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The Jukebox in the Garden

2011 January 14
by smonani

David Ingram’s most recent book on Environmentalism and American popular music since 1960 is out.

Rodopi, Amsterdam/New York, NY 2010. 276 pp. (Nature, Culture + Literature 7)
ISBN: 978-90-420-3209-5 Paper
ISBN: 978-90-420-3210-1 E-Book
Online info: http://www.rodopi.nl/senj.asp?BookId=NCL+7

Since the rise of the contemporary ecology movement in the 1960s, American songwriters and composers, from folk singer Pete Seeger to jazz saxophonist Paul Winter, have lamented, and protested against, environmental degradation and injustice. The Jukebox in the Garden is the first book to survey a wide range of musical styles, including folk, country, blues, rock, jazz, electronica and hip hop, to examine the different ways in which popular music has explored American relationships between nature, technology and environmental politics. It also investigates the growing link between music and philosophical thought, particularly under the influence of both deep ecology and New Age thinking, according to which music, amongst all the arts, has a special affinity with ecological ideas. This book is both an exploration and critique of such speculations on the role that music can play in raising environmental awareness. It combines description and analysis of American popular music made during the era of modern environmentalism with a consideration of its wider social, historical and political contexts. It will be of interest to undergraduates and post-graduates in music, cultural studies and environmental studies, as well as general readers interested in popular music and the environment.

One Response leave one →
  1. Steve Rust permalink*
    January 15, 2011

    Can’t wait to get a look at this book. David’s writing is so much fun to red.

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