Classification of living things is called “Taxonomy”. Scientists
place organisms into groups because they have things in common.
The first groups they use are the “kingdoms”. Kingdoms are
broken down into smaller groups called “phyla”, and phyla are
subdivided into “classes”, classes into “families”, families
into “genera”—and each genus is made up of particular “species”.
Biology: fascinating yet strangely dull. And so it is with
music! Professor Layman ‘splains: Music is just music, yes—we
all know that. Ellington said the only distinction is between
“good” and “bad” music, but—hey, Duke!—are you telling me that
there’s no logical way to define the difference between a
wonderful Mozart string quartet and a superior Jimi Hendrix
solo? There is. There is MUSIC, and here on this floating blue
orb music breaks down into some broad categories. We shall
recognize, for example, a distinction between “European
Classical Music”, and “Pop-Rock”, and “Classical Indian Music”.
Among these mighty categories, we hereby r