The popular quip, repeated by a number of people, is that "writing about music is like dancing about art"--it's a fun thing to say, but is it true? Is there really no value in writing about music? This collection of reviews begins with an essay describing why music writing is vital to our understanding of what music is and its place within our culture.

Make your own jewelry without needles or beading thread. You only need a few simple tools, beads, wire, and easy to find components, along with a few hours of your time. The book contains more than ten designs ranging from fun and funky to sophisticated. We've also provided tips and hints for personalizing your creations.

#1 IN 18-STRONG-RAFFERTY & LLEWELLYN MYSTERY SERIESHis first murder investigation…an****d Joe Rafferty’s already got trouble in spades.His first case in charge looks like being his last.Because his new boss has taken against him; the case is a poisoned chalice from the start, with a ‘faceless lady’ victim; and his main suspect is pals with the Chief Constable.Even his ma adds seems to add to the kick...

The story of The Pogues has been as riotous as their most rabble-rousing songs. From the streets of 80s London the Celtic Punks unleashed their hellraising 20-year career and in the process became legends; mythic troubadours whose popularity endures.This Omnibus Enhanced edition of Kiss My Arse has been revamped with an interactive digital timeline which paints the journey of The Pogues with videos and images of live performances, interviews, memorabilia and more. ...

Winner, 2016 the Belmont Book Award, Sponsored by the International Country Music ConferenceFor more than forty years, Guy Clark wrote and recorded unforgettable songs. His lyrics and melodies paint indelible portraits of the people, places, and experiences that shaped him. He has served as model, mentor, supporter, and friend to at least two generations of the world’s most talented and influential singer-songwriters. In songs like “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” L.A. Freeway,” “...

The history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance and beyond.Exploring an abundant spectrum of historical sources, music and folklore, this guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from as far apart as Newfoun...

This work represents the first comparative study of the folk revival movement in Anglophone Canada and the United States and combines this with discussion of the way folk music intersected with, and was structured by, conceptions of national affinity and national identity. Based on original archival research carried out principally in Toronto, Washington and Ottawa, it is a thematic, rather than general, study of the movement which has been influenced by various academic disciplines, inclu...

A history of the Mariposa Folk Festival, from its humble roots in Orillia in 1961 to international acclaim and legendary status as a premier folk music gathering.Mariposa began in the heyday of the early 60s “folk boom.” In its more than fifty-five years, it has seen many of the world’s greatest performers grace its stages: Pete Seeger, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jann Arden, and Serena Ryder.The festival has long hel...

The Age of Revolution in the Irish Song Tradition is a definitive gathering of songs, poems and tunes composed between the 1776 American Revolution and Napoleon's exile and death in 1821 and beyond dramatically conveying how the seismic events of those years inspired literary and musical effort across succeeding generations in Ireland. The material is drawn from tradition and from print and manuscript collections. These include contemporary sources – the various editions of Paddy's Resourc...

A collection of medieval Swedish narrative ballads in a new English verse translation.It was foreseen that Little Kerstin would drown on her wedding morning. Lord Peter sets sail, even though he was warned to avoid the sea. Sir Olof happens upon an elf-dance on the day before his wedding. Little Kerstin falls for the Mountain King and runs away with him to live in the high fells.The ballads in this book tell tales of love and death, kings and knights, and the supernatural s...

What did young people do for diversion and socialization in communities that banned most dancing and considered the fiddle to be the devil's instrument? The American play party was the fundamentalist's answer. Here the singing was a cappella, the dancers followed prescribed steps, and arm and elbow swings would be the only touching.The play party was a popular form of American folk entertainment that included songs, dances, and sometimes games. Though based upon European and Englis...

Ken Kolodner's book presents transcriptions with detailed bowings in tandem with three recorded versions of 35 Appalachian fiddle tunes ranging from some very common and easy tunes (for more beginning players) but also quite a few less typically played tunes. All transcriptions are based on "festival" versions of the tunes, meaning the versions are those most commonly encountered at jams and festivals. The book includes a clearly written description of old time style focusing on "default" ...