Music of Africa

MUSIC OF AFRICA
Importance of Music in the life of African:

1.
2.
3.
4.
For work
Religion
Ceremonies
Communication
5. marriage
6. initiation
7. funerals
8. Birth and death
African music has been a collective result from the cultural and musical diversity of the more
than 50 countries of the continent.
Traditional Music of Africa
African traditional music is largely functional in (1) related in nature, ceremonial rites, such
as birth, death, marriage, succession, worship, and spirit invocations. (2) Music as
entertainment
Types of African Music:
Afrobeat is a term used to describe the fusion of West African with black American music.
Afrobeat can be seen as a form of protest music since it addresses political issues, often
seeking direct confrontation with the powers that be in the process.
Apala (Akpala) Apala is a musical genre from Nigeria in the Yoruba tribal style to wake up
the worshippers after fasting during the Muslim holy feast of Ramadan. Percussion
instrumentation includes the rattle (sekere), thumb piano (agidigbo), bell (agogo),a nd two
or three talking drms
The agidigbo is a large traditional plucked lamellophone used by the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Its
appearance is piano-like; a rope is worn round the neck of the player who then supports or braces the
instrument, whose body is a rectangular wooden box, by his chest or thoracic region. The player wears a
thick "ring," usually a bottle neck, on his thumb, which he uses to tap the sides of the wooden box.
The agog may be the oldest samba instrument and was based on West African Yoruba single or double
bells. The agog has the highest pitch of any of the bateria instruments.
A talking drum is an African instrument known for its hourglass shape. Originating from
West Africa, the talking drum is an instrument that can mimic the tone, rhythm, intonation,
and stress of human speech. The talking drum is one of the oldest instruments in West
Africa. A talking drum has a head on both ends. The drummer has to beat the head with a
stick in order to create a sound. The tone of the drum can also be adjusted by tightening the
strings attached to the instrument. Most tribes adjust the tone in order to convey a
message, as the talking drum is also used as a means of communication.
Axe- is a popular musical genre from Salvador, Bahia, and Brazil. It fuses the afro- Carribean
styles of the marcha, reggae,and calypso
Jit hard and fast percussive Zimbabwean dance music played on drums with guitar
accompaniment, influenced by mbira based guitar styles.
Jive- a popular form of South African music featuring a lively and uninhibited vatiation of the
jitterbug, a form of swing dance.
Juju- popular music style from Nigeria that relies on the traditional Yoruba rhythm where the
instruments in juju are more western in origin. A drum kit, keyboard, pedal steel guitar, and
accordion are used along with the traditional dun-dun( talking drum)
Yoruba word meaning life force is used to describe the Bahian style of Brazilian pop
music popular in that country
Kwassa kwassa dance style begun in Zaire in the late 1980s popularized by Kanda Bongo
Man. In this dance style, the hips move back and forth while the arms move following the
hips.
Marabi is a South African three chord township music of the 1930s-1060s which involved
the African jazz
Latin American Music influenced by African Music
Reggae- is a Jamaican sound dominated by bass guitar and drums. It refers to a particular
music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento and calypso music, as well as
American jazz and rhythm and blues. Guaracha, chachacha,mambo and bolero.
Salsa- music is Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Columbian dance music. It comprises various
musical genres including the Cuban son montuno, guaracha, chachacha,mambo and bolero.
Samba- is the basic underlying rhythm that typifies most Brazilian music. It is a lively and
rhythmical dance and music with three steps to every bar, making the Samba feel like timed
dance. There is a set of dance rather than a single dance- that defines the Samba dancing
scene in Brazil. Thus no one dance can be claimed with certainty as the original Samba
style.
Soca- is a modern Tranidadian and Tobago pop music combining soul and calypso
music.
Were- this is Muslim music performed often as a wake-up call for breakfast and prayers
during Ramadan celebrations. Relying on pre arranged music, it fuses the African and
European music style with particular usage of the natural harmonic series.
Zouk- fast, carnival-like rhythmic music, from the Creole slang word for party originating
in the Carribean Islands of Guadaloupe and Martinique and popularized in the 1980s. It has
a pulsating beat supplied by the gwo ka and tambour bele drums, a tibwa rhythmic pattern
played on the rim of the snare and its hi-hat, rhythm guitar, a horn section, and keyboard
synthsizers.

Music of Africa

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Music of Africa

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Music of Africa

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MUSIC OF AFRICA

Importance of Music in the life of African:

You might also like