Davis (history, Middlebury College) explores the influence of blackness, or "Africaneity," in the creation and development of twentieth-century Brazilian music. He considers the cultural practices, ideas, and sensitivities of Afro-Brazilian culture and their influence on mainstream popular music propagated through mass media and emerging mostly from Rio de Janeiro in the 1930s through 1950s, describing the contributions of major performers, musicians, and composers, both white and black, such as Sinhô, Ismael Silva, Pixinguinha, Orlando Silva, Sílvio Caldas, Francisco Alves, and Carmen Miranda. He also discusses the impact of President Getúlio Vargas, the context of class and gender, technological advances such as radio, recording, and film, and Brazilian artists in the US. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)