Steven Feld
Encyclopedia
Steven Feld is an American
ethnomusicologist anthropologist, and linguist
, who worked for many years with the Kaluli
(Bosavi) people of Papua New Guinea
. He earned a MacArthur Fellowship in 1991.
He graduated with a BA cum laude at Hofstra University
in anthropology in 1971. He first went to the Bosavi territory in 1976, accompanied by anthropologist Edward L. Schieffelin, whose recordings of the Bosavi inspired him to pursue this work. His work there fulfilled his dissertation (later published as Sound and Sentiment) for his PhD from Indiana University
in 1979 (in anthropology/linguistics/ethnomusicology). He later returned several times in the 1980s and 1990s to Papua New Guinea to research Bosavi song, rainforest ecology, and cultural poetics. He has also made briefer research visits to various locations in Europe.
He has taught at Columbia University
, New York University
, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Texas at Austin
, and University of Pennsylvania
. He is currently (since 2003) a professor of anthropology and music at the University of New Mexico
. Since 2001, he has also held a visiting appointment at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen
, Norway, as a professor of world music. He is currently working on a project in Accra
, Ghana
.
In 2002, he founded the VoxLox label, "documentary sound art advocates for human rights and acoustic ecology."
He is also a musician, and he has been active in the New Mexican music scene since the 1970s.
Some of Feld's recordings are sampled on the track, "Kaluli Groove," a 2007 album by the Global Drum Project, a group which consists of Mickey Hart
, Zakir Hussain
, Sikiru Adepoju
, and Giovanni Hidalgo
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ethnomusicologist anthropologist, and linguist
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, who worked for many years with the Kaluli
Kaluli
The Kaluli are a clan of non-literate indigenous peoples who live in the rain forests of Great Papuan Plateau in Papua New Guinea. The Kaluli, who numbered approximately 2000 people in 1987, are the most numerous and well documented by post-contact ethnographers and missionaries among the four...
(Bosavi) people of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. He earned a MacArthur Fellowship in 1991.
He graduated with a BA cum laude at Hofstra University
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
in anthropology in 1971. He first went to the Bosavi territory in 1976, accompanied by anthropologist Edward L. Schieffelin, whose recordings of the Bosavi inspired him to pursue this work. His work there fulfilled his dissertation (later published as Sound and Sentiment) for his PhD from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1979 (in anthropology/linguistics/ethnomusicology). He later returned several times in the 1980s and 1990s to Papua New Guinea to research Bosavi song, rainforest ecology, and cultural poetics. He has also made briefer research visits to various locations in Europe.
He has taught at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, and University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He is currently (since 2003) a professor of anthropology and music at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
. Since 2001, he has also held a visiting appointment at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
, Norway, as a professor of world music. He is currently working on a project in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
In 2002, he founded the VoxLox label, "documentary sound art advocates for human rights and acoustic ecology."
He is also a musician, and he has been active in the New Mexican music scene since the 1970s.
Some of Feld's recordings are sampled on the track, "Kaluli Groove," a 2007 album by the Global Drum Project, a group which consists of Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
, Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain (musician)
Zakir Hussain , , is an Indian tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer.-Early life:Hussain was born in Mumbai, India to the legendary tabla player Alla Rakha. He attended St...
, Sikiru Adepoju
Sikiru Adepoju
Sikiru Adepoju is a percussionist and recording artist from Nigeria, primarily in the genres of traditional African music and world music. He plays a variety of instruments and styles.- Background :...
, and Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" is an educator and percussionist associated with Latin jazz.-Early years:Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he received his primary education. His grandfather had also been a musician as well as his father, José Manuel Hidalgo "Mañengue", who was...
.
Works
- Sound and Sentiment: Birds, Weeping, Poetics, and Song in Kaluli expression. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982, 2nd ed. 1990; based on dissertation
- (with Charles Keil) Music Grooves. University of Chicago Press, 1994
- (with Keith Basso, as eds.) Senses of Place. School of American Research Press, 1996
- (with Bambi B. Schieffelin and others) Bosavi-English-Tok Pisin Dictionary. Australian National University, Pacific Linguistics C-153, 1998
- (with Dick BlauDick BlauDick Blau is an artist and a major figure producing and theorizing photography of the family.-Education:Blau holds a BA in English from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University...
) Soundscape. Wesleyan University Press, 2002 - (with Virginia Ryan) Exposures-A White Woman in West Africa Voxlox Publication, 2006
Recordings
- Music of the Kaluli. Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, 1981
- The Kaluli of Papua Nugini: Weeping and Song. Bärenreiter Musicaphon, 1985
- Voices of the Rainforest. RykodiscRykodiscRykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
, 1991 - Rainforest Soundwalks: Ambiences of Bosavi, Papua New Guinea. Earth Ear, 2001
- Bosavi: Rainforest Music from Papua New Guinea. Smithsonian Folkways, 2001
- Bells and Winter Festivals of Greek Macedonia. Smithsonian Folkways, 2002
For VoxLox
- The Time of Bells Vol. 1 & 2, 2004; Vol. 3 (with Nii Noi Nortey), 2005; Vol. 4, 2006
- SuikinkutsuSuikinkutsuA is a type of Japanese garden ornament and music device. It consists of an upside down buried pot with a hole at the top. Water drips through the hole at the top onto a small pool of water inside of the pot, creating a pleasant splashing sound that rings inside of the pot similar to a bell or a...
: A Japanese Underground Water Zither, 2006 - The Castaways Project (with Virginia Ryan) 2006
- Topographies of The Dark: Jazz improvisations for Ryan's sculptural paintings of the same name, 2007
External links
- UNM faculty website
- Grieg Academy faculty website
- Research Reports for the Ear: Soundscape Art in Scientific Presentations by Jim Cummings, including some sound samples of Feld's and an analysis of his recording work
- Interview with Carlos Palombini