9.2 Music of Africa

African music is incredibly diverse, reflecting the continent's vast cultural tapestry. From North African oud melodies to West African polyrhythms, each region boasts unique traditions shaped by geography, history, and spirituality.

Music in African societies goes beyond entertainment. It's a vital part of daily life, preserving oral histories, facilitating religious practices, and fostering social cohesion. The participatory nature of African music-making strengthens community bonds and passes down cultural knowledge.

Musical Diversity of Africa

Regional Musical Traditions

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Top images from around the web for Regional Musical Traditions

• 

  Music of Africa - Wikipedia View original

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• 

  THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Essaouira's Gnaoua Festival ~ 18th Edition View original

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• 

  TFA-Period-3 - Chapter 11b oral tradition, folktales View original

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• 

  Music of Africa - Wikipedia View original

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  THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Essaouira's Gnaoua Festival ~ 18th Edition View original

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• African music encompasses vast traditions reflecting cultural diversity across 54 countries and numerous ethnic groups
• North African music draws heavily from Arabic and Islamic traditions
  • Features instruments like the oud
  • Utilizes complex melodic structures
• West African music emphasizes rhythmic complexity and polyrhythms
  • Employs talking drums and balafons (xylophone-like instrument)
• East African music incorporates call-and-response patterns and pentatonic scales
  • Prominently features instruments like the nyatiti (Kenyan lyre)
• Central African music known for intricate polyphonic vocal techniques
  • Includes pygmy polyphonies of the Congo Basin
• Southern African music includes diverse styles
  • Encompasses isicathamiya (Zulu a cappella singing)
  • Utilizes instruments like the mbira (thumb piano) in Zimbabwe

Cultural Influences on Musical Styles

• Geographic and climatic factors shape instrument materials and sound qualities
  • Arid regions use animal skins for drums (djembe)
  • Forested areas utilize wooden instruments (balafon)
• Historical trade routes facilitated musical exchange
  • Spread of Arab-influenced music along East African coast
  • Adoption of guitar in Central African soukous music
• Religious practices inform musical traditions
  • Islamic influence on North African maqam modal system
  • Christian hymns adapted into African choral music (South African isicathamiya)
• Linguistic diversity reflected in vocal music
  • Tonal languages influence melodic patterns (Yoruba in Nigeria)
  • Click consonants incorporated into vocal techniques (Xhosa in South Africa)

Music in African Societies

Social and Cultural Functions

• Music deeply intertwines with daily life beyond entertainment
• Serves as means of oral history transmission
  • Preserves and communicates important cultural knowledge
  • Griots in West Africa use music to recount genealogies and historical events
• Plays crucial role in religious and spiritual practices
  • Used in rituals and ceremonies (Yoruba orisha worship)
  • Facilitates communication with the divine (Zulu ancestral ceremonies)
• Functions as tool for social cohesion
  • Brings communities together for celebrations (weddings, harvests)
  • Unites people in mourning (funeral dirges)
• Acts as form of social commentary and protest
  • Addresses political issues (Fela Kuti's Afrobeat in Nigeria)
  • Advocates for social change (anti-apartheid songs in South Africa)

Participatory Nature of African Music

• Concept of "musicking" prevalent in African cultures
  • Music-making seen as participatory activity involving entire community
  • Contrasts with Western notion of performance by specialists for passive listeners
• Communal music-making fosters social bonds
  • Drum circles in West Africa encourage group participation
  • Call-and-response singing engages entire gatherings
• Music integrated into work and daily routines
  • Work songs coordinate group labor (harvesting, boat rowing)
  • Lullabies and children's songs part of child-rearing practices
• Musical skills often considered communal property
  • Traditional songs and rhythms passed down through generations
  • Improvisation and variation encouraged within established frameworks

Elements of African Music

Instruments and Their Cultural Significance

• Percussion instruments include wide variety of drums
  • Djembe (goblet-shaped drum) used in West African ceremonies and celebrations
  • Talking drum mimics tonal patterns of languages for long-distance communication
  • Sabar drums of Senegal used in both traditional and popular music
• String instruments central to many musical traditions
  • Kora (21-stringed harp-lute) used by Mandinka griots to accompany oral histories
  • Ngoni and xalam (lutes) provide rhythmic and melodic support in Malian music
• Wind instruments common across various regions
  • Algaita (double-reed instrument) used in Hausa ceremonial music
  • End-blown flutes like the Ethiopian washint create melodies in traditional ensembles

Rhythmic and Vocal Techniques

• African rhythms feature complex polyrhythmic structures
  • Multiple rhythms played simultaneously create intricate layers of sound
  • Bell patterns often serve as timeline for other instruments (Ghanaian agogo bell)
• Call-and-response patterns fundamental to many styles
  • Used in both instrumental music (drum ensembles) and vocal music (work songs)
  • Facilitates audience participation and community engagement
• Vocal techniques showcase diverse approaches
  • Yodeling employed in Pygmy music of Central Africa
  • Overtone singing featured in Xhosa music of South Africa
  • Melismatic ornamentation common in North African Arab-influenced styles

African Music's Global Influence

Impact on American and Caribbean Music

• African musical elements significantly influenced development of blues, jazz, and rock
  • Blues scales derived from West African pentatonic scales
  • Syncopated rhythms in jazz trace back to African polyrhythms
• Concept of "swing" in jazz rooted in African rhythmic principles
  • Emphasis on off-beat accents creates characteristic groove
• African-derived call-and-response patterns influenced multiple genres
  • Gospel music incorporates congregational responses
  • R&B often features alternating vocal lines between lead and backup singers
  • Hip-hop utilizes call-and-response in both lyrics and production techniques
• Caribbean music styles demonstrate far-reaching impact of African traditions
  • Reggae's offbeat rhythm and bass-heavy sound originate from African drumming
  • Calypso's storytelling aspect and rhythmic patterns reflect West African influences

Fusion and Contemporary Influence

• African percussion techniques incorporated into Latin American styles
  • Conga drums in Cuban rumba derived from African ngoma drums
  • Brazilian samba's syncopated rhythms trace back to West African traditions
• Contemporary world music often incorporates African elements
  • Artists like Paul Simon (Graceland album) collaborate with African musicians
  • Afrobeat fusion combines traditional African rhythms with Western pop structures
• African instruments adopted in global music scenes
  • Talking drums featured in jazz fusion (Miles Davis)
  • Kora used in new age and ambient music (Toumani Diabaté collaborations)
• African vocal techniques inspire contemporary singers
  • Yodeling influences alternative vocalists (Björk)
  • Overtone singing adapted by experimental musicians (Dhafer Youssef)