{"product_id":"hearing-brazil-music-and-histories-in-minas-gerais-scholarly","title":"Hearing Brazil: Music and Histories in Minas Gerais - Scholarly","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Hearing Brazil: Music and Histories in Minas Gerais, the reviewer finds a rigorous, research-driven study best suited for ethnomusicologists, graduate students, and readers serious about Brazilian cultural history. Jonathon Grasse presents a detailed account of how music, instruments, and social practice in Minas Gerais intertwine with the region's colonial and slave past, and the single biggest reason to buy is the book's deep engagement with Portuguese-language scholarship combined with the author's twenty-five years of fieldwork.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExtensive scholarship:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book cites over two hundred Portuguese-language publications, offering readers a dense bibliography for further research.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal translations:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grasse provides translations of key Brazilian sources, making primary material accessible to English-reading scholars.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLongitudinal fieldwork:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two and a half decades of observations and interviews give the narrative depth and longitudinal perspective.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRegional focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Concentrating on Minas Gerais allows the book to map how local genres, instruments, and social practices shaped cultural identity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInterdisciplinary framing:\u003c\/strong\u003e The text weaves history, musicology, and anthropology to contextualize musical forms within social and historical forces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is aimed at readers with an academic or strong personal interest in Brazilian music, the African diaspora in Latin America, and regional cultural histories. Ethnomusicology students, historians, and cultural anthropologists will find the depth of sources and fieldwork especially valuable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCasual readers seeking a brief introduction to Brazilian music or a light coffee-table book should look elsewhere; the work is dense, citation-heavy, and intended for close reading rather than casual browsing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThorough engagement with Portuguese-language scholarship expands access to regional sources.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong-term fieldwork and interviews strengthen the book's historical claims and ethnographic detail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear focus on Minas Gerais provides a nuanced portrait of how music and history intersect in a single region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe academic density and heavy citation load limit appeal for general-interest readers who prefer a lighter narrative.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHearing Brazil: Music and Histories in Minas Gerais\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJonathon Grasse\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRegional focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinas Gerais, southeastern Brazil\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eResearch sources\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOver two hundred Portuguese-language publications\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFieldwork duration\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproximately twenty-five years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain topics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMusic, history, African diaspora traditions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eHearing Brazil is a valuable, well-documented contribution for scholars and serious students of Brazilian music and cultural history. Its combination of extensive Portuguese-language sourcing, original translations, and long-term field observation makes it excellent value for anyone researching Minas Gerais or the musical legacies of the African diaspora.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book rely on original fieldwork?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The author augmented published scholarship with fieldwork, observations, and interviews completed over about twenty-five years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this suitable for beginners?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is scholarly and dense, so beginners may prefer a more introductory text before tackling it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre sources in Portuguese made accessible?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Grasse includes original translations of many Portuguese-language sources to help English readers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jonathon Grasse","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48748031738075,"sku":"1496838270","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81x-irD0fVL._SL1500.jpg?v=1778792494","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/hearing-brazil-music-and-histories-in-minas-gerais-scholarly","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}