color of sound, The
Book Description
In the vibrant religious landscape of Brazil, a profound transformation is taking place through the power of music and faith. Anthropologist John Burdick takes readers deep into the heart of Afro-Brazilian Protestant communities, where gospel, rap, and samba converge to create something entirely new.
Through nearly a year of immersive fieldwork, Burdick reveals how black gospel artists, gospel rap performers, and gospel samba musicians are reshaping their understanding of identity and belonging. While Brazilian Protestant churches officially maintain distance from racial politics, these musical communities are quietly fostering powerful conversations about race, identity, and spiritual purpose.
The book illuminates how the creative process itself becomes a vehicle for personal and collective transformation. As Afro-Brazilian artists compose, perform, and share their music, they simultaneously explore and redefine what it means to navigate faith and identity in a society marked by prejudice. Their musical expressions become acts of both worship and resistance, creating new forms of blackness that challenge conventional boundaries.
Burdick's detailed ethnographic work offers readers an intimate look at how spirituality and creativity intersect in unexpected ways. Through the stories of these musicians, we discover how artistic expression can serve as a pathway to deeper self-understanding and community building. This exploration reveals the profound capacity of music to shape not just cultural movements, but individual spiritual journeys as well.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~6 hours)
📄 Length: 227 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore SOCIAL SCIENCE
- ✓ Explore Cultural
- ✓ Explore Religious
- ✓ Explore Blacks
- ✓ Explore Evangelicalism
- ✓ Explore Music
- ✓ Explore Race relations
