Taken together, these comprehensive volumes offer an authoritative account of the music of Africa. One of the most prominent experts on the subject, Gerhard Kubik draws on his extensive travels and three decades of study in many parts of the continent to compare and contrast a wealth of musical traditions from a range of cultures. In this first volume, Kubik describes and examines xylophone playing in southern Uganda and harp music from the Central African Republic; compares multi-part singing from across the continent; and explores movement and sound in eastern Angola.

    Features an extensive selection of photographs and is accompanied by a compact disc of Kubik's own recordings. Erudite and exhaustive, "Theory of African Music" is an invaluable reference source.

    Other Releases on

    No Logo: An insightful examination of advertising's impact on society and youth cultureBy Naomi Klein
    By the time you’re twenty-one, you’ll have seen or heard a million advertisements. But you won’t be happier for it. This is a book about that much-maligned,...
      Arthur Baker NEW HARDBACK BOOKLooking For the Perfect Beat
      500-page Memoir of legendary American record producer and remixer, Arthur Baker. Wicked new book from legendary producer Arthur Baker. Loads of great...
        • Book (850g)£25.00 £22.00
          Expected 23 MayPreorder
        Dread, Poetry and Freedom: Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Unfinished Revolution
        What is the relationship between poetry and social change? Standing at the forefront of political poetry since the 1970s, Linton Kwesi Johnson has been...
          By Ian PenmanErik Satie Three Piece Suite
          Composer, pianist and writer Erik Satie was one of the great figures of Belle Époque Paris. Known for his unvarying image of bowler hat, three-piece suit...
            Jess Sah BiJesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas
            Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas is Jess Sah Bi’s first and only gospel album. Fortunately, fans responded with enthusiasm: widespread radio airplay and concerts...
              The Tribul'zationsMelody Babylon
              The Tribulizations are a Brighton UK-based reggae vocal harmony duo living the rocker's life style! We pay homage to uk style lovers rock and spiritual...
              • – Melody Babylon
              • – Freedom Fighter
              • – Politicians
              • – Fade Away
              • – Without You
              • – One Step Forward
              • – Just Let It Be
              • – Fever
              • – Social Riot
              • – Rest In Love
              Lizzy Mercier DesclouxDesiderata
              NYC no wave/ze records scenester Descloux book of poetry, collages and moreIntroduction by Patti Smith
                Louisiana CajunsTurner Browne
                Excellent book - stunning black and white photography. Highly recommended
                  • Original Book (350g)£30.00
                    Out of print Pre-Owned Original USA paperback bit of ageing
                    In stockAdd to Bag
                  Jackie DeshannonLove Forever - Demo Recordings 1966-1967
                  Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon got her start singing gospel at home and in church as a child in her native Kentucky, and then singing...
                    • New 2×LP (Coloured Vinyl) RLGM18131PMI£35.99
                      In stockAdd to Bag
                    Flip the Script: How Women Came to Rule Hip Hop
                    FLIP THE SCRIPT showcases some of the best rappers currently making music in the UK. It has taken a significant amount of time for women to get recognition...
                      By Truman CapoteIn Cold Blood
                      The chilling true crime 'non-fiction novel' that made Truman Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of...
                        Perfume
                        In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable...
                          Audre LordeThe Black Unicorn
                          Filled with rage and tenderness, Audre Lorde's most acclaimed poetry collection speaks of mothers and children, female strength and vulnerability, renewal...
                            By John BergerWays of Seeing
                            John Berger's Ways of Seeing is one of the most stimulating and influential books on art in any language. First published in 1972, it was based on the...
                              Dismantling the Patriarchy, Bit by Bit: Art, Feminism, and Digital Technology
                              In Dismantling the Patriarchy, Bit by Bit, Judith K. Brodsky makes a ground-breaking intellectual leap by connecting feminist art theory with the rise...
                                Look & See: Collected Ephemera and Printed Material
                                Look & See offers a very personal insight into the idiosyncratic influences and inspirations behind the creativity of Anthony Burrill, designer and letterpress...
                                  The Velvet Underground, New York 1965–66 PHOTOZINEPhotographs by Adam Ritchie
                                  Awesome small and beautiful new photo-zine of rare pix of the Velvet Underground in New York 1965-66. In the zone! Look there's Andy (hi Andy!), Lou,...
                                    • Book (200g) ISSN 2752-5619£10.00
                                      In stockAdd to Bag
                                    When I Dare to Be Powerful
                                    Written with a 'black woman's anger' and the precision of a poet, these searing pieces by the groundbreaking writer Audre Lorde are a celebration of female...
                                      Letter From Birmingham Jail
                                      This landmark missive from one of the greatest activists in history calls for direct, non-violent resistance in the fight against racism, and reflects...
                                        by Silvia FedericiCaliban and the Witch
                                        A cult classic since its publication in the early years of this century, Caliban and the Witch is Silvia Federici's history of the body in the transition...
                                          We Called It MusicEddie Condon
                                            • Original Book (200g)£20.00
                                              Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print Paperback book, inside yellowing to pages
                                              In stockAdd to Bag
                                            William S. BurroughsJunky
                                            A shocking exposé of the desperate subculture surrounding heroin addiction, William S. Burroughs' Junky is edited with an introduction by Oliver Harris...
                                              Letters to GilMalik Al Nasir
                                              £12 OFF UK HARDBACK!Description'A searing, triumphant story. A testament to the tenacity of the human spirit as well as a beautiful ode to an iconic figure'...
                                                • Book (600g) 9780008464431£20.00 £8.00
                                                  In stockAdd to Bag
                                                Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
                                                When someone says, 'You have to know your history...' this is it. A pop culture classic for over two decades, now fully refreshed and updated as part of...
                                                  Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital and Back
                                                  From acid-house to prog-rock, there is no form of modern popular music that hasn't been propelled forwards by the synthesizer. As a result they have long...
                                                    There And Black Again
                                                    By Don Letts and Mal Peachey Don Letts – filmmaker, musician, DJ, broadcaster, social commentator, husband and father – has always defied conformity....
                                                      JazzBy Freddy J. Angstmann
                                                      (in french). Nice photos
                                                        • Original Book (500g)£10.00
                                                          Original Pre-Owned Out-Of-Print Hardback Book in Good Condition
                                                          In stockAdd to Bag
                                                        Dinosaurs in the MorningBy Whitney Balliett
                                                          • Original Book (400g)£25.00
                                                            Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print UK 1st Edn. Hardback Book w/Dustjacket
                                                            In stockAdd to Bag
                                                          Subcontinental SynthesisElectronic Music at the National Institute of Design, India 1969-1972
                                                          The history of India's first electronic music studio founded in 1969 at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad by David Tudor.Subcontinental Synthesis...
                                                            The Great Psychic OutdoorsEssays on Low Fidelity: Lo-Fi Music and Escaping Capitalism
                                                            Homemade records, tape-hiss worship and a taste for a very peculiar kind of psychedelia have carved themselves a weird niche in the contemporary musical...
                                                              Invisible Man
                                                              Ralph Ellison's blistering and impassioned first novel tells the extraordinary story of a man invisible 'simply because people refuse to see me'. Published...
                                                                The Radio Phonics LaboratoryTelecommunications, Speech Synthesis & The Birth of Electronic Music
                                                                The Radio Phonics Laboratory delves into the intersection of technology and creativity that shaped the sonic landscape of the 20th century. This fascinating...
                                                                  The Women Who Changed Architecture
                                                                  A visual and global chronicle of the triumphs, challenges, and impact of over 100 women in architecture, from early practitioners to contemporary leaders. Marion...
                                                                    Things Fall Apart
                                                                    Okonkwo is the greatest wrestler and warrior alive, and his fame spreads throughout West Africa like a bush-fire in the harmattan. But when he accidentally...

                                                                      People also bought

                                                                      Yes Yes Y'all: The Experience Music Project Oral History of Hip Hop's First Decadeby Jim Fricke and Charlie AhearnThe Perseus Press
                                                                      WICKED oral history of early rap. Essential!
                                                                        • Original Book (1kg) 9781903985571£40.00
                                                                          Original Pre-Owned Out of Print USA paperback in good condition, sticker on front
                                                                          In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                        UptownPortrait of a Chicago Neighborhood in the Mid-1970sChicago's Book Press
                                                                        Wicked photogrpahy book. This book of striking black and white photographs forms a fascinating time capsule. The photos, taken during the mid 1970s,...
                                                                          Kris OkotieI Need Someone (1980)Phonodisk
                                                                          Afro-Disco Boogie Funk Original Nigerian Vinyl VG surface marks plays fine/Sleeve G ONLY+High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+100%...
                                                                          • – I Need Someone
                                                                          • – You Are My Woman
                                                                          Black Music Of Two Worlds (1972)John Storm RobertsOriginal Music
                                                                          Essential music book about African and New World Afro-musics of the Caribbean and US.
                                                                            • Original Book (600g)£20.00
                                                                              S/hand original out of print book in good condition, ex-library w/stamps
                                                                              In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                            Bunny MackLet Me Love You (1980)Win Records
                                                                            Rare independent Nigerian boogie funk. Original Nigerian vinyl.Vinyl G only , sleeve Fair only so cheap £40 to £10+High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine...
                                                                            • – Let Me Love You
                                                                            • – Love You Forever
                                                                            Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe & His Nigeria Sound Makers InternationalJim´s SpecialSposa
                                                                            Quality album of Igbo highlife.Rare Original Nigerian vinyl.Vinyl VG, sleeve F (wear)+High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+
                                                                            • – Jim´s Special
                                                                            Talking 'Bout Your MamaThe Dozens, Snaps, And The Deep Roots Of RapOxford University Press
                                                                            ONLY £10 Import USA HARDBACK BOOK CHEAPER THAN AMAZON From Two Live Crew's controversial comedy to Ice Cube's gangsta styling and the battle rhymes of...
                                                                              • Book (350g) 9780199394043£16.00 £10.00
                                                                                In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                              Pablo MilanésPablo Milanés Canta A Nicolás Guillén (1975)Areito
                                                                              Original Cuban vinyl!Vinyl VG , sleeve GHigh-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+
                                                                                Brenda FassieBlack President (1990)Mercury
                                                                                Rare Zimbabwe boogie
                                                                                • – Street Girl
                                                                                • – Bump Party Time
                                                                                • Original LP 4064851£35.00 £10.00
                                                                                  Vinyl condition: VG-Sleeve condition: VG-ORIGINAL NIGERIAN VINYL MARK ON SIDE TWO TRACK 1, sleeve damage

                                                                                  +High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+

                                                                                  100% Guarantee on this and all Original Vinyl at Sounds Of The Universe - 'if you're not happy we're not happy' or your money back!
                                                                                JazzEdited by Nat Hentoff and Albert McCarthyQuartet Books (1977)
                                                                                Essays on jazz.
                                                                                  • Original Book (350g)£12.00
                                                                                    Secondhand out of print book in good condition
                                                                                    In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                                  The Last SultanThe Life And Times Of Ahmet ErtegunSimon & Schuster
                                                                                  Import USA Paperback edition book 40% Off Original price! The Last Sultan is the definitive biography of a man who changed popular culture throughout...
                                                                                    AmericaHoliday (1974)WB
                                                                                    w/Tin Man. Folk funk classic!
                                                                                      • Original LP£10.00
                                                                                        Vinyl condition: VG+Sleeve condition: VG+Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print USA Vinyl
                                                                                      Getting Together With The Jackson 5 (1971)Musico Records
                                                                                      Original = USA Original Vinyl G+ /Sleeve VG- +High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+100% Guarantee on this and all Original Vinyl...
                                                                                        Jazz Masters Of New OrleansBy Martin WilliamsMacMillan (1979)
                                                                                        Good book! Did you know why the drummers of New Orleans jazz have always been underrecorded? Did you know that Orson Welles was a big New Orleans jazz...
                                                                                          • Original Book (600g)£15.00
                                                                                            Secondhand USA hardback (ex-library, plastic covered)
                                                                                            In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                                          Sonny OkosunThe Gospel Of Ozziddi (1981)EMI International
                                                                                          Afro-Disco funk. Original Nigerian Vinyl VG, sleeve G- (lot of wear) +High-end Audio Desk Systeme Pro Machine Utrasonic cleaned+100% Guarantee on this...
                                                                                          • – Carnival
                                                                                          Life And Death On The New York Dance Floor, 1980-1983By Tim Lawrence
                                                                                          Here we go .. massive NYC dancefloor 500+ page book by the excellent Tim Lawrence - who wrote Love Saves The Day and also has written for Soul Jazz...
                                                                                            Old School Rap and Hip-HopChris Woodstra, John Bush, Stephen Thomas ErlewineBackbeat Books
                                                                                            Only £8 IMPORT USA PAPERBACK BOOK The real old school! More than 500 reviews plus artist bios and the true tales of the birth of the art form
                                                                                              • Book (350g) 9780879309169£14.00 £8.00
                                                                                                In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                                              Don Shirley TrioDon Shirley Trio (1960)Cadence
                                                                                              Original 1960 textured sleeve original vinyl jazz trio quite deep
                                                                                                Back In The Days Photographs By Jamel ShabazzpowerHouse Books
                                                                                                Amazing, genius photographs of New York hip-hop fashion and culture taken by Jamel Shabazz between 1980 and 1989. Intro by Fab Five Freddy. As stylish...
                                                                                                  Stevie WonderBy John Swenson
                                                                                                  Great pics and bio!
                                                                                                    • Original Book (500g) 9780859650762£12.00
                                                                                                      Secondhand paperback in great condition​
                                                                                                      In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                                                    Dakota StatonI Want A Country Man (1973)Groove Merchant
                                                                                                    Original USA 1973 Groove Merchant reocrds w/ Frank Wess, Cecil Bridgewater, Bill Watrous produced by Sonny Lester
                                                                                                      Jazz Religion, The Second Line And Black New OrleansBy Richard Brent TurnerIndiana University Press
                                                                                                      Great New Orleans music book! NEW EDITION DIFFT COVER Richard Brent Turner explores the history and contemporary significance of the...
                                                                                                        Musica BrasileiraA History of Popular Music and the People of BrazilMarion Boyars
                                                                                                        STILL ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON BRAZILIAN MUSIC! Only £6!!! Written by Claus Schreiner, this is an excellent book covering all aspects of Brazilian music...
                                                                                                          Rhythms Of WonderStevie Wonder by Sharon DavisRobson Books
                                                                                                            • Original Book (700g) 9781861059659£10.00
                                                                                                              Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print UK Hardback
                                                                                                              In stockAdd to Bag