The Arab Avant-Garde: Music, Politics, Modernity (Music / Culture)

From jazz trumpeters drawing on the noises of warfare in Beirut to female heavy metallers in Alexandria, the Arab culture offers a wealth of exciting, challenging, and diverse musics. The essays in this collection investigate the plethora of compositional and improvisational techniques, performance styles, political motivations, professional trainings, and inter-continental collaborations that claim the mantle of innovation within Arab and Arab diaspora music. While most books on Middle Eastern music-making focus on notions of tradition and regionally specific genres, The Arab Avant Garde presents a radically hybrid and globally dialectic set of practices. Engaging the avant-gardea term with Eurocentric resonancesthis anthology disturbs that presumed exclusivity, drawing on and challenging a growing body of literature about alternative modernities. Chapters delve into genres and modes as diverse as jazz, musical theatre, improvisation, hip hop, and heavy metal as performed in countries like Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and the United States. Focusing on multiple ways in which the Arab avant-garde becomes manifest, this anthology brings together international writers with eclectic disciplinary trainingspracticing musicians, area studies specialists, ethnomusicologists, and scholars of popular culture and media. Contributors include Sami W. Asmar, Michael Khoury, Saed Muhssin, Marina Peterson, Kamran Rastegar, Caroline Rooney, and Shayna Silverstein, as well as the editors. Hardcover is un-jacketed. From Jazz Trumpeters Drawing On The Noises Of Warfare In Beirut To Female Heavy Metallers In Alexandria, The Arab Culture Offers A Wealth Of Exciting, Challenging, And Diverse Musics. The Essays In This Collection Investigate The Plethora Of Compositional And Improvisational Techniques, Performance Styles, Political Motivations, Professional Trainings, And Inter-continental Collaborations That Claim The Mantle Of Innovation Within Arab And Arab Diaspora Music. While Most Books On Middle Eastern Music-making Focus On Notions Of Tradition And Regionally Specific Genres, The Arab Avant Garde Presents A Radically Hybrid And Globally Dialectic Set Of Practices. Engaging The Avant-garde--a Term With Eurocentric Resonances--this Anthology Disturbs That Presumed Exclusivity, Drawing On And Challenging A Growing Body Of Literature About Alternative Modernities. Chapters Delve Into Genres And Modes As Diverse As Jazz, Musical Theatre, Improvisation, Hip Hop, And Heavy Metal As Performed In Countries Like Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, And The United States. Focusing On Multiple Ways In Which The Arab Avant-garde Becomes Manifest, This Anthology Brings Together International Writers With Eclectic Disciplinary Trainings--practicing Musicians, Area Studies Specialists, Ethnomusicologists, And Scholars Of Popular Culture And Media. -- Publisher's Description. A Note On Transliteration : Introduction : Arab + Avant-garde / Kay Dickinson -- Transforming Space : The Production Of Contemporary Syrian Art Music / Shayna Silverstein -- Balancing Integration And Disintegration : Amir Elsaffar And The Contingent Avant-garde / Kamran Rastegar -- Multisited Avant-gardes Or World Music 2.0? Musicians From Beirut And Beyond Between Local Production And Euro-american Reception / Thomas Burkhalter -- The People's Artist And The Beginnings Of The Twentieth-century Arab Avant-garde / Saed Muhssin -- Challenging The Status Quo In War-torn Lebanon : Ziad Rabhani, The Avant-garde Heir To Musical Tradition / Sami W. Asmar -- A Look At Lightning : The Life And Compositions Of Halim El-dabh / Michael Khoury -- Sonic Cosmopolitanisms : Experimental Improvised Music And A Lebanese-american Cultural Exchange / Marina Peterson -- Activism And Authenticity : Palestinian And Related Hip-hop In An International Frame / Caroline Rooney -- Noise And Its Formless Shadows : Egypt's Extreme Metal As Avant-garde Nafas Dawsha / Benjamin J. Harbert. Thomas Burkhalter, Kay Dickinson, And Benjamin J. Harbert, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References, Discography And Index.