368 page book with 241 illustrations, cloth bound with dust jacket. Black Caribbean musical traditions are rich in variety and the biguine, originating in slavery, epitomises French Antillean Creole music. Highly popular in Saint-Pierre, Martinique, before the town's 1902 decimation by Mont Pelée's volcanic eruption, the music lived on and from 1929 became a feature of Paris nightclubs and recording studios. 'Creole Music Of The French West Indies, A Discography, 1900-1959' is illustrated with record labels, catalogues, photographs, advertisements, maps, and other images. Recordings by linguists, anthropologists and folklorists are listed alongside commercial releases. In both French and English, a notable feature is John Cowley's historical essay exploring the music, Creole carnival and dancing - 'Mascarade, biguine and the bal nègre'. ISBN: 978-3-89916-705-4