Musicians Around the World

Musicians Around the World.
Richard Erdoes ~ MacGraw-Hill, 1973

As mentioned in a previous post, connoisseurs of midcentury illustration can't get enough of this guy, and perusing these pages, it is easy to see why. A pictorial journey across the musical landscape of the world, there are bagpipes piping, harpists harping, cavemen drumming and mariachis... well, mariaching... right up to a Sgt. Pepper-esk band jamming out big time.

If you're Hip
you dig the Big Beat.
It's what's happening all over the world.
The rock guitar is king.
Electric blast,
pounding beat,
flashing lights,
plenty of heat.
That's where it's at.

Since I am hoping to plant the musical seed in my kid, this one is a big winner for me. Not only is the book culturally vast, but it has introduced a ton of instruments into my son's lexicon that he would have otherwise never known about. Forget junior getting stuck with the tuba in band... how about the singing saw, conch trumpets and tinkly tubes? Peter Gabriel and David Byrne better watch out. There's a new world music lover on the scene!

Along with Policemen Around the World, I have yet to get my hands on Peddlers and Vendors Around the World to complete the Erdoes around-the-world trilogy. Keeping my eagle eyes out for those two cast into a Goodwill bin!

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Come Over to My House