Steven Feld

766 Words2 Pages

In Jazz Cosmopolitanism in Accra, Steven Feld presents, more than anything else, a heartwarming portrait of a man whose life was guided solely by his passions. The story of Ghanaba is itself a spiritual exercise as much as his life was. This work works stunningly well in this academic context, although it also feels as much like a book you would accidentally find in Books A Million and fall in love. The main reasons for the work’s success lies in Steven Feld’s masterful storytelling technique, one of brutal directness, but strewn also with careful intricacies. The story is told almost exclusively by Ghanaba himself, in the context of Feld (and the reader) listening to his rants and moodiness. Feld somehow manages to create the feeling of …show more content…

Feld instead lends enough creative twine for the reader to see into his insights without them being intrusive or overbearing. Feld clearly has thought very deliberately about every element of the work ranging from word choice, information included, repetition (from his previous works on film and recording), formatting, and changes in time. For example: Feld takes us back to Ghanaba’s stint in the United States in the 1950s to add context and allow the reader to see Ghanaba’s motivations in his impassioned …show more content…

Feld does not “fluff” or “package” his writing. The story is refreshingly untouched and taken directly from the source, whether it be Ghanaba, other people he talks to, or other articles. Every bit of information Feld presents is almost instantly cited, which adds not only to the credibility but also the intensity. The format of the work also lends greatly to the story’s themes and power. The interviews with Ghanaba give the reader a reference point to return to after Feld’s explanations of Ghanaba’s past. Suspense is even built in multiple sections leading up to the news of Ghanaba’s passing. The reader is taken different places and times to understand what is leading Ghanaba’s opinions and lifestyle to emerge as it has in Accra. Feld’s use of shifts in place and time help to show his prowess as a storyteller and an ethnomusicologist, as well as a member of the cosmopolitan

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