* Devoted solely to women's music in The Gambia through the lens of Muslim's women's performances, while other scholarship has concentrated on male musical practices and imply the non-existence of female roles* Goes beyond the health crisis of AIDS to investigate and health and well-being beyond AIDS, and to do so with an interdisciplinary approach* Current ethnographic research from field in the country for period of 12 years* Focuses on the music of kanyeleng fertility societies as well as popular dance music,

Music, Health, and Power offers an original, on-the-ground analysis of the role that music plays in promoting healthy communities. The book brings the reader inside the world of kanyeleng fertility societies and HIV/AIDS support groups, where women use music to leverage stigma and marginality into new forms of power. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted over a period of 13 years (2006-2019), the author articulates a strengths-based framework for research on music and health that pushes beyond deficit narratives to emphasize the creativity and resilience of Gambian performers in responding to health disparities. Examples from Ebola prevention programs, the former President's AIDS "cure," and a legendary underwear theft demonstrate the high stakes of women's performances as they are caught up in broader contestations over political and medical authority. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of ethnomusicology, medical anthropology, and African studies. The accompanying audio examples provide access to the women's performances discussed in the text.