Overview

Fiddles in Luso-Afro-Brazilian Cultures presents fresh data and debates drawn from extensive research to broaden the study of African music by focusing on fiddle playing, exploring rhythm aesthetics and tonal systems within cultural contexts. Focused on Cape Verde, Mozambique and Brazil, the research maps cultural affiliations, addressing cultural displacement and historical ties. It engages with post-colonial power dynamics, highlighting fiddle playing as a form of resistance and revival. Primarily aimed at academic researchers in ethnomusicology and related fields, the book provides detailed analytical descriptions and narratives of artists, instruments and playing styles. It contributes to discussions on music, decolonisation and diasporic communities’ demands for authenticity and recognition. By revealing lesser-known fiddle traditions, it enriches the world music genre, attracting both academic and general readers interested in transcultural music studies.

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9781032774565

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Reviews

"“This is a solid and complex piece of multi-sited research that, in lucid prose, tackles a novel topic – bowed chordophones across the Afro-Lusophone world, encompassing Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Brazil. Challenging a range of preconceived ideas about African musical principles, Luiz Moretto shows how bowed chordophones of various types mediated encounters in different settings, each presenting very distinct and context-specific responses, from cultural dissemination, independent invention, hybridizations, resistance and revivals”. Suzel Reily, Professor of Ethnomusicology at the Universiade Estadual de Campinas “This is an extremely rich account of one could call “the black fiddle”, immersing readers in a meticulously researched journey through the rich tapestry of African and Afro-diasporic music cultures. Readers will find detailed analyses of how the European instrument was incorporated and re-signified in countries deeply marked by the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, such as Brazil, Mozambique and Cape Verde. Through vivid ethnographic accounts and previously unpublished materials, this groundbreaking work sheds light on the transcultural dynamics of fiddle traditions, challenging notions of authenticity and decolonization. It not only fills a void in music literature but also captivates a broader audience with its exploration of untold narratives and rhythmic aesthetics, resonating across continents and cultures”. Felipe Correa, Reader in Cultural Studies, King’s College London. ""This compelling work challenges entrenched stereotypes and narratives rooted in colonial history, offering fresh perspectives on African traditional instruments and their rich cultural contexts. Moving beyond the confines of authenticity politics and power dynamics, it presents a nuanced and contemporary discourse. Written by a seasoned musician deeply immersed in the world of African music and its diasporic encounters, this book is a must-read."" Top of Form Genitho Santana, Anthropology Teacher at School of Art and Communication, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. Bottom of Form"

"""This is a solid and complex piece of multi-sited research that, in lucid prose, tackles a novel topic – bowed chordophones across the Afro-Lusophone world, encompassing Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Brazil. Challenging a range of preconceived ideas about African musical principles, Luiz Moretto shows how bowed chordophones of various types mediated encounters in different settings, each presenting very distinct and context-specific responses, from cultural dissemination, independent invention, hybridizations, resistance and revivals."" Suzel Reily, Professor of Ethnomusicology at the Universiade Estadual de Campinas ""This is an extremely rich account of one could call ""the black fiddle"", immersing readers in a meticulously researched journey through the rich tapestry of African and Afro-diasporic music cultures. Readers will find detailed analyses of how the European instrument was incorporated and re-signified in countries deeply marked by the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, such as Brazil, Mozambique and Cape Verde. Through vivid ethnographic accounts and previously unpublished materials, this groundbreaking work sheds light on the transcultural dynamics of fiddle traditions, challenging notions of authenticity and decolonization. It not only fills a void in music literature but also captivates a broader audience with its exploration of untold narratives and rhythmic aesthetics, resonating across continents and cultures."" Felipe Correa, Reader in Cultural Studies, King’s College London ""This compelling work challenges entrenched stereotypes and narratives rooted in colonial history, offering fresh perspectives on African traditional instruments and their rich cultural contexts. Moving beyond the confines of authenticity politics and power dynamics, it presents a nuanced and contemporary discourse. Written by a seasoned musician deeply immersed in the world of African music and its diasporic encounters, this book is a must-read."" Genitho Santana, Anthropology Teacher at School of Art and Communication, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane"

""This is a solid and complex piece of multi-sited research that, in lucid prose, tackles a novel topic – bowed chordophones across the Afro-Lusophone world, encompassing Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Brazil. Challenging a range of preconceived ideas about African musical principles, Luiz Moretto shows how bowed chordophones of various types mediated encounters in different settings, each presenting very distinct and context-specific responses, from cultural dissemination, independent invention, hybridizations, resistance and revivals."" Suzel Reily, Professor of Ethnomusicology at the Universiade Estadual de Campinas ""This is an extremely rich account of one could call ""the black fiddle"", immersing readers in a meticulously researched journey through the rich tapestry of African and Afro-diasporic music cultures. Readers will find detailed analyses of how the European instrument was incorporated and re-signified in countries deeply marked by the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, such as Brazil, Mozambique and Cape Verde. Through vivid ethnographic accounts and previously unpublished materials, this groundbreaking work sheds light on the transcultural dynamics of fiddle traditions, challenging notions of authenticity and decolonization. It not only fills a void in music literature but also captivates a broader audience with its exploration of untold narratives and rhythmic aesthetics, resonating across continents and cultures."" Felipe Correa, Reader in Cultural Studies, King’s College London ""This compelling work challenges entrenched stereotypes and narratives rooted in colonial history, offering fresh perspectives on African traditional instruments and their rich cultural contexts. Moving beyond the confines of authenticity politics and power dynamics, it presents a nuanced and contemporary discourse. Written by a seasoned musician deeply immersed in the world of African music and its diasporic encounters, this book is a must-read."" Genitho Santana, Anthropology Teacher at School of Art and Communication, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane

Author Information

Dr Luiz Moretto holds an honors degree in music from Santa Catarina State University and a doctorate in ethnomusicology from King’s College London. He is a professional fiddle player and composer whose performances and recordings encompass various styles of African and Brazilian music, subjects that have been the focus of his research over many years.

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