Weeknight Cinema

Our six-week journey through America's Music ends on Tuesday, April 30, with a look at how Latin rhythms have affected American popular music in general, then we will hear how Puerto Rican immigrants and African Americans created hip hop music during the 1970s, in From Mambo To Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrazas Branch Meeting Room.

In addition to being the birthplace of Hip Hop, the South Bronx also was the place where salsa music came into being in the 1960s. One generation of musicians played salsa and the next generation developed hip hop. Of all the genres of music covered so far, these are the ones I know the least about. I also know very little about the actual life and culture of the South Bronx. Like many Americans, my images of the South Bronx are shaped by films like The Warriors and Fort Apache: The Bronx and by crime dramas on television.  Join me and UT musicologist Caroline O'Meara as we get a clearer picture of how people from this part of New York City made musical history.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming program and related media. We also have a display of related books, CDs, and DVDs at the Terrazas Branch. I have also included a couple of suggested resources below, which can be found at Austin Public Library.

America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway is a project of the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. America’s Music has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.”

On Tuesday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Terrazas Branch, the America's Music series continues with "Rock." We will be viewing all of "Plugging In," from The History of Rock 'n' Roll. The film first focuses on Bob Dylan, looking at the way he merged expansive, poetic lyrics with the driving beat and electronic instruments of rock music. Dylan went from being one of the leaders of the folk music revival to redefining the lyrical possibilities of rock songs.  As the decade went on, albums like "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys showed a continuing refinement of the genre. By playing songs from albums instead of hit singles, FM radio stations helped change the way listeners experienced the music. The film concludes with a look at how musicians like Jimi Hendrix and bands like The Who expanded live musical performances into something also very visual and theatrical.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming program and related media. We also have a display of related books, CDs, and DVDs at the Terrazas Branch. I have also included a couple of suggested resources below, which can be found at Austin Public Library.

America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway is a project of the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. America’s Music has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.”