Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands

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Summary: Uncommon Music From A Special Past
Review: This book, a collection of indigenous songs reprinted from last century's original edition, offers a rare and precious glimpse into the old-time life and culture of the African-American residents of the Georgia Sea Islands -- a way of life now almost totally wiped out by the onslaught of tourism and related development.

Lydia Parrish, wife of famous painter and illustrator Maxfield Parrish, made it her life's work to discover and help preserve a unique culture which even then, nearly a century ago, was showing signs of fading away under the pressures of modern life.

Parrish faithfully collected and recorded traditional music of Georgia Sea Island residents, most of whom were escaped or freed slaves who gravitated here to make new homes off the beaten track of a society with no ready place for them. This book, with its lyrics, scores, and editorial notes, along with Parrish's other work in this arena, were the keys to keeping this tradition from fading completely from national consciousness. She also promoted the founding of the Georgia Sea Island Singers (whose unique audio recordings of this material can also be found at amazon.com).

Fans of folk music, American history, African-American history, slave lore, anthropology and even Maxfield Parrish will find this book a rare and unusual item for the bookshelf and, if musically inclined, for the voice and ear as well.