Dett (1882-1943), Canadian-born descendent of escaped Maryland slaves, is a classic figure in the history of the spiritual and in the histories of several major black schools, particularly Hampton University. It was there, from 1913 to 1931, that he established a distinguished tradition of choral performance. To his credit is also a series of suites for piano, including one of the most popular items in earlier repertoire, the "Juba" from his 1913 suite In the Bottoms, a favorite of many pianists from Percy Grainger to Natalie Hinderas. Splendidly documented here is the chronology of his life and music, supplemented by a classified register of his works, and a discography, providing a critical component for scholars in music and Americanists. Evidencing painstaking research, the author explores peripheral areas of local history, providing new insights on those cities and institutions where Dett, a lifelong student, studied and taught, with vignettes on Percy Grainger, Marian Anderson, Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, Nadia Boulanger, Olin Downes, Dorothy Maynor, George Foster Peabody, and many other figures of the time. Simpson has also written on Harry T. Burleigh, a significant Dett contemporary, (Hard Trials, CH, Jun'91). This reviewer hopes she might follow with work on Kemper Harreld, Will Marion Cook, William Dawson, or Clarence Cameron White. Her volume on Dett is recommended to libraries at all academic levels. D. -R. de Lerma; Northwestern University