Music from behind the Bridge

Steelband Aesthetics and Politics in Trinidad and Tobago

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Theory & Criticism, Ethnomusicology, International
Cover of the book Music from behind the Bridge by Shannon Dudley, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Shannon Dudley ISBN: 9780199884131
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: December 3, 2007
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Shannon Dudley
ISBN: 9780199884131
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: December 3, 2007
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

A symbol of Trinidadian culture, the steelband has made an extraordinary transformation since its origins-from junk metal to steel orchestra, and from disparaged underclass pastime to Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument. Now, Shannon Dudley gives the first discerning look at the musical thinking that ignited this transformation, and the way it articulates with Afro-Trinidadian tradition, carnival, colonial authority, and nationalist politics. Music from behind the Bridge tells the story of the steelband from the point of view of musicians who overcame disadvantages of poverty and prejudice with their extraordinary ambition. Literally referring to the poor neighborhoods nestled in the hills bordering Port of Spain to the East, "Behind the Bridge" is also a metaphor for conditions of social disadvantage and cultural resistance that shaped the steelband movement in the various Afro-Trinidadian communities where it first took root. The book further explores the implications of the steelband's "nationalization" in post-independence Trinidad and Tobago, and contemporary steelband musicians' preoccupation with the formally adjudicated annual Panorama competition. In discussing the intersection of musical thinking, festivity, and politics, this book connects important questions about the history of the steelband to general questions about the relation between popular culture and nationalism.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A symbol of Trinidadian culture, the steelband has made an extraordinary transformation since its origins-from junk metal to steel orchestra, and from disparaged underclass pastime to Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument. Now, Shannon Dudley gives the first discerning look at the musical thinking that ignited this transformation, and the way it articulates with Afro-Trinidadian tradition, carnival, colonial authority, and nationalist politics. Music from behind the Bridge tells the story of the steelband from the point of view of musicians who overcame disadvantages of poverty and prejudice with their extraordinary ambition. Literally referring to the poor neighborhoods nestled in the hills bordering Port of Spain to the East, "Behind the Bridge" is also a metaphor for conditions of social disadvantage and cultural resistance that shaped the steelband movement in the various Afro-Trinidadian communities where it first took root. The book further explores the implications of the steelband's "nationalization" in post-independence Trinidad and Tobago, and contemporary steelband musicians' preoccupation with the formally adjudicated annual Panorama competition. In discussing the intersection of musical thinking, festivity, and politics, this book connects important questions about the history of the steelband to general questions about the relation between popular culture and nationalism.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book After Occupy by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Identifying Neuroemergencies by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Sovereignty of Human Rights by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Lives of Guns by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Gorbachev Factor by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Identity, Conflict and Politics in Turkey, Iran and Pakistan by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Works of Alain Locke by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Thomas Harriot by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Judaism and Economics by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book From Conquest to Deportation by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Writing With Power : Techniques For Mastering The Writing Process by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book The Ethics of Parenthood by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book In Other Shoes by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Jazz Makers by Shannon Dudley
Cover of the book Albert Einstein by Shannon Dudley
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy