Description
Book SynopsisA study of how Caribbean music and identity evolve when the government controls all mediaMusical Life in Guyana is the first in-depth study of Guyanese musical life. It is also a richly detailed description of the social, economic, and political conditions that have encouraged and sometimes discouraged musical and cultural creativity in Guyana. The book contributes to the study of the interactions between the policies and practices by national governments and musical communities in the Caribbean.Vibert C. Cambridge explores these interactions in Guyana during the three political eras that the society experienced as it moved from being a British colony to an independent nation. The first era to be considered is the period of mature colonial governance, guided by the dictates of new imperialism, which extended from 1900 to 1953. The second era, the period of internal self-government and the preparation for independence, extends from 1953, the year of the first general elections under uni
Trade ReviewThis book unquestionably breaks new ground. To my knowledge, this is the first in-depth study of Guyanese musical life. It provides richly detailed descriptions of the socioeconomic and political conditions that have encouraged and, at other times, discouraged musical activities at different historical moments in Guyana. It illuminates how the issues of race, class, gender, and ideology have deeply influenced who in Guyanese multicultural society had access to musical instruction and media outlets and have received recognition. The author maps how the lively musical network in Guyana nurtured unique aesthetics and sensibilities in the country, for musicians and the public alike. This is a study that celebrates Guyanese national heroes. In a postcolonial society, this is an important and needed gesture."" - Peter Manuel, author of
Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae
