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Master drummer Lamidi Ayankunle with members of his family in Erin-Soun, Nigeria. (Image: © Debra Klein, 2005)
African music, with its distinctive emphasis on polyrhythm and beats flowing from percussive instruments, was long treated as subordinate in the international music arena. Music from the continent contrasted the organized sound, instrumentation, and melody which characterized Western music.
The distinctive texture in African music is largely due to the cultures that produce the music. Within traditional African societies, music is not to be consumed alone, but is always accompanied by dancing. For within the continent's vast and numerous cultures, music, dance, and rites were all tied to the same cosmic significance — communal living, funerals, marriage celebrations, and festivals.
However, this has changed considerably. African musicians have over the decades persevered in their craft. In so doing, they have not only carried on the distinctive flavors of their forbearers but also expanded and built upon traditional sounds. As music has flowed from the continent to merge with song patterns from other parts of the world, African music and its cultural context has grown beyond the continent.
A journey into African Music is therefore a tribute to the generations of African musicians who influenced the contemporary generation of singers.
African music, with its distinctive emphasis on polyrhythm and beats flowing from percussive instruments, was long treated as subordinate in the international music arena. Music from the continent contrasted the organized sound, instrumentation, and melody which characterized Western music.
The distinctive texture in African music is largely due to the cultures that produce the music. Within traditional African societies, music is not to be consumed alone, but is always accompanied by dancing. For within the continent's vast and numerous cultures, music, dance, and rites were all tied to the same cosmic significance — communal living, funerals, marriage celebrations, and festivals.
However, this has changed considerably. African musicians have over the decades persevered in their craft. In so doing, they have not only carried on the distinctive flavors of their forbearers but also expanded and built upon traditional sounds. As music has flowed from the continent to merge with song patterns from other parts of the world, African music and its cultural context has grown beyond the continent.
A journey into African Music is therefore a tribute to the generations of African musicians who influenced the contemporary generation of singers.
