I A L I S M
Robeit Young
P O S T M O D E R N I 5 M
christopher Butler
P O S T S T R U ( T U R A L I 5 M
Cathefine Belsey
P R E H I S T O R Y C h r i s C o s d e n
T H E P R E 5 O C R A T I C 5
Catherine Osborne
T H E R A J D e n i s l u d d
T H E R E N A I 5 5 A N C E l e r r y B r o t t o n
R E N A I 5 S A N C E A R T
C e r a l d i n e J o h n s o n
5ARTRE Christina Howells
s C H I Z O P H R E N I A
Chris Frith and Eve Johnstone

T H E 5 P A N I 5 H C I V I L W A R
H e l e n C r a h a m
T E R R O R I 5 M
Charles Townshend
TRAC E DY Adrian Poole
T H E T W E N T I E T H C E N T U R Y
Martin Conway
P h i l i o V . B o h l m a n
For more information visit our web site
www.ou p.co. uk/vsi
W O R L D M U S I C
A Very Short Introduction
OXTORD
I J N I V E R S I T Y P R E S S
Prefmee
At the beginning of the 21st century it is impossible to define
world
music without slipping down a tautological slope. World music
is that
music we encounter, well, everywhere in the world. World

music can be
folk music, art music, or popular music; its practitioners may be
amateur or professional. World music may be sacred, secular, or
commercial; its performers may emphasize authenticity, while
at the
same time relying heavily on mediation to disseminate it to as
many
markets as possible. World music's consumers may use it as
they please;
they may celebrate it as their own or revel in its strangeness.
The old
definitions and distinctions dont hold anlrrnore; world music
can be
Western or non-Western, acoustic or electronically mixed. The
world of
*orld music has no boundaries, therefore access to world music
is open
to all. There's ample justification to call just about anything
world
rnusic.
World music is inseparable from another equally ilifficult to
define
phenomenon ofour age, globalization. By the end ofthe year

2Oo1,
above all in the wake ofthe events ofSeptember l1th, it was no
longer
possible to deny the impact ofglobalization even on local, on-
the-
street realities. It remains hard to pin down, much less define,
but
few have failed to rec6gnize the paradox in the rhetoric and
reality of
globalization. It's both good and bad, a worldview to be
celebrated
and vilified, a force that can contain the world but also a
movement
that must be contained by force. It could be said that
globalization
has ts'o meanings, or indeed that it opens up tlvo ways ot
encountering the world, and most people ally themselves with
one or
the other.
The trvo meanings of globaiization are emblematic of the tlvo
contradictory ways in which 'world music' is understood today'
In the

course of this book I rely on both meanings for my own
examination of
what world music is today, paradoxes and all. For many, world
music
represents much that is right in the world, indeed, the very
possibility
that music and music-making bring people together. The sheer
volume
of world music - on the radio, CDs, and the Internet, and in
university
classrooms and books with diverse readerships - has never been
greater'
When it comes to celebrating globalization, world music is
always
within earshot.
There's also the darker side to world music. World music can
raise fears
that we are losing much that is close to home' Its homogenizing
effect
threatens village practices as it privileges the spaces ofthe
global village'
Its dissemination across the globe depends on the appropriation
of

transnational recording companies, whose primary interests are
to
exploit cultural resources. Fusion and border-crossing may
enrich some
world-music styles, but they impoverish others' At the
beginning of the
21st century there is much about the rhetoric and reality of
globalization that has given world music a bad name.
In this book I seek a middle ground. I urge the reader both to
look
critically at the ways in which musicians and managers have
turned to
world music to appropriate and exploit traditional music and to
recognize how the abundance ofworld music today offers the
opportunity to experience the diversity ofhuman societies like
never
before. The middle ground I seek does not avoid the dual
meanings
evident in the rhetoric ofglobalization or the discourse ofworld
music,
but rather it endeavours to represent the space of encounter,
which is
also the space in which the history of world music has unfolded'

Accordingly, the middle ground in this book also affords me the
opportunity to wrestle with the dilemma faced by all authors of
these
'ery Short Introductions': dealing with a vast topic in a
deliberately
restricted space.
If there were a moment when globalization became truly
globalized, it
n-ould appear to be the summer and autumn of zool, during
which time
I completed the final revisions ofthis book. The rhetoric
ofglobalization
has reached new heights, and the word itselfhas become a
household
term. In the academic world, it has come of age as high theory,
and few
disciplines have managed to avoid its seductiveness at some
level.
L-nquestionably, the key word on the 2oo1 conference circuit
was
globalization: on 18-19 May 2oo1, for example, my own
university
hosted an event it called the'Third Annual Globalization

Conference'.
Globalization had seemingly won the day, providing theory and
dlscourse for scholars ofvarious stripes and from throughout the
world,
:o that they could tackle the big issues of modern times.
tore striking to the average residents of the global community
was the
estent to which the rhetoric of globalization mobilized many
fellow
:cidents to action. During the summer of 2oo1 the debates over
ilobalization quite literally spilled onto the streets, notably at
the mid-
-Tn''Gg Summit', an event that brought
together the representatives of
: collective customarily designated as the 'world's seven
wealthiest
rations plus Russia'. In 2oo1, the summit convened in Genoa,
Italy,
nfrere it was greeted by tens ofthousands ofprotesters, who
represented a broad range ofpolitical agendas, all now subsumed
under
-:he rubric'anti-globalization'. In every imaginable permutation,
the

Setoric of globalization fragmented into countless buzzwords.
There
n-as talk of 'global trade agreements' and'global warming',
'global
markets' and the 'global economy'. The rhetoric, nonetheless,
was
lon-erless when it came to stemming the problems at hand, the
local
problems that erupted when the anti-globalists rioted in the
streets,
clashed with the police mustered to defend the cause
ofglobalization,
and slid into a conflict that produced destruction, injury and
death'
ln the aftermath of the events of September uth, the rhetoric of
dobalization entered a radically new phase. The attacks
themselves
were directed toward'symbols'of globalization, the World Trade
Center
and the Pentagon. The perpetrators were members of 'global
terror
networks', and stemming their spread required that a'global

alliance
against terror'be mustered. World culture and world history
were at
stake, thus making it necessary to fight the war on terrorism on
a 'global
scale'. The rhetoric ofglobalization spread, but the possibilities
ofwhat
it might really mean also multiplied. Many more people in the
world
imagined they felt the presence of globalization more directly in
their
own lives, but few were any closer to knowing whether it was
something
that brought comfort or that had the potential to destabilize the
world
as they knew it.
The unchecked prolif'eration ofperspectives on globalization in
2oO1
also sheil light on the vastly different meanings of world music.
The
term world music is itself relatively new, let's say two decades
old. Prior
to the early 198os, all-encompassing terms to describe the
musics of the

world were rare, with preference given to regional categories or
designations ofgenres; one studied and wrote about'Aiiican
music' or
'folk music', not world music. In the 198os, the field of
ethnomusicology
took a turn toward what we might call big issues, approaching
them
comparatively and with more consciously interdisciplinary
methods,
and it followed that world music, for example in Bruno Nettl's
highly
influential writing, commanded greater attention. It was also
during the
198os that world music found its way into college and
university music
curricula, again as the result ofa perceived need to study all the
world's
musics. Initially an alternative to Western art music', world
music
embraced more and more areas in the academic music
curriculum,
inspiring widespread rethinking of how music itself was to be
taught'

World music is also that phenomenon that greets one on the new
floors
oflarge record shops, or in the'international'bins ofthe CD
sections in
book shops. This is the world music that is omnipresent
whenever we
step into chain coffee shops, several ofwhich market their own
world-
music CD blends next to their global coffee blends. In a word,
this world
music is traditional music repackaged and marketed as popular
music'
This world music, too, owes its origins to the 198Os, when the
executives
:n record companies and advertising specialists determined that
pcpcJar music from outside the Anglo-American and European
arinsh€ams needed a distinctive name. During the 198os, the
record
mdusq'toyed with a few other names - worldbeat, world fusion,
er,hnopop, even tribal and new age - but by the 199Os, it was
world
=usic that enjoyed by far the greatest currency. Again, it was an
issue of

im truh'global implications of the name itself. Maybe this kind
of world
=nsic really was limited to the appropriation of traditional
music as
;.:pular music, but its claims to globalization were surely well
founded.
Giren this preoccupation with the global signalled by the
several
s€enings of 'world', one understands perfectly well why there is
a
tndency when approaching a subject as seemingly boundless as
'world
=ilsic'to try to capture some measure of its vastness and variety.
The
cc"oder of it all, one might imagine, should ultimately entice
and seduce
*:e reader. There is an equally strong countertendency,
however, that
l:rEFS one to find something singular and unitary about a global
;imomenon, thus to condense it and make it manageable for the
=eder. It is my goal in this Very Short Introduction to strike a
balance
-'gneen these two approaches. On one hand, I write as an

dnomusicologist, therefore world music is for me all the musics
of the
T'ortd- With that approach in mind, I have written this book so
that it
:aight give readers some sense ofdifference and might
encourage them
:o ask rvhy humans use music in so many ways: What does
world music
:dl us about the diversity ofhuman cultures? On the other hand,
world
srsic at the beginning ofthe 21st century has all the trappings of
giobalization, whose theorists endeavour to explain why
cultural
?henomena have increasingly come to demonstrate similarity.
World
=usic has long been mustered by both camps to provide
evidence for
:en- theories, whether they stress cultural relativism or
universalism.
-either way of imagining world music is wrong; neither tells
the whole
ston'. For these reasons, this introduction attempts to negotiate
the
space between what world musics really are and what they are

imagined
:o be.
Before readers get the feeling that I am equivocating about what
world
music is - simply acquiescing to the validity of all possible
meanings - it
is only fair for me to reveal some of the meanings world music
has for
me, meanings that have shaped the way I approach it in this
book.
World music is very much a construct of modernity, which is to
say the
encounter with and interpretation ofthe world that was
unleashed by
the Age ofDiscovery the Enlightenment, colonial expansion, and
the
rise of the nation-state. Asserting that there is music
everywhere in the
world is, therefore, a Western concept, if it is also, however, a
concept
that results from Western encounters with the world.
'Encounter'is a

crucial concept throughout the book. Encounters mark important
historical moments; encounters bring about change, even
revolution;
encounters create the conditions for exchange. Cultural
encounter itself
is by no means Western; nonetheless, the growing sense in the
past 5oO
years that encounter is not isolated but rather has ramifications
for
world history is.
At the beginning of the 21st century then, world music is not
simply the
music of an exotic'other'. Our encounters with the world have
become
quotidian, and music mediates those encounters, whether we
perceive
that or not. It is not simply a matter that television
advertisement
regularly draws on South Asian and West African drumming; it
is not
the weaving of world-music tracks into film soundtracks; it is
not only
the fact that Protestant h)rynnals are increasingly multicultural
or that

the Catholic Mass is musically familiar to every ethnic
community in the
metropolis; nor is it that Sufism has become a world religion
mediated
by world music; it does not even stop with the legal cases about
musical
ownership or the limits of downloading music from the Internet.
It is,
rather, the confluence ofall these phenomena, which too must be
understood as encounters that are imagined and mediated by the
West.
World music is an inescapable everyday experience, whether or
not we
understand what it means. In this Very Short Introduction I
strongly
make the case that there is much to be gained from
understanding what
i t d o e s m e a n .
This book unfolds as a series of thematic leitmotifs, each one
assuming
the form ofa chapter. Though the chapter-length leitmotifs
differ, the
r4:s in *'hich they are treated are similar, thereby making it

possible to
stire torvard a certain degree of coverage while admitting to its
::nitations. All chapters employ the same structure, in other
words, the
sc.me sir sections through which I pursue the leitmotif of the
different
"**pters. Each chapter begins with an encounter, and it
proceeds
:rrough a series ofhistorical, theoretical, and aesthetic sections
via
i-€xr.ettes of musicians and scholars before arriving at popular
music
e:<i the present. Within each chapter, therefore, I strive for
internal
:::nslstency, returning in subsequent chapters to a point
ofbeginning so
'i,,a:r each chapter might become a naxrative of encounter for
the reader.
Tbe schema below summarizes the organizational structure of
each
'+rFtter:
:- Encounter with world music
:: Historical ortheoretica.l excursus

:i: Pmfile of a musician
r: Aesthetic issue, especia an examination of meaning and
identity
r:: Profile of an ethnomusicologist or group of world-music
scholars
-c Ethnographic present and popular music
$0,4n;- of the encounters that fill the book are my own, in one
way or
nnother. They may come, more or less directly, from my own
fieldwork;
-iq- may represent, rather more indirectly, musical practices
that I have
eryerienced through theoretical engagement, for example my
special
:lunctrn with the relation behveen religion and music; they may
also
rise from my own attempts to forge an approach that would
enable me
a.ed- I hope, others to understand something of the whole of
world
-u-.ic. This approach, then, is meant to encourage the reader to
engage
=ore directly with world music as e,rperience.

I: should not go without saying that the chapter organization I
have
rmployed for this book helps me deal with the problem of
representative
a,r'equal coverage of all the world's music. Few readers will fail
to notice
rather quickly that all world musics do not make it into the
book; they
mill also recognize that I return rather frequently to some parts
ofthe
n-orld and to some repertories of music, whereas others receive
more
fleeting visits. In fact, I feel no need to make excuses or offer
disclaimers
for the music that is not in this book. Tokenism does not solve
the
problem ofrepresentative coverage, but rather exacerbates it, all
the
more so in a short introduction. More to the point, I understand
many
ofthe sections in the book as points ofdeparture, or rather as
invitations

to readers who might wish to turn first encounters into
excursions and
experiences oftheir own. At the beginning ofthe 21st century
our
everyday encounters with world music make this eminently
possible.
This book was not initially my idea but that of George Miller,
who
stewards the Very Short Introductions through Oxford
University Press'
George put his faith in my ability to carry out the project, and I
hope he
recognizes in the end result even a small measure of my deep
appreciation. I was especially fortunate that four very different
readers -
a current university music student; a former PhD student at the
University of Chicago, now teaching ethnomusicology at the
National
Cheng-kung University in Taiwan; a trusted colleague at
Chicago; and a
distinguished pedagogue at the Open University in the UK -
were
willing to offer comments and suggestions on the final version
of the

manuscript: very special thanks for their time and insights go to
Andrea
Bohlman, Pi-yen Chen, Martin Stokes, and Martin Cla1'ton. In
writing a
book on world music, one constantly realizes the ways
communities and
collectives shape what music means, locally and globally. Over
the
course ofmany years my students have constituted an especially
meaningful collective, shaping my thinking about world music
again
and again. As a s1'rnbol of my appreciation for what my
students have
done for me, I am especially pleased to dedicate tliis book to
them.
As always, the final word ofacknowledgement goes to Andrea,
Ben, and
Christine, a marvellous collective of world and world-class
musicians if
there ever was one. Thanks for being there as we encountered
world
music at home and abroad, at border-crossings and on concert
stages,

wherever and whenever we seized the opportunity.
Philip V. Bohlman
Llst of illustrati*ms
; CDs of Sufi music in an
-{ustrian record shop 19
q Philip V. Bohlman
3 F'r-ances Densmore and
lfountain Chief 24
F{arris md Ewing, National
-{athrcpological Archives,
Seitb$nim Institution
5 [,ouis Pinck and
Uama Tiirk 2s
kblished m a postcild in 1938
{ Funeral chant ofthe
Fangwe people 29
Falk*ans
5 "Art-song'from Tirnis 31
Q Dr- R Iahmann
B6la Bart6k collecting
folk songs in a Slovak
village 67
@ Archive lconographico,
SA./Corbis

B6la Bart6k with his
gramophone 68
Lebrecht Collection
Street musician in a
Bucharest
marketplace 135
@ Philip V. Bohlman
Field recording during
WorldWar I 142
The Eschikagou
Powwow 2OO1 1.1,8
The Gathering ofNations Ltd.,
Albuquerque, New Mexico
to
S'bitre erery effort has been made to secure permissions, we
may
hcre hiled in a few cases to trace the cop)'right holder. We
apologize
fw anr apparent negligence.

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