ETHNOMUSICOLOGY 25: GLOBAL POP Jesse D. Ruskin, Ph.D.
Guidelines for Paper #2 – Global Pop in Los Angeles
The goal of this assignment is to document, as a class, the varieties of global popular music that can be found in Los Angeles. Students will use the UCLA Library’s resources, including the Ethnomusicology Archive’s online research portal and Powell Library’s Inquiry Labs, to conduct original research on an individual musician or band that has made a contribution to the cultural life of Los Angeles. The selected musician or band may practice any genre of popular music that has direct ties to Los Angeles including, for example, Mexican mariachi, Brazilian samba, and Cambodian hip-hop. Your selection should be made from the list of suggested artists/bands (see next page) or, if approved by your TA and instructor, you may choose a musician or band of your own interest.
Students may make use of course readings, but must also cite at least four outside sources (including a minimum of one print publication, such as a book, newspaper, or magazine article, and one audiovisual source, such as a music video, documentary film, or audio CD.) You may use Wikipedia to locate other sources, but it will not count as one of your required sources. Make sure you consult the artist or band’s official website, and those of legitimate educational and entertainment outlets, since fan sites often contain unreliable or unverified information. The paper should be five (5) pages (1250 words), and should be formatted in Times New Roman, 12pt., double-spaced, with 1” margins.
In addition to the paper, which is to be submitted via Turnitin, students will write a one- page (250-word) abstract about the individual or band that they researched and upload it to the course website Discussion Forum. The grade for this assignment will be based on both the paper and the abstract. Papers must address the following points:
a) Formative context. In what social, historical, and cultural context did the artist/band emerge?
b) Biographical information. Who is/are the artist(s)? What are their personal and professional stories? What musical influences shaped them?
c) Music. What does their music sound like? What genre(s) of global pop do they play? What instrument(s) do they use? Describe a sample audio recording or music video. You do not need to use technical musical terminology, but you should demonstrate careful listening and observation.
d) Connection/contribution to Los Angeles. What is the artist/band’s connection to Los Angeles? Who are their audiences? What contributions have they made to the social, cultural, and musical life of Los Angeles?
Note: In cases where biographical information on the artist/band is limited, you may instead emphasize the artist/band’s formative context, music, and contribution to Los Angeles.

Suggested Artists:
Faegheh Atashin (a.k.a. Googoosh)
Bambu
Nati Cano
Mark de Clive-Lowe CS (Cambodian rapper) Rocky Dawuni Margaret P. Douroux Phąm Duy
Quetzal Flores
Martha Gonzalez
Maya Jupiter
Connie Lim
PraCh Ly
Andy Madadian
Will Magid
Kátia Moraes
Eduardo Martinez Medusa
Airto Moreira
Ch’hom Nimol
Flora Purim
Qusai (a.k.a. Don Legend)
Gigi “Gee” Rabe Linda Ronstadt Poncho Sanchez Lionel “Chico” Sesma Shohreh Solati Jeremy Sole
Dexter Story
Horace Tapscott Craig Taubman
Mia Doi Todd Turtleman
Judah Eskender Tafari
Suggested Bands:
Dengue Fever Indradevi
Ethio Cali
El Chicano
Halo Circus
Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea
Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano
Ozomatli Quetzal
SambaDá
Samba Society MôForró
Tierra
Native Guns
La Santa Cecilia Mexico ’68
Jungle Fire
Pan Afrikan Peoples’ Arkestra
Lisa Haley & the Zydekats
Insects vs. Robots Haberdashery Ensemble Echo Park Project Wondem
Element Band
SK Kakraba Band Dennis G and the Zydeco Trail Riders Aditya Prakash Ensemble