America's Musical Landscape
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Music
America's Musical Landscape Details
About the Author After receiving her MA in Music History and Literature at Arizona State University, Jean Ferris taught Music History and Appreciation at ASU. In addition to her work at the University, she has been involved with the music community by serving as a church choir director, singing with the Phoenix Symphony Chorale, playing the organ, and touring to Japan with her high school handbell choir--apparently the first handbell choir to perform in that country. Ferris is the author of two books: Music: The Art of Listening and America's Musical Landscape. Read more
Reviews
It was for my Granddaughters college class. I skipped through it and reviewed the music playlist associated with each Chapter (music not included). Fortunately I had 80% of it in my private collection, so she got a good education. The other 20% were not exact references but covered the genre pretty well, like Roots Music, Prison Songs, etc. The Alan Lomax collection covers that well enough. I thought it was light on Louis Armstrong who deserved much more credit, if not a whole chapter! Seemed to be heavy on Big Bands and Duke Ellington and Count Basie. No problem there except I thought it might had been too heavy in that area...considering the little bit on Louis Armstrong. In my brief flip through...(always a good way to evaluate a book) I thought it neglected Southerrn Soul, R&B, Rock a Billy and Rock and Roll. Maybe the Instructor dealt with it in class, because it was not in the book. Seemed like little mention of Chuck Berry and Bo Diddly. The Blues was mostly Country or more precisely Mississppi Delta and Robert Johnson. Did include "Hell Hound on my Trail" which most musicologists over look and which I think digs deep in to the dark and deep blues psyche. All in all a good primer for a beginner, but by no means complete. It reflected the authors opinions and likes and dislikes more so that a comprehensive over view. Little on Urban Blues and didn't go very deep into the many facets of Jazz.
