"A masterful survey of the many manifestations of folk music in the cultures of the world, by one of America's most eminent and most widely experienced ethnomusicologists. Contemplating the varied sounds of folk music, Slobin explains how it has been perceived, distributed, researched, and exploited, in the world's nations and by scholars past and present."--Bruno Nettl, author of Nettl's Elephant: On the History of Ethnomusicology"Professor Mark Slobin is one of the leading experts in the world on different aspects of folk music. In this short introduction he presents the world of folk music from a number of expected and unexpected angles. This book is very informative but also provides exciting food for thought."--Krister Malm, past president, International Council for Traditional Music