A Rough Guide to World Music Vol. 1 Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Published by Rough Guides.
Reviewed by Anala Rabari
This book is organized in 4 parts. They are Europe, Middle East, Africa, and directories. There are a total of 87 articles covering roughly 71 countries. Some countries are covered by multiple articles for instance there is an article for Spain on flamenco music and then there is an article on regional music. The articles in this book are chalked full of information. From the history behind instruments, to the structure of the music, to the way it is used in its region of origin. Each article then concludes with a discography section that covers compilations, and then specific artists and their CDs. Part 4 which is the directories section concludes the book with a listing of record labels and record shops. There are a ton of great photos, maps, and even more insert texts in each article, I only wish there were more photos or drawings of the instruments themselves. This is a truly great reference for anyone interest in world music. There is also a Vol. 2 that covers the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.