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Were You There?: Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals
by Luke PoweryValuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals provide profound insights into the human condition and Christian life. Many spirituals focus on the climax of the Christian drama, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the ways in which those events bring about the liberation of God’s people.
West African Drumming and Dance in North American Universities: An Ethnomusicological Perspective
by George Worlasi DorMore than twenty universities and twenty other colleges in North America (USA and Canada) offer performance courses on West African ethnic dance drumming. Since its inception in 1964 at both UCLA and Columbia, West African drumming and dance has gradually developed into a vibrant campus subculture in North America. The dances most practiced in the American academy come from the ethnic groups Ewe, Akan, Ga, Dagbamba, Mande, and Wolof, thereby privileging dances mostly from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. This strong presence and practice of a world music ensemble in the diaspora has captured and engaged the interest of scholars, musicians, dancers, and audiences. In the first-ever ethnographic study of West African drumming and dance in North American universities, the author documents and acknowledges ethnomusicologists, ensemble directors, students, administrators, and academic institutions for their key roles in the histories of their respective ensembles. Dor collates and shares perspectives including debates on pedagogical approaches that may be instructive as models for both current and future ensemble directors and reveals the multiple impacts that participation in an ensemble or class offers students. He also examines the interplay among historically situated structures and systems, discourse, and practice, and explores the multiple meanings that individuals and various groups of people construct from this campus activity. The study will be of value to students, directors, and scholars as an ethnographic study and as a text for teaching relevant courses in African music, African studies, ethnomusicology/world music, African diaspora studies, and other related disciplines.
West Side Story: The Jets, the Sharks, and the Making of a Classic (Turner Classic Movies)
by Richard BarriosA captivating, richly illustrated full account of the making of the ground-breaking movie classic West Side Story (1961).A major hit on Broadway, on film West Side Story became immortal-a movie different from anything that had come before, but this cinematic victory came at a price. In this engrossing volume, film historian Richard Barrios recounts how the drama and rivalries seen onscreen played out to equal intensity behind-the-scenes, while still achieving extraordinary artistic feats.The making and impact of West Side Story has so far been recounted only in vestiges. In the pages of this book, the backstage tale comes to life along with insight on what has made the film a favorite across six decades: its brilliant use of dance as staged by erstwhile co-director Jerome Robbins; a meaningful story, as set to Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's soundtrack; the performances of a youthful ensemble cast featuring Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and more; a film with Shakespearean roots (Romeo and Juliet) that is simultaneously timeless and current. West Side Story was a triumph that appeared to be very much of its time; over the years it has shown itself to be eternal.
West Side Story, Gypsy, and the Art of Broadway Orchestration (Routledge Research in Music)
by Paul LairdIn this ground-breaking study, Paul Laird examines the process and effect of orchestration in West Side Story and Gypsy, two musicals that were among the most significant Broadway shows of the 1950s, and remain important in the modern repertory. Drawing on extensive archival research with original manuscripts, Laird provides a detailed account of the process of orchestration for these musicals, and their context in the history of Broadway orchestration. He argues that the orchestration plays a vital role in the characterization and plot development in each major musical number, opening a new avenue for analysis that deepens our understanding of the musical as an art form. The orchestration of the score in Broadway musicals deeply shapes their final soundscapes, but only recently has it begun to receive real attention. Linked by a shared orchestrator, in other ways West Side Story and Gypsy offer a study in contrasts. Breaking down how the two composers, Leonard Bernstein and Jules Styne, collaborated with orchestrators Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal, and Robert Ginzler, Laird’s study enables us to better understand both of these two iconic shows, and the importance of orchestration within musical theatre in general.
West Side Story in Spain: The Transcultural Adaptation of an Iconic American Show (Elements in Musical Theatre)
by Paul R. Laird Gonzalo Fernández MonteWest Side Story first became famous in Spain when the Robert Wise film opened there in 1962, the version remaining popular for decades. Brief international tours came to various cities in Spain in the 1980s, but their presence did not diminish memory of the film, which played a major influence on the country's first stage adaptation of the show in 1996. Directed by Ricard Reguant and produced in Barcelona by Focus, the production also toured. After another international tour played in three Spanish cities in summer 2009, the Madrid company SOM Produce mounted a rendition in 2018 directed and choreographed by Federico Barrios, the first Spanish stage version based on the original 1957 staging. This Element compares the adaptations of the 1996 and 2018 versions in detail, illuminating issues encountered when translating a musical for another culture.
West Virginia's Traditional Country Music (Images of America)
by Ivan M. Tribe Jacob L. BapstWest Virginia has been known for a century as a rich repository of traditional country music and musicians. Beginning in the mid-1920s, phonograph recordings and radios brought this music to a wider audience. With the passing of time and the influence of commercialization, this music developed into what became first known as "hillbilly" and then into the more refined "country" because of its long appeal to those of rural background. Although modernization has caused the traditional element to recede considerably, much still remains. Many folk still cling to the older sounds exemplified by the "raw" traditionalists and the neo-traditional bluegrass style that emerged in the 1940s. From the earliest recording artists, such as the Tweedy Brothers and David Miller, who was blind, to contemporary stars like Kathy Mattea and Brad Paisley, West Virginians and others have held their musicians in high esteem.
The Western Classical Music Industry in Twenty-First Century China: A Dialectical Crescendo (Routledge Research in Music)
by null Weida WangWeida Wang explores how Western classical music (WCM) has become increasingly popular in China, framing the industry as a complex entity intricately embedded within China’s political landscape, cultural economy, and cultural industries. Wang highlights how authorities and organisers strive to build powerful brands to support the industry’s growth, aiming to tap into the vast domestic market and showcase China’s achievements in WCM on the global stage as part of broader cultural diplomacy efforts. The study delves into the mechanisms and underlying logics driving the rapid expansion of the WCM market in contemporary China.With the rise of China’s economy since its government’s late-1970s economic and political reform, WCM has become a useful tool for showcasing changes to the image of ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ China. At the same time, a new Chinese middle class, following the rapid economic (and cultural) development in China’s coastal cities, has also emerged, becoming a substantial demographic involved in the learning, appreciation, and consumption of WCM. Especially in the past 20 years, a new WCM scene has developed quickly and established as an industry in China; one critically enmeshed in both the business and political worlds. Many ground-breaking cultural events have taken place in the last decades. These have shown themselves to be huge forces behind the development of China’s domestic (and fledgling international) classical music aspirations.The book will be valuable for those interested in arts/music management, music industry studies, China studies, cultural and creative industry studies, and ethnomusicology.
Western Plainchant in the First Millennium: Studies in the Medieval Liturgy and its Music
by James Haar Sean Gallagher John Nádas Timothy StriplinTaking up questions and issues in early chant studies, this volume of essays addresses some of the topics raised in James McKinnon's The Advent Project: The Later Seventh-Century Creation of the Roman Mass, the last book before his untimely death in February 1999. A distinguished group of chant scholars examine the formation of the liturgy, issues of theory and notation, and Carolingian and post-Carolingian chant. Special studies include the origins of musical notations, nuances of early chant performance (with accompanying CD), musical style and liturgical structure in the early Divine Office, and new sources for Old-Roman chant. Western Plainchant in the First Millenium offers new information and new insights about a period of crucial importance in the growth of the liturgy and music of the Western Church.
Westlife On Tour
by Eddie RowleyWhen Shane, Kian, Mark, Nicky and Bryan celebrated the beginning of 2001 in true Irish style, they had no idea of the adventures that lay ahead. Eddie Rowley, co-author of Ronan Keating's bestselling autobiography Life is A Rollercoaster, followed Westlife on their biggest ever world tour. From Dublin where they attempted their first dance routine ('look lads, no stools') via Wembley to the Far East, it was a mad whirl of hotels, screaming girls, late night parties and McDonald's hamburgers. It was their most expensive tour ever, and certainly the most exhausting! Along the way we witness the ups and downs of the boys' lives in the sometimes dangerous, sometimes lonely goldfish-bowl world of pop. And through it all we get to see in unprecedented detail the true personalities that make up the phenomenon that is Westlife. A rip-roaring read and the most penetrating look yet at the UK's most successful boy band- ever.
Whale Music: Thousand Mile Songs in a Sea of Sound
by David RothenbergThe marvelous sonic world of whales, from the perspective of music and science.Whale song is an astonishing world of sound whose existence no one suspected before the 1960s. Its discovery has forced us to confront the possibility of alien intelligence—not in outer space but right here on earth. Thoughtful, richly detailed, and deeply entertaining, Whale Music uses the enigma of whale sounds to open up whales' underwater world of sonic mystery. In observing and talking with leading researchers from around the globe as they attempt to decipher undersea music, Rothenberg tells the story of scientists and musicians confronting an unknown as vast as the ocean itself. His search culminates in a grand attempt to make interspecies music by playing his clarinet with whales in their native habitats, from Russia to Canada to Hawaii.This is a revised edition of Thousand Mile Song, originally published in 2008. The latest advances in cetacean science and interspecies communication have been incorporated into this new edition, along with added photographs and color whale scores.
Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas
by Zachariah OHoraA captivating informational picture book about Paul Horn, a musician who communicated with orcas through the power of music. For fans of Shark Lady and Margaret and the Moon.Unbelievable but true, this is the story of two whales, two Pauls and two boys.The whales are Haida and Chimo, captive orcas who lived in an aquarium called Sealand of the Pacific in the 1970s.The Pauls are Paul Horn, a professional flute musician, and Dr. Paul Spong, a scientist studying the orcas in order to learn more about these mystifying creatures.And the boys are Marlen and Robin, Paul Horn's sons, who are fascinated with the orcas despite their father's fear of the giant whales.What follows is the spellbinding story of how the Pauls, through the power of music, learn to communicate with the orcas — and set into motion an entire anti-captivity movement dedicated to protecting these intelligent and majestic animals.
Wham!, George Michael and Me: A Memoir
by Andrew RidgeleyFor the first time, Andrew Ridgeley—one half of one of the most famous bands in the world—tells the inside story of Wham!, his lifelong friendship with George Michael, and the formation of a band that changed the shape of the music scene in the early eighties. In 1975 Andrew took a shy new boy at school under his wing. They instantly hit it off, and their boyhood escapades at Bushy Meads School built a bond that was never broken. The duo found themselves riding an astonishing roller coaster of success, taking them all over the world. They made and broke iconic records, they were treated like gods, but they stayed true to their friendship and ultimately to themselves. It was a party that seemed as if it would never end. And then it did, in front of tens of thousands of tearful fans at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Andrew’s memoir covers in wonderful detail those years, up until that last iconic concert: the scrapes, the laughs, the relationships, the good, and the bad. It’s a unique and one-and-only time to remember that era, that band, and those boys.
What a Difference a Day Makes: Women Who Conquered 1950s Music (American Made Music Series)
by Steve BergsmanIn What a Difference a Day Makes: Women Who Conquered 1950s Music, Steve Bergsman highlights the Black female artists of the 1950s, a time that predated the chart-topping girl groups of the early 1960s. Many of the singers of this era became wildly famous and respected, and even made it into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame. However, there were many others, such as Margie Day, Helen Humes, Nellie Lutcher, Jewel King, and Savannah Churchill, who made one or two great records in the 1950s and then disappeared from the scene. The era featured former jazz and blues singers, who first came to prominence in the 1940s, and others who pioneered early forms of rock ’n’ roll.In a companion volume, Bergsman has written the history of white women singers of the same era. Although song styles were parallel, the careers of Black and white female singers of the period ran in very different directions as the decade progressed. The songs of African American vocalists like Dinah Washington and Etta James were segregated to the R&B charts or covered by pop singers in the early and mid-1950s but burst into prominence in the last part of the decade and well into the 1960s. White singers, on the other hand, excelled in the early 1950s but saw their careers decline with the advent of rock music. In this volume, Bergsman takes an encyclopedic look at both the renowned and the sadly faded stars of the 1950s, placing them and their music back in the spotlight.
What a Fool Believes: A Memoir
by Michael McDonaldA sweeping and evocative memoir from the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Grammy Award–winning, platinum selling singer-songwriter Michael McDonald, written with his friend, Emmy Award–nominated actor, comedian, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Paul Reiser. <P><P> Doobie Brothers. Steely Dan. Chart topping soloist. Across a half-century of American music, Michael McDonald’s unmistakably smooth baritone voice defined an era of rock and R&B with hit records like “What A Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “I Keep Forgettin’,” “Peg,” “It Keeps You Running,” “You Belong to Me,” and “Yah Mo B There.” <P><P> In his candid, freewheeling memoir, written with his friend, the Emmy Award-nominated actor and comedian Paul Reiser, Michael tells the story of his life and music. A high school dropout from Ferguson, Missouri, Michael chased his dreams in 1970’s California, a heady moment of rock opportunity and excess. As a rising session musician and backing vocalist, a series of encounters would send him on a wild ride around the world and to the heights of rock stardom—from joining Steely Dan and becoming a defining member of The Doobie Brothers to forging a path as a breakout solo R&B artist. <P><P> Interwoven with the unforgettable tales of the music, Michael tells a deeply affecting story of losing and finding himself as a man. He reckons with the unshakeable insecurities that drove him, the drug and alcohol addictions that plagued him, and the highs and lows of popularity. Along the way he relays the lessons he’s learned, and that if he’s learned anything at all it’s that there’s often little correlation between what you get and what you deserve. <P><P> Filled with unbelievable stories and a matchless cast of music greats including James Taylor, Ray Charles, Carly Simon, and Quincy Jones, What a Fool Believes is a moving and entertaining memoir that is sure to be a classic. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
What a Song Can Do
by Jennifer ArmstrongThis compelling collection of stories explores the powerful impact that music has in our lives—especially in the lives of teens. Each story strikes a new note: Ron Koertge introduces us to the boys in the band—the marching band; Joseph Bruchac contributes a Native American boy with no rhythm whatsoever; Jennifer Armstrong writes about what was perhaps the first battle of the bands—during the American Civil War; and David Levithan offers up a love song that speaks powerfully to an unintended audience. But while each story is different, they combine into harmonic song of praise—for the depths music can reach in us, and the power it has to bind us together.
What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years
by Ricky RiccardiProdigiously researched and richly detailed, this is a comprehensive account of the remarkable final twenty-five years of the life and art of one of America's greatest and most beloved musical icons. Much has been written about Louis Armstrong, but the majority of it focuses on the early and middle stages of his long career. Now, Ricky Riccardi--jazz scholar and musician--takes an in-depth look at the years in which Armstrong was often dismissed as a buffoonish, if popular, entertainer, and shows us instead the inventiveness and depth of expression that his music evinced during this time. These are the years (from after World War II until his death in 1971) when Armstrong entertained crowds around the world and recorded his highest-charting hits, including "Mack the Knife" and "Hello, Dolly!"; years when he collaborated with, among others, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Dave Brubeck; when he recorded with strings and big bands, and, of course, with the All Stars, his primary recording ensemble for more than two decades. Riccardi makes clear that these were years in which Armstrong both burnished and enhanced his legacy as one of jazz's most influential figures. Eminently readable, informative, and insightful, here, finally, is a book that enlarges and completes our understanding of a peerless musical genius of commanding influence as both an instrumentalist and a vocalist.From the Hardcover edition.
What Charlie Heard
by Mordicai GersteinDescribes the life of American composer Charles Ives, who wrote music which expressed all the sounds he heard in the world, but which was not well received during his lifetime.
What Do I Do with My Baby All Day?!: Simple Ways to Have the Best First Year Together
by null Vered BenhorinMusic, psychology, and motherhood intertwine in simple activities that instill calm, inspire playfulness, and encourage communication between baby and parent. Let’s be real: Caring for a baby can be exhaustingly tedious. Enter Vered Benhorin, musician, therapist, and mother of three. In What Do I Do with My Baby All Day?, Benhorin builds on the foundations of attachment theory and blends practical tools with research to teach parents how to develop a more gratifying relationship with their baby. With her guidance, parents will step into the present with their baby and truly enjoy one another using her easy, guided activities. From a baby buddha massage to babble boost (singing nonsense words), small “bubble moments” throughout the day provide a shared experience between parent and child that benefits both. These moments also have practical applications, like soothing the baby when they’re fussy, making bedtime more effective, strengthening routines, and increasing communication and language. This book is a must-have for new parents everywhere.
What Does This Button Do?: An Autobiography
by Bruce DickinsonA New York Times–bestselling memoir by multifaceted lead vocalist of Iron Maiden, one of the most successful, influential, and enduring rock bands ever. Singer. Songwriter. Airline captain. Aviation entrepreneur. Motivational speaker. Beer brewer. Novelist. Radio presenter. Screenwriter. World-class fencer. Icon . . . All of these things and much more, Iron Maiden&’s legendary front man Bruce Dickinson is one of the most unique and interesting men in the world. In this long-awaited memoir, Bruce contemplates the rollercoaster of life, and recounts—in his uniquely polished voice—the explosive exploits of his eccentric British childhood, the meteoric rise of Maiden, summoning the powers of darkness, the philosophy of fencing, brutishly beautiful Boeings, and dismissing cancer like an uninvited guest. Bold, honest, intelligent, and funny, this long-awaited memoir captures the life, heart, and mind of a true rock god.
What Don't Kill Me Just Makes Me Strong: A Memoir
by Stewart FranckeThe Detroit music legend and founder of the Stewart Francke Leukemia Foundation shares his inspiring story of illness, faith, and the drive to survive. In this candid survival memoir, Stewart Francke recounts his remarkable journey with leukemia through a bone marrow transplant, complications, and eventual recovery. Understanding that his survival makes him part of the &“lucky unlucky,&” the young father and renowned musician finds the silver lining—and then some—in his struggle. Francke&’s story from initial biopsy to full recovery is often harrowing. Yet it is in the darkest moments that he learns important lessons about survival. Coming to understand that faith is a choice, he also realizes that only death is irrevocable. All else either makes us stronger or becomes part of the gift of life. Beginning each chapter with a brief but powerful lesson in living, Francke&’s singular story of illness, faith, and family is also a universal guide for facing adversity.
What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches
by PeachesOne of the Huffington Post's Best Art Books of 2015"[Peaches] has teamed up with her longtime tour photographer Holger Talinski to look back at a brazen career that has captured the attention of outsider artists and massive pop stars alike, ranging from Michael Stipe to PJ Harvey to Iggy Pop...Along with Holger's uncompromising, often raw imagery, the book includes stories from artists who have championed Peaches's work over the years."--New York Times T Magazine"It takes a lot of grueling work to pull off what Peaches does so subversively night after night on tour and in theater productions. That's the takeaway from this revealing (and NSFW) photo book on the electro-pop provocateur, as seen through the lens of photographer Talinski and featuring essays by Michael Stipe, Yoko Ono, and [Elliot] Page."--Boston Globe"Electronic musician and performance artist Peaches has made a career out of pushing boundaries, and her new book is equally transgressive. Photographer Holger Talinski captures the artist onstage and off in the outrageous costumes that have been a performance signature for her, and in quieter moments away from the strobe lights."--San Francisco Chronicle"One flip through the glossy new monograph What Else Is In the Teaches of Peaches is all it takes to get absorbed into the post-punk wonderland of pop culture icon Peaches."--W Magazine"Peaches is an attitude and a sensibility....She's iconic, and her iconography is important."--The Globe and MailOne of Loud and Quiet Magazine's Best Books of 2015"The bare-all book shows Peaches on and off stage, focusing on her efforts to shatter gender stereotypes, promote sex positivity, and push the boundaries of art and performance."--Vice Magazine, The Creators Project"What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches, a new book of photography, attempts to capture more: Peaches onstage, backstage, in her 30-boob breastplate, on the crapper, on a cross, passed out, convalescing, performing for Yoko Ono, curled up with family, recording with Iggy Pop. It's a groupie's delight."--SF Weekly"For Peaches fans, the collection offers glimpses into both the public and private life of the artist who put feminist electroclash on the map. Peaches led the way, not only for other underground electronic acts like Le Tigre, Ladytron, and Chicks on Speed, but also artists that went on to major mainstream success. Would M.I.A. exist without Peaches? Lady Gaga? In her current iteration, Miley Cyrus?...In the end, [What Else Is in the Teaches of Peaches] is a reminder that Peaches, the artist and the musician...forged a vibrant, genre-bending career that continues to throb with spirit, transgression, energy, and ambition."--KQED Arts"Perhaps what hits you most of all, maybe more than the striking costumes and occasional nudity, is how much fun Peaches' life appears to be. Less than halfway into the book, you start to trust the Peaches/Talinski collaborative union, and you somehow come to realise that it's all authentic, magic and reality. There's none of the staginess that you sometimes see in photo books of pop stars, particularly those who are led around by their egos."--PopMattersThis volume presents a mesmerizing collection of Holger Talinski's evocative and sometimes erotic photos of transgressive musical icon Peaches, on and off stage, with accompanying text by Peaches, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Yoko Ono, and the actor Elliot Page, best known for their lead role in the film Juno, which garnered them an Oscar nomination.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
by Alan LightInspired by the critically acclaimed Netflix documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?, an intimate and vivid look at the legendary life of Nina Simone, the classically trained pianist who evolved into a chart-topping chanteuse and committed civil rights activist. From music journalist and former Spin and Vibe editor-in-chief Alan Light comes a biography of incandescent soul singer and Black Power icon Nina Simone, one of the most influential, provocative, and least understood artists of our time. Drawn from a trove of rare archival footage, audio recordings and interviews (including Simone's remarkable private diaries), this nuanced examination of Nina Simone's life highlights her musical inventiveness and unwavering quest for equality, while laying bare the personal demons that plagued her from the time of her Jim Crow childhood in North Carolina to her self-imposed exile in Liberia and Paris later in life. Harnessing the singular voice of Miss Simone herself and incorporating candid reflections from those who knew her best, including her only daughter, Light brings us face to face with a legend, examining the very public persona and very private struggles of one of our greatest artists.From the Hardcover edition.
What I Cannot Change
by LeAnn Rimes Darrell BrownBillboard hits come and go, but once in a blue moon a song comes along that captures people's hearts and stands the test of time. Country / Pop sensation LeAnn Rimes' "What I Cannot Change" released to radio in August 2008 and immediately topped the charts. The song's simple message of peace and acceptance speaks to people from all walks of life:I will learn to let go what I cannot changeI will learn to forgive what I cannot changeI will learn to love what I cannot changeBut I will change, I will changeWhatever I, whenever I canThe book WHAT I CANNOT CHANGE is an elegant counterpart to the song that will include an introduction by Rimes, lyrics, interior photographs, stories from people who have experienced their own journeys of change.
What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musicians Guide to Rebuilding Americas CommunitiesOne Coffee Shop, Dog Run, and Open-Mike Night at a Time
by Dar WilliamsA beloved folk singer presents an impassioned account of the fall and rise of the small American towns she cherishesDubbed by the New Yorker as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters," Dar Williams has made her career not in stadiums, but touring America's small towns. She has played their venues, composed in their coffee shops, and drunk in their bars. She has seen these communities struggle, but also seen them thrive in the face of postindustrial identity crises.Here, Williams muses on why some towns flourish while others fail, examining elements from the significance of history and nature to the uniting power of public spaces and food. Drawing on her own travels and the work of urban theorists, Williams offers real solutions to rebuild declining communities.What I Found in a Thousand Towns is more than a love letter to America's small towns, it's a deeply personal and hopeful message about the potential of America's lively and resilient communities.
What If...
by Samantha Berger Mike CuratoCreativity, the power of imagination, and the importance of self-expression are celebrated in this inspiring picture book written and illustrated by real-life best friends.This girl is determined to express herself! If she can't draw her dreams, she'll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can't do that, she'll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she'll sing, dance, and dream...Stunning mixed media illustrations, lyrical text, and a breathtaking gatefold conjure powerful magic in this heartfelt affirmation of art, imagination, and the resilience of the human spirit.