Following in the footsteps of renowned authors like Alain Locke, Harold Cruse, and Amiri Baraka, Black Notes takes as its mission an important aesthetic inquiry, asking the compelling questions: How did we get where we are? What's next among this generation's artistic voices, concerns, and practices? What is the future of Black Popular Music? In this fascinating collection of essays, interviews, and notes, Banfield celebrates and critiques the values of contemporary Black popular music through the exploration of both present and past voices and movements. From his unique vantage point as musician, artist, and writer, Banfield examines a variety of influences in the music world, from 17th-century composer/violinist Chevalier de St. Georges to jazz giant Duke Ellington; from producer Quincy Jones to pop legend Prince. Amusing anecdotes and the author's personal stories can be found throughout the work. This entertaining work is a must read for anyone interested in African American studies, music, and popular culture.