Christian Sacred Music in the Americas Edited by Andrew Shenton and Joanna Smolko. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021.

Abstract

and funk of tracks like “In Love,” “Soft and Wet,” and slow-jam “Baby” were among the styles of R&B that were right at home in Uncle Sam’s, the dance club that soon transformed into First Avenue. (The latter holds near-mythical status as the site where much of the Purple Rain LP was recorded, and additionally served as the visual setting of many club scenes in the film.) The precision of the playing, use of technological timbral and rhythmic characteristics, and melismatic, multi-tracked vocals that occur throughout the album all seem to be directly descended from the local scene. Then there is the last track on the record, the raucous “I’m Yours,” which begins with a nasty funk bass and screaming rock guitar lead part. In themes that focus on relations of race and their resultant musical markets, Swensson explains clearly how virtuosic guitar performance and rock-oriented styles were audible to Prince during his formative years. The beauty of learning this background helps to clarify that he was not somehow calculating his musical offerings to simultaneously occupy multiple economic segments within the music industry. Instead, his mix of rock and R&B elements was far more organic, reflecting his understanding of the possibilities of popular music as a means of artistic expression. Although written by someone with no official connection to higher education, Swensson’s book serves the mission of academic musicology as well as anything written by a university professor during the last half-decade. Using deep, historical investigation and carefully selected sources, Got to Be Something Here tells a fascinating story about music, race and region, filling a gaping hole in our public knowledge of this important musical scene.