African American Music provides an introduction to all of the richness and diversity of African American musical styles, focusing on the distinct characteristics and development of each genre. This book is divided into four parts: folk traditions; the jazz aesthetic; black popular styles since 1940; and black theatrical and classical music. Using brief musical examples, the author illustrates and explains the basic concepts that unite all African American styles before discussing each style individually. Among the many types of music explored in individual chapters are spirituals, blues, gospel, ragtime, jazz, pop and classical. Biographical portraits of major musicians and composers, as well as detailed stylistic analyses of each musical genre, make this book not only required reading for any introduction to the field, but a pleasure to read for anyone interested in all of the different styles that comprise African American music. Includes information on Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, bebop, Chuck Berry, blues, boogie woogie, James Brown, call and response, classical music, classic jazz, Sam Cooke, cool jazz, William Levi Dawson, doo wop, Antonin Dvorak, Duke Ellington, free jazz, gospel music, Isaac Hayes, jazz, James Weldon Johnson, Motown Records, Charlie Parker, rags and ragtime, rap music, rhythm and blues, soul music, spirituals, swing, etc.