African Music

 Is the musical sounds and practices of all

indigenous people of Africa
 Music is known as the important part of the
daily life of African people. They used
music for their work, religion, ceremonies
and even as a form of communication.
African has a wide influence on global
music and it has a functional role in African
society.
 Historical and Cultural Background of
African Music
 Singing, dancing, hand clapping, and the beating of
drums are essential to many ceremonies; birth, death,
initiation, marriage and funerals.
 Important to religious expression and political events.
 It has great influences on global music
( contemporary American, Latin American,and
European styles)
Igbin drums (10 -14 century)
th th
Dundun drums (15 century)
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African Music are Archeological
stones
terra-cotta

Harmonic concepts have been observed in the

earliest periods

Multipart singing two approaches:

homophonic
polyphonic
Traditional Music of Africa
Afrobeat- A term used to describe the fusion of West African with the black American music.

Apala(Akpala)- A musical genre from Nigeria used to waked up the worshipper after the
fasting during the Muslim holy Feast of Ramadan.

Axe- A popular music of Salvador, Bahia and Brazil. It fuses the Afro Carbbean styles of
Marcha, reggae and calypso which are played by carnival bands.

Jit- It is known as the hard and fast percussive Zimbabwean dance which is accompanied by
drums and guitar.

Jive- A popular music of South African featuring the lively uninhibited variation of the
jitterbug or also known as swing dance.

Juju- A popular music style of Nigeria that relies on the traditional Yoruba Rhythms where its
instruments are more western origin.

Kwassakwassa- A dance style in Zaire in late 1980’s that is being popularized by “Kanda
Bongo Man”. A dance style that moves hips back and forth while arms follow the hip
movement. It is also known as the shake your booty dance style.

Marabi- It is known as the three chord township music in 1930’s to 1960’s which evolved into
African Jazz.
Latin American Music Influenced by African music
Reggae- It is a Jamaican sound dominated by bass guitar and drums. It has 2 distinctive
qualities namely: staccato chords and offbeat rhythm.

Salsa- A Cuban, Puerto Rican and Columbian dance music which includes Cuban son
montuno, guaracha, chachacha, and bolero.

Samba- A Brazilian musical genre and dance style that is defined as the dancing scene in
Brazil.

Soca- It is the modern Trinidian and Tobagonian pop music combining soul and calypso music.
It is known as the “soul of Calypso.”

Were- It is known as the Muslim music often performed as a wake-up call for early breakfast
and prayer during Ramadan celebrations.

Zouk- A music originated in the Island of Caribbean and Martinique and popularized in the
1980’s. It is a fast, carnival-like rhythmic music from the word CREOLE slang word which
means party.
African Music
Vocal Forms
BLUES
 Most likely appeared in the 1890s after the
American Civil War officially abolished
slavery
 Blues embraces variety of styles
-boogie woogie, classic blues, etc.
 Blues influenced the vast majority of popular
music during 20th century
-jazz, rock, rhythm and blues(r&b)
SOUL
 A style of rhythm and blues music, popular
during 1960s
 Popular music genre in 50s-60s

 Catchy rhythms
 Improvisational additions
SPIRITUAL
 Religious song
 Genre of religious folk songs
 Lining-out
CALL-AND-RESPONSE
 Antiphony
 Repeating a refrain alternates with a lead
singer.
 LATIN
AMERICAN
MUSIC
 The musical tradition of Mexico, Central
America, and countries in South America and
island in Caribbean colonized by the Spanish
and the portuguese
Dance is part of latin american music.

Latin american music is particularly

characterized by its prominent use of
membranophones
Latin american
music vocal and
dance forms
 CUMBIA
 Music genre of
Columbian origin
performed in
candelight by couples
who circle around a
group of musicians
 TANGO
 A piece of music
with fast tempo
written for or in style
of the ballroom
dance.
 Originally from
Argentina
 CHA CHA
 A fast ballroom
dance of Latin
American origin
consisting of three
steps and a hip
swaying shuffle
 RUMBA
 Is a music for
ballroom dance for
couples.
 Its trademark is side
to side hip movement
 BOSSA NOVA
 Music genre of
Brazilian music
derived from samba
 Nylon string classical
guitar
 REGGAE
 Genre of
contemporary
Caribbean music
developed in Jamaica
 Most influential
styles of world
popular music
 FOXTROT
 Music usually used
as accompaniment to
the ballroom dance
 Alternating longer
slower walking steps
and shorter quicker
running steps
 PASO DOBLE
 Spanish light music
introduced in
bullfights during 19th
century
 LATIN
AMERICAN
MUSIC
 1.Ballad - an expressive folksong in narrative verse with text
dealing about love. The
word is derived both from the medieval French “chanson
balladee” and “ballade” which
refers to a dancing song.

Blues ballads – the form emphasizes the character of the

performer more than the
narrative content, and is accompanied by the banjo or guitar.
Pop standard and Jazz Ballads - it is a blues style built from
a single verse of 16
bars ending on the dominant or half-cadence, followed by a
refrain/chorus part of
16 or 32 bars in AABA form.
Pop Rock Ballads - is an emotional love song with
suggestions of folk music.
Some enduring pop standard and jazz ballads include The
Man I Love (George
Gershwin), Always (Irving Berlin), and In a Sentimental Mood
(Duke Ellington)
 2.Standards - its style is mostly in a slow or moderate tempo with a relaxed mood.
It also features highly singable melodies within the range and technical capacity of
the
everyday listener. Among the foremost proponents of this style was Frank Sinatra, also
known as “Old Blue Eyes,”

3. Rock & Roll - it employed one or two electric guitars, a string bass or bass guitar
and a set of drums that provided the rhythmic pattern. The greatest exponent of the
rock and
roll style was the legendary Elvis Presley. His hit songs such as Heartbreak Hotel and
Blue Suede Shoes were complemented by his good looks and elaborate movements
that
included hugging the microphone as he sang.

4. Disco – a style with a soaring and reverberating sound rhythmically controlled by

a steady beat for ease of dancing, and accompanied by string, horns, electric guitars,
andelectric piano, and synthesizers. (Bee Gees - Boogie Wonderland)
The most popular solo performer of all time was Michael Jackson, he became a
dominant figure in American popular music and culture. Thriller was the world's best-
selling album of all time.
 5. Hip hop music - is a stylized, highly rhythmic type of music that usually
includes
portions of rhythmically chanted words called “rap.” The most recent popular
names inthis genre have been Beastie Boys, Kanye West, and Eminem – Killshot)

6. Alternative Music - it was known for its unconventional practices such as

distorted guitar sounds, oppressive lyrics and defiant attitudes.