Synopses & Reviews
Now that the political and economic plight of European Roma and the popularity of their music are objects of international attention,
Romani Routes provides a timely and insightful view into Romani communities both in their home countries and in the diaspora. Over the past two decades, a steady stream of recordings, videos, feature films, festivals, and concerts has presented the music of Balkan Gypsies, or Roma, to Western audiences, who have greeted them with exceptional enthusiasm. Yet, as author Carol Silverman notes, Roma are revered as musicians and reviled as people.
In this book, Silverman introduces readers to the people and cultures who produce this music, offering a sensitive and incisive analysis of how Romani musicians address the challenges of discrimination. Focusing on southeastern Europe then moving to the diaspora, her book examines the music within Romani communities, the lives and careers of outstanding musicians, and the marketing of music in the electronic media and "world music" concert circuit. Silverman touches on the way that the Roma exemplify many qualities--adaptability, cultural hybridity, transnationalism--that are taken to characterize late modern experience. And rather than just celebrating these qualities, she presents the musicians as complicated, pragmatic individuals who work creatively within the many constraints that inform their lives.
Review
"A masterpiece! Silverman's work is of tremendous importance for anyone interested in the Romani people, the Balkans, and also anthropology, ethnology, gender, music, performance, creativity, diasporas, and the nature of life as it is lived." -- Victor A. Friedman, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, University of Chicago
"Carol Silverman's book addresses the central question of how a group can be reviled and its music adored. This theoretically masterful, ethnographically rich account of Romani music offers new insights into the culture of a diasporic, marginalized group through a compelling account of the challenges musicians face to change and sustain traditions in multiple contexts including socialist and post-socialist state politics. It is crucial reading for anyone interested in human rights and cultural identity."-- Amy Shuman, Professor of Folklore, The Ohio State University
"Silverman's book features a superb companion web page with photographs and video clips that illustrate many of her points...Highly recommended." --Choice
"Carol Silverman does not disappoint with this long-awaited volume, a synthesis of a lifetime of research. Romani Routes is a recommended read for students interested in Romani music and a welcome complement to ethnomusicological literature on the Balkans." --Ethnomusicology
About the Author
Carol Silverman, Professor of Anthropology and Folklore at the University of Oregon, has been involved with Romani culture for over 25 years as a researcher, teacher, activist, and performer. Her numerous articles have appeared in anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, and cultural studies publications.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Notes on Transliteration
Guide to the Website (video examples, audio examples, photographs, and text supplements)
List of Figures
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1: Balkan Roma: History, Politics, and Performance
Chapter 2: Musical Styles and Genres
Chapter 3: Dilemmas of Diaspora, Hybridity, and Identity
Part II: Music in Diasporic Homes
Chapter 4: Transnational Families
Chapter 5: Transnational Celebrations
Chapter 6: Transnational Dance
Part III Music, States, and Markets
Chapter 7: Dilemmas of Heritage and the Bulgarian Socialist State
Chapter 8: Cultural Politics of Postsocialist Markets and Festivals
Chapter 9: Bulgarian Pop/folk: Chalga
Part IV: Musicians in Transit
Chapter 10: Esma Red%zepova: "Queen of Gypsy Music"
Chapter 11: Yuri Yunakov: Saxophonist, Refugee, Citizen
Chapter 12: Romani Music as World Music
Chapter 13: Collaboration, Appropriation, and Transnational Flows
References Cited