'A socio-philosophical quarrel with history about the value of pop music and popular culture.'

Simon Frith, Oxford University Press,

One of the most important ethnomusicologists of the century, John Blacking is known for his interest in the relationship of music to biology, psychology, dance and politics. He attempted to document the ways in which music-making expresses the human condition, how it transcends social divisions and how it can be used to improve the quality of human life.

John Blacking, University of Chicago Press,