Introduction

This book brings together Jan Fairley’s work from 1984 to 2012 and contains examples of many different kinds of writing: formal academic analyses, historical overviews, conceptual reflections, autobiography, journalism, interviews and even a record review. Articles have been edited to take account of repetition, stylistic awkwardness, misprints and redundant references, but they have not been updated. To read Jan’s work as it was originally written is to get a vivid sense of how the concept of ‘world music’ emerged and was given shape in the academy and the music press, different institutions that Jan did much to bring into conversation.