Gibb Schreffler | Pomona College (original) (raw)

Papers by Gibb Schreffler

Journal of the Society for American Music, Oct 31, 2023

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions ... more This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions of Punjabi identity. It considers spatial movement and social positioning as factors in individuals’ identity constructs. Through the example of the development of themes and production practices in 20th-century popular music, it contends that Punjabi “national” identity gains coherence as individuals move away from Punjab’s local and rural spaces. The particular composition of migrants gives this national identity its biased orientation. The discussion identifies an ideology of cultural nationalism that seeks to unify a Punjabi nation on the basis of perceived shared culture of its constituent members while privileging shared traits of migrants. In selectively deemphasizing diversity, Punjabi cultural nationalism informs an identity in which dholis’ sociocultural identities are minimized.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis duri... more Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis during the 2010s. Dholis adapted to a changed, oversaturated market. The institution of master-and-disciple deteriorated in part because individuals maintaining the values of a master had exited the stage. The middle-aged generation’s vitality was sapped by existential despair and poor health. There was a consequent disconnect between the youngest generation and the oldest. Developments in the diaspora had fed back to the homeland with enough critical mass to raise concern for the coherence of local dhol traditions. Popular recognition and adaptive strategies worked at the expense of undermining the preferred dholi identity. In the fragile ecosystem of dhol, injuries to one part of the system threatened the sustainability of all.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol... more This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol as genre), and contexts in which the sounds are given meaning. These all contribute to making dhol a uniquely resonate emblem of both Punjabi culture and dholis. An exposition of common rhythmic structures and their contextualized applications is offered to supply points of reference to understand players’ aesthetic and practical values. The chapter frames a broad distinction between the application of dhol to practical forms of communication and more purely aesthetic performances. One will see in subsequent chapters that dholis’ identities are located in reference to these points of distinction.

Asian Music, 2014

In the Indian state of Punjab there has been a revival of a centuries-old dance called " jhummar.... more In the Indian state of Punjab there has been a revival of a centuries-old dance called " jhummar." The intensely energetic, new folkloric dance dubbed "bhangra" initially marginalized the historically more popular jhummar during an era of modern state-building efforts. Jhummar was nonetheless able to reemerge in the Punjabi cultural consciousness through the cumulative interaction between vernacular performers retaining identification with the dance and institutions looking for alternatives to the oversaturated bhangra. This article details the development of modern jhummar, arguing that the millennial ethos of Punjab, with its renewed emphasis on traditionality and regional culture, engendered the revival of jhummar.

South Asian History and Culture, Jul 1, 2013

Punjabi bhangra has been a recurrent topic of discussion within the studies of South Asian identi... more Punjabi bhangra has been a recurrent topic of discussion within the studies of South Asian identity and vernacular culture since the 1980s. Such discussions, however, have suffered due to lack of published information on bhangra's cultural and historical contexts. Consequently, discussants have had to rely upon information available from recent popular media and casual participants. Popular narratives tend to oversimplify bhangra as being or deriving from 'Punjab's traditional folk dance,' often without a clear sense of what constitutes 'folk dance' in this context or the relationship between such a dance and the particular bhangra with which one may be familiar. The resultant picture of contemporary bhangra as the quintessential Punjabi harvest dance, even if 'modernized,' is inadequate to interpret the acts of performers and audiences of what are, in fact, several dynamic phenomena. There is a danger of characterizing bhangra as a too-uniformly understood aspect of Punjabi heritage, and of reducing its performances to mere displays of Punjabi identity, if the past and present practical needs, aesthetic decisions, and situational intentions of participants are not registered. Intended to offer such a contextual framework, this article provides a social history of bhangra dance, in three theatres: Western Punjab before 1947, Eastern Punjab after the Partition, and the Punjabi Diaspora since the late twentieth century. Particular attention is paid to the individuals who have shaped the development and their circumstantial motivations.

Yearbook for Traditional Music, 2009

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experie... more In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experiencing “the toughest time ever.” Concurrently, their instrument, the iconic barrel-drum dhol, was experiencing unprecedented global popularity. This book uncovers why, notwithstanding the emblematic status of dhol for Punjabis, the dholis’ local communities are facing existential crisis. The pursuit of a national identity—which aids in political representation and maintaining historical consciousness during change—has led modern Punjabis to make particular economic, social, and artistic choices. A casualty of this pursuit has been the disenfranchisement of dholis, who do not find representation despite the symbolic import of dhol to that national identity. Through the example of dhol’s subtle appropriation, the book argues that the empowerment gained by bolstering Punjabi identity in the global arena works at the expense of people on Punjabi society’s margins. At its core are the hereditary-professional drummers who, while members of society’s low-status “outcaste” population, created and maintained dhol traditions over centuries. Exacerbated by a cultural nationalist discourse that downplays ethnic diversity, their subaltern ethnic identities have been rendered invisible. Recognizing their diverse ethnic affiliations, however, is only the first step towards hearing hitherto absent perspectives of individual musicians. As a work of advocacy, this book draws on two decades of ethnography of Indian, Pakistani, and diasporic Punjabi drummers to center their experiences in the story of modern Punjab.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century... more Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century yet only gaining prevalence in the past two decades. This chapter offers observations of diaspora dhol activities across time. The narrative moves from the immigrant pioneers, to the growth of local lay players, to the recent increase in visits and residencies of dholis from Punjab. The advent of dhol playing in the diaspora opened the door for the instrument to be played by large numbers of people outside the ethnic communities and life-experiences of the traditional dholis. The chapter illustrates how being a dhol player differs in contexts outside Punjab, and notes effects of dhol activities in the diaspora on current dhol traditions.

Sikh formations, Dec 1, 2011

... Sheetal, Mansi and Parul for their balle balle attitude. ... Virinder S. Kalra and Navtej K. ... more ... Sheetal, Mansi and Parul for their balle balle attitude. ... Virinder S. Kalra and Navtej K. Purewal's essay on the Waggah border dividing Amritsar from Lahore critiques the formation of boundaries by asking the important question "for whom is border crossing an act of transgression ...

Sikh formations, Aug 1, 2012

Based on original fieldwork among professional performing artists, interviews with culture promot... more Based on original fieldwork among professional performing artists, interviews with culture promoters, and observation of unfolding events, this article details the history of a dance form little known outside Punjab. The dance samm̄i is, in fact, little known within India's Punjab state as well, despite recent efforts to revive it through staged presentations. In the late 20th twentieth century, culture promoters in Punjab began to recognize dances that had previously been marginalized – by the over-commodified bhangra – in an effort to regain a sense of the region's diverse yet fading artistic heritage. Sammi, a dance of the Western Punjab, was among those that were promoted. Yet unlike the case for some other dances, information on sammi, mostly possessed in India by displaced tribal people – and especially the cloistered women of those communities – was not readily available. After surveying the historical sammi dance, the article presents the recent history of modern stagings of the dance, wherein it now functions to provide equal performance opportunities in folkloric dance for Punjab's growing number of educated young women. However, in order for this to be, a sammi dance has had to be essentially reinvented from scanty memories and imagination. Since the initial blow dealt by the Partition, local cultural dynamics of gender and ethnicity have created a scenario as to where and what has become presented under the name of ‘sammi’ may bear little resemblance to the heritage form it purports to revive.

American Speech, Nov 1, 2017

Popular Music and Society, Jul 1, 2012

Looking back over 75 years of Punjabi popular music, one can see the changing nature of the relat... more Looking back over 75 years of Punjabi popular music, one can see the changing nature of the relationship between the individual and the “home” culture. In the pre-Independence era, “Punjabi” identity had yet to play a major role in recorded music, whose chief value had been entertainment. By the 1960s, music had acquired the function of forming a concise idea of Punjab with which its cosmopolitan audience could easily identify. By the 1990s, Punjabi identity, as espoused in its music industry, was marked by the idea that, by its very nature, to be Punjabi was to be global.

Yearbook for Traditional Music

Dhol

This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol... more This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol as genre), and contexts in which the sounds are given meaning. These all contribute to making dhol a uniquely resonate emblem of both Punjabi culture and dholis. An exposition of common rhythmic structures and their contextualized applications is offered to supply points of reference to understand players’ aesthetic and practical values. The chapter frames a broad distinction between the application of dhol to practical forms of communication and more purely aesthetic performances. One will see in subsequent chapters that dholis’ identities are located in reference to these points of distinction.

Dhol

Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis duri... more Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis during the 2010s. Dholis adapted to a changed, oversaturated market. The institution of master-and-disciple deteriorated in part because individuals maintaining the values of a master had exited the stage. The middle-aged generation’s vitality was sapped by existential despair and poor health. There was a consequent disconnect between the youngest generation and the oldest. Developments in the diaspora had fed back to the homeland with enough critical mass to raise concern for the coherence of local dhol traditions. Popular recognition and adaptive strategies worked at the expense of undermining the preferred dholi identity. In the fragile ecosystem of dhol, injuries to one part of the system threatened the sustainability of all.

Dhol

This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions ... more This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions of Punjabi identity. It considers spatial movement and social positioning as factors in individuals’ identity constructs. Through the example of the development of themes and production practices in 20th-century popular music, it contends that Punjabi “national” identity gains coherence as individuals move away from Punjab’s local and rural spaces. The particular composition of migrants gives this national identity its biased orientation. The discussion identifies an ideology of cultural nationalism that seeks to unify a Punjabi nation on the basis of perceived shared culture of its constituent members while privileging shared traits of migrants. In selectively deemphasizing diversity, Punjabi cultural nationalism informs an identity in which dholis’ sociocultural identities are minimized.

Dhol

Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century... more Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century yet only gaining prevalence in the past two decades. This chapter offers observations of diaspora dhol activities across time. The narrative moves from the immigrant pioneers, to the growth of local lay players, to the recent increase in visits and residencies of dholis from Punjab. The advent of dhol playing in the diaspora opened the door for the instrument to be played by large numbers of people outside the ethnic communities and life-experiences of the traditional dholis. The chapter illustrates how being a dhol player differs in contexts outside Punjab, and notes effects of dhol activities in the diaspora on current dhol traditions.

In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experie... more In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experiencing “the toughest time ever.” Concurrently, their instrument, the iconic barrel-drum dhol, was experiencing unprecedented global popularity. This book uncovers why, notwithstanding the emblematic status of dhol for Punjabis, the dholis’ local communities are facing existential crisis. The pursuit of a national identity—which aids in political representation and maintaining historical consciousness during change—has led modern Punjabis to make particular economic, social, and artistic choices. A casualty of this pursuit has been the disenfranchisement of dholis, who do not find representation despite the symbolic import of dhol to that national identity. Through the example of dhol’s subtle appropriation, the book argues that the empowerment gained by bolstering Punjabi identity in the global arena works at the expense of people on Punjabi society’s margins. At its core are the heredita...

Journal of the Society for American Music, Oct 31, 2023

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions ... more This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions of Punjabi identity. It considers spatial movement and social positioning as factors in individuals’ identity constructs. Through the example of the development of themes and production practices in 20th-century popular music, it contends that Punjabi “national” identity gains coherence as individuals move away from Punjab’s local and rural spaces. The particular composition of migrants gives this national identity its biased orientation. The discussion identifies an ideology of cultural nationalism that seeks to unify a Punjabi nation on the basis of perceived shared culture of its constituent members while privileging shared traits of migrants. In selectively deemphasizing diversity, Punjabi cultural nationalism informs an identity in which dholis’ sociocultural identities are minimized.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis duri... more Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis during the 2010s. Dholis adapted to a changed, oversaturated market. The institution of master-and-disciple deteriorated in part because individuals maintaining the values of a master had exited the stage. The middle-aged generation’s vitality was sapped by existential despair and poor health. There was a consequent disconnect between the youngest generation and the oldest. Developments in the diaspora had fed back to the homeland with enough critical mass to raise concern for the coherence of local dhol traditions. Popular recognition and adaptive strategies worked at the expense of undermining the preferred dholi identity. In the fragile ecosystem of dhol, injuries to one part of the system threatened the sustainability of all.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol... more This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol as genre), and contexts in which the sounds are given meaning. These all contribute to making dhol a uniquely resonate emblem of both Punjabi culture and dholis. An exposition of common rhythmic structures and their contextualized applications is offered to supply points of reference to understand players’ aesthetic and practical values. The chapter frames a broad distinction between the application of dhol to practical forms of communication and more purely aesthetic performances. One will see in subsequent chapters that dholis’ identities are located in reference to these points of distinction.

Asian Music, 2014

In the Indian state of Punjab there has been a revival of a centuries-old dance called " jhummar.... more In the Indian state of Punjab there has been a revival of a centuries-old dance called " jhummar." The intensely energetic, new folkloric dance dubbed "bhangra" initially marginalized the historically more popular jhummar during an era of modern state-building efforts. Jhummar was nonetheless able to reemerge in the Punjabi cultural consciousness through the cumulative interaction between vernacular performers retaining identification with the dance and institutions looking for alternatives to the oversaturated bhangra. This article details the development of modern jhummar, arguing that the millennial ethos of Punjab, with its renewed emphasis on traditionality and regional culture, engendered the revival of jhummar.

South Asian History and Culture, Jul 1, 2013

Punjabi bhangra has been a recurrent topic of discussion within the studies of South Asian identi... more Punjabi bhangra has been a recurrent topic of discussion within the studies of South Asian identity and vernacular culture since the 1980s. Such discussions, however, have suffered due to lack of published information on bhangra's cultural and historical contexts. Consequently, discussants have had to rely upon information available from recent popular media and casual participants. Popular narratives tend to oversimplify bhangra as being or deriving from 'Punjab's traditional folk dance,' often without a clear sense of what constitutes 'folk dance' in this context or the relationship between such a dance and the particular bhangra with which one may be familiar. The resultant picture of contemporary bhangra as the quintessential Punjabi harvest dance, even if 'modernized,' is inadequate to interpret the acts of performers and audiences of what are, in fact, several dynamic phenomena. There is a danger of characterizing bhangra as a too-uniformly understood aspect of Punjabi heritage, and of reducing its performances to mere displays of Punjabi identity, if the past and present practical needs, aesthetic decisions, and situational intentions of participants are not registered. Intended to offer such a contextual framework, this article provides a social history of bhangra dance, in three theatres: Western Punjab before 1947, Eastern Punjab after the Partition, and the Punjabi Diaspora since the late twentieth century. Particular attention is paid to the individuals who have shaped the development and their circumstantial motivations.

Yearbook for Traditional Music, 2009

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experie... more In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experiencing “the toughest time ever.” Concurrently, their instrument, the iconic barrel-drum dhol, was experiencing unprecedented global popularity. This book uncovers why, notwithstanding the emblematic status of dhol for Punjabis, the dholis’ local communities are facing existential crisis. The pursuit of a national identity—which aids in political representation and maintaining historical consciousness during change—has led modern Punjabis to make particular economic, social, and artistic choices. A casualty of this pursuit has been the disenfranchisement of dholis, who do not find representation despite the symbolic import of dhol to that national identity. Through the example of dhol’s subtle appropriation, the book argues that the empowerment gained by bolstering Punjabi identity in the global arena works at the expense of people on Punjabi society’s margins. At its core are the hereditary-professional drummers who, while members of society’s low-status “outcaste” population, created and maintained dhol traditions over centuries. Exacerbated by a cultural nationalist discourse that downplays ethnic diversity, their subaltern ethnic identities have been rendered invisible. Recognizing their diverse ethnic affiliations, however, is only the first step towards hearing hitherto absent perspectives of individual musicians. As a work of advocacy, this book draws on two decades of ethnography of Indian, Pakistani, and diasporic Punjabi drummers to center their experiences in the story of modern Punjab.

University of Illinois Press eBooks, Nov 15, 2021

Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century... more Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century yet only gaining prevalence in the past two decades. This chapter offers observations of diaspora dhol activities across time. The narrative moves from the immigrant pioneers, to the growth of local lay players, to the recent increase in visits and residencies of dholis from Punjab. The advent of dhol playing in the diaspora opened the door for the instrument to be played by large numbers of people outside the ethnic communities and life-experiences of the traditional dholis. The chapter illustrates how being a dhol player differs in contexts outside Punjab, and notes effects of dhol activities in the diaspora on current dhol traditions.

Sikh formations, Dec 1, 2011

... Sheetal, Mansi and Parul for their balle balle attitude. ... Virinder S. Kalra and Navtej K. ... more ... Sheetal, Mansi and Parul for their balle balle attitude. ... Virinder S. Kalra and Navtej K. Purewal's essay on the Waggah border dividing Amritsar from Lahore critiques the formation of boundaries by asking the important question "for whom is border crossing an act of transgression ...

Sikh formations, Aug 1, 2012

Based on original fieldwork among professional performing artists, interviews with culture promot... more Based on original fieldwork among professional performing artists, interviews with culture promoters, and observation of unfolding events, this article details the history of a dance form little known outside Punjab. The dance samm̄i is, in fact, little known within India's Punjab state as well, despite recent efforts to revive it through staged presentations. In the late 20th twentieth century, culture promoters in Punjab began to recognize dances that had previously been marginalized – by the over-commodified bhangra – in an effort to regain a sense of the region's diverse yet fading artistic heritage. Sammi, a dance of the Western Punjab, was among those that were promoted. Yet unlike the case for some other dances, information on sammi, mostly possessed in India by displaced tribal people – and especially the cloistered women of those communities – was not readily available. After surveying the historical sammi dance, the article presents the recent history of modern stagings of the dance, wherein it now functions to provide equal performance opportunities in folkloric dance for Punjab's growing number of educated young women. However, in order for this to be, a sammi dance has had to be essentially reinvented from scanty memories and imagination. Since the initial blow dealt by the Partition, local cultural dynamics of gender and ethnicity have created a scenario as to where and what has become presented under the name of ‘sammi’ may bear little resemblance to the heritage form it purports to revive.

American Speech, Nov 1, 2017

Popular Music and Society, Jul 1, 2012

Looking back over 75 years of Punjabi popular music, one can see the changing nature of the relat... more Looking back over 75 years of Punjabi popular music, one can see the changing nature of the relationship between the individual and the “home” culture. In the pre-Independence era, “Punjabi” identity had yet to play a major role in recorded music, whose chief value had been entertainment. By the 1960s, music had acquired the function of forming a concise idea of Punjab with which its cosmopolitan audience could easily identify. By the 1990s, Punjabi identity, as espoused in its music industry, was marked by the idea that, by its very nature, to be Punjabi was to be global.

Yearbook for Traditional Music

Dhol

This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol... more This chapter introduces the material object (the dhol drum), the sound-forms played upon it (dhol as genre), and contexts in which the sounds are given meaning. These all contribute to making dhol a uniquely resonate emblem of both Punjabi culture and dholis. An exposition of common rhythmic structures and their contextualized applications is offered to supply points of reference to understand players’ aesthetic and practical values. The chapter frames a broad distinction between the application of dhol to practical forms of communication and more purely aesthetic performances. One will see in subsequent chapters that dholis’ identities are located in reference to these points of distinction.

Dhol

Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis duri... more Returning to Punjab, this chapter takes stock of changes to the social environment of dholis during the 2010s. Dholis adapted to a changed, oversaturated market. The institution of master-and-disciple deteriorated in part because individuals maintaining the values of a master had exited the stage. The middle-aged generation’s vitality was sapped by existential despair and poor health. There was a consequent disconnect between the youngest generation and the oldest. Developments in the diaspora had fed back to the homeland with enough critical mass to raise concern for the coherence of local dhol traditions. Popular recognition and adaptive strategies worked at the expense of undermining the preferred dholi identity. In the fragile ecosystem of dhol, injuries to one part of the system threatened the sustainability of all.

Dhol

This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions ... more This chapter sets the stage for thinking about dhol as representative of differing constructions of Punjabi identity. It considers spatial movement and social positioning as factors in individuals’ identity constructs. Through the example of the development of themes and production practices in 20th-century popular music, it contends that Punjabi “national” identity gains coherence as individuals move away from Punjab’s local and rural spaces. The particular composition of migrants gives this national identity its biased orientation. The discussion identifies an ideology of cultural nationalism that seeks to unify a Punjabi nation on the basis of perceived shared culture of its constituent members while privileging shared traits of migrants. In selectively deemphasizing diversity, Punjabi cultural nationalism informs an identity in which dholis’ sociocultural identities are minimized.

Dhol

Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century... more Dhol playing in the diaspora is a relatively recent affair, with roots dating back half a century yet only gaining prevalence in the past two decades. This chapter offers observations of diaspora dhol activities across time. The narrative moves from the immigrant pioneers, to the growth of local lay players, to the recent increase in visits and residencies of dholis from Punjab. The advent of dhol playing in the diaspora opened the door for the instrument to be played by large numbers of people outside the ethnic communities and life-experiences of the traditional dholis. The chapter illustrates how being a dhol player differs in contexts outside Punjab, and notes effects of dhol activities in the diaspora on current dhol traditions.

In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experie... more In the early twenty-first century, the Punjab region’s traditional drummers, dholis, were experiencing “the toughest time ever.” Concurrently, their instrument, the iconic barrel-drum dhol, was experiencing unprecedented global popularity. This book uncovers why, notwithstanding the emblematic status of dhol for Punjabis, the dholis’ local communities are facing existential crisis. The pursuit of a national identity—which aids in political representation and maintaining historical consciousness during change—has led modern Punjabis to make particular economic, social, and artistic choices. A casualty of this pursuit has been the disenfranchisement of dholis, who do not find representation despite the symbolic import of dhol to that national identity. Through the example of dhol’s subtle appropriation, the book argues that the empowerment gained by bolstering Punjabi identity in the global arena works at the expense of people on Punjabi society’s margins. At its core are the heredita...

Loomis House, 2018

How do we know what we know about chanties? Beginning with the earliest sources, this book traces... more How do we know what we know about chanties? Beginning with the earliest sources, this book traces the history of writing about chanties — exploring the layers of discourse that have developed as authors and collectors have relied on, borrowed from, and contradicted those that came before them — creating an indispensible guide to the primary authors and sources through a century and a half of chanty literature.

***This is a placeholder/preview. The book is available in libraries of, for a very reasonable price, from your favorite on-line bookseller.***

draft statement, 2021

I wrote this as quickly as possible, in a stream, in response to a request for information/opinio... more I wrote this as quickly as possible, in a stream, in response to a request for information/opinion from a journalist. It's not an essay that I've gone back and revised to improve clarity and accuracy, and it doesn't cite sources-though it is based in research. Because I did spend some time on it, because I have been encouraged by several to make some statement, and because most of this cannot be included in the journalist's article, I've decided to share it in the current form.

course material, 2022

Highlighting the position of Chanty-type Songs

A quick and dirty adaptation of "The Wellerman" to a chanty musical style (YouTube example)

The Perpetual Introduction (Chanteys), 2023

By presenting an introductory exposition of chanteys today, we are engaging with a cycle that has... more By presenting an introductory exposition of chanteys today, we are engaging with a cycle that has repeated since the subject was first formally introduced in the 1850s. Over the last 165 years, each decade has seen multiple such expositions, the density of which periodically spikes, but the substance of which has remained remarkably consistent. The burgeoning popular interest in chanteys of the 1920s, which resulted in the first commercial phonograph recordings and motivated the publication of numerous song anthologies, framed the genre in much the same way as innumerable undergraduate and master's theses, newspaper articles, and blog posts have since the #ShantyTok phenomenon of the 2020s. Reflecting on this, I recall a remark of which I have long been taken, made by Ghanaian highlife musician Nana Ampadu and quoted by Kofi Agawu in his book Representing African Music: "If I say I will tell you where highlife started, then it means I am going to…lie" (Agawu 2003, xiv). The "sea" in the title of our workshop is one such "lie," because we know that historical performers of "sea" chanteys called them only "chantey." We "lie" fully aware, as Ampadu was, that when expositing subjects to presumed uninitiated audiences the expositor must reduce, simplify, and frame in terms familiar. That chanteys have remained perpetually unfamiliar creates the curious phenomenon in this case of the Perpetual Introduction. So whereas we, too, cannot avoid "introductory" rhetoric, by concurrently making us conscious of that, to disclaim it as Ampadu disclaimed to ethnomusicologist John Chernoff, I hope to disrupt the cycle, as well as to offer some takeaways that point beyond the narrative pathways down which conventional introductions tend to lead.