Critical Essay on "Race Music" by Guthrie P. Ramsey Jr.
Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr.'s book Race Music is an intensive study of African American music post World War II. The entire book is profoundly informed by the author's experience as an accomplished musician, a cultural theorist and musical enthusiast. I have found very little to negatively critique about this book, being that it is so well researched and well-organized. The author steers clear of any cryptic language, despite the fact that the book is probably read mostly by scholars of music theory and African American studies (a point he later brings up).
Race Music explores the global influence and popularity of African American music, its social relevance, and the various interpretations of former and present scholars. Ramsey explains that his book is not a sequential and historical study of African American music. "This is not a comprehensive, strictly chronological study of African American popular music. Rather, it is a meditation on the interpretation and criticism of various aspects of history" (Ramsey xi).
Ramsey provides a thorough analysis of several genres of African American music. He explains how jazz, rhythm and blues and gospel are unique and grounded in their own conventions and performance practices, but how they are all also connected by similar techniques and conceptual structure recognized within traditional African American music. Ramsey also profiles three musicians essential to the development and popularity of African American music: Dinah Washington, Louis Jordan, and Cootie Williams.
Race Music is a well documented, powerful, and multi-faceted book. Ramsey provides a dynamic framework for rethinking African American music and the history and culture that infused its formation.
Toward a Cultural Poetics of Race Music.
Ramsey, with the opening of his book, brings into thought the idea of cultural memory by using a quote by Samuel A Floyd, Jr., author of The Power of...
More Music History & Studies
essays:
Reaction Essay on Music
... Ironically, African Americans were sent overseas to sing praise for the very country that refused to acknowledge them as first class citizens. Nevertheless, Dizzy and other musicians were able to spread bebop and swing music overseas ...
This is a essay on hip hop and the efects it has has on American's music
... the music community globally. Hip-Hop music developed in the late 70's early 80's, and since than it has had a major influence on music worldwide. ... shows that it is stretching beyond its horizons. From the popularity and success Hip-Hop is taking on a life of its own. With Hip-Hop artists expanding ...
Music Analysis of "Bring on The Rain" by Jo Dee Messin
... day, is the main point that they are trying to get across. The actual music behind the lyrics and the singing is very calm at the beginning. The ... be alone. The speaker really doesn't want to be around people or socializing, because of fear of things getting worse. The song is about being upset and ...
The Aesthetics for American Popular Music
... presents themselves through their lyrical image. Therefore, in this class of "American Popular Music" I desire to get more in-depth into the fundamentals of ... great taste. My aesthetics concerning music is the quality and study of the beauty and enjoyment of music. Music has the ability to alter our ...
Ancient Egyptian Music By: AR
... Egyptian music than the Asiatic culture. One such example is, Pythagoras, who developed music theory based ... 1. "Ancient Egypt". September 17, 2004. 2. "Egypt, a Country Study". September 17, 2004. 3. Swanson, L.C. "Song and Dance ...
The Development of Music Theory: A Comparison between the Medieval and Renaissance Periods
... . Crocker, Richard. Studies in Medieval Music Theory and the Early Sequence. Great Britain: Valiorum, 1997. Harman, Alec. Mediaeval and Early Renaissance Music. Great ... It influenced the way musicians played and the way composers wrote, and thus, made a profound influence on the history of music from ...
The Emergence Of Western Swing
... performing in dance halls and bars across Texas, seeking fans. As it gained popularity, it was played more on the radio and was eventually infused into country music's sound. Bob Wills and Milton Brown (their band was known as Wills ...
African American Music.
... Music African American Music By 1945, nearly everyone in the African American community had heard gospel music (2). At this time, gospel music was a sacred folk music with ...