Customer Reviews

A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey: Popular Music and Power in Haiti (Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology)

5 star:		(3)
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An excellent overview of Haitian popular music in the last century. Strong emphasis on lyrics, rather sparse on music. Attempts to weave ethnographic moments into a sweeping history, but tends to give in to an encyclopedia impulse, leaving the reader slogging tree after tree too much without a view of the forest or knowledge of the shape of the leaves. But towers above everything else ever written attempting to give a broad view of Haitian music, an eye(ear)-opener for salsa fans and others who haven't had the chance to learn about the penetrating beauty of Haitian musical culture.

A sweeping and incisive study of the political implications of Haitian popular music, Gage Averill's "A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey: Popular Music and Power in Haiti," lays bare for readers the country's proud tradition of songs both as means to party and protest. My only regret is that the book was published before it could take into the critical role music played in the 2000 until present era.

A Day for the Hunter is the most complete music book on Haiti i have encountered. I have used it as a resource to answer questions as they arise.
This book's premise is that the music reflects the power structure in Haiti. Music's basic purpose for existence is to criticize power.
This book is very detailed. The author translates many songs from Creole to English. the author deeply understands and respects Haitian culture.
More books need to be written on Haitian music.
This a well written reference book.

I like this book is well documented with pictures. Good to have if you are interested in the history of Haitian music.