Music at the Threshold from the Sacred to the Dangerous

The erotic allure of the female-coded being who sings men to a watery death differs from the nostalgic allure evoked in the hearts and minds of immigrants by the music and foods of home, but an internal ache exists regardless.From sounds and rituals used to connect to the ancestors with music used by those who practice more than one religion, the sacred looms large in both vernacular and mainstream practices.The twin dangers of transgression and resistance---whether by musically thriving while being both queer and Black or performing hip hop in an endangered language---bring to light acts that celebrate strength and honor cultural practices.Liminal moments, or lifetimes, that are sacred, alluring, or dangerous appear again and again to remind us of the centrality of music in our lives. In Music at the Threshold from the Sacred to the Dangerous, author Sean Williams explores the connection of liminality to musical culture by focusing on how performance practices tend to occur at liminal