West African Musics Chapter 10 Akan Proverb The

West African Musics Chapter 10

Akan Proverb: “The River and the Path” The river crosses the path, the path crosses the river, who is elder? The path was cut to meet the river, the river is of old, the river comes from “Odomankoma” the Creator.

Drum Speech �CD 3 -12 Akan Drum Proverb (“Talking Drum”) � Language: Twi – tonal language (a-kon-TA = brother-in-law, a- KON-ta = mathematics) � Drums: Atumpan – “talking drums” capable of drum speech (photo: p. 193) � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ECy 6 ITYxi. Dc � Texture: call-and-response: voice - atumpan � Literal and metaphorical levels of meaning � Literal: cutting the path for access to river � Metaphorical: path toward communal, ancestral, spiritual communion � Broadly—multidimensional musical flow – river-like polyvocality of expression in much African music explored in this unit � Main focus not drumming, but the kora, to which we shall return

African Musics in Context �Ancient and modern, incredible diversity �Popular music stars: Angelique Kidjo, Salif Keita, Fela, Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Black Mambazo � Leading isicathamiya group of South Africa �Paul Simon Graceland (1986), Lion King Part II, etc. � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Fmf 9 ZJ_Yn 0 A (“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”—Graceland Zimbabwe concert) � Attention brought to South Africa contributed to anti-Apartheid movement, eventual independence (1994 – Mandela) �LBM, Shaka Zulu (1987) – prod. P. Simon, Grammy � “Unomothemba” CD 3 -13 (call-and-response, vocal “clicks, ” beautiful harmonies – song about orphan child)

African Continent �Saharan North Africa (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, etc. ) �Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, etc. ) �Sub-Saharan �West Africa (Ghana, Benin, Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Togo) �South Africa, East Africa, Central Africa

Music, Culture, and History �Pre-colonial kingdoms Mande, Ghana, Songhay, Dahomey, Buganda � 15 th century – foreign intervention, eventual domination � 17 th-19 th centuries -- foreign slave trade �African diaspora -- U. S. , Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad, Puerto Rico), South America (Brazil) �Diasporic musics: ragtime, jazz, rock-n-roll, hip hop, samba, salsa, reggae, steel band, etc. �Post-WWII -- nationalism, independent nations (Ghana first in 1957), globalization -- new musical developments related �Religion: Traditional religions, Christianity, Islam, religious syncretism. Importance of paying homage key.

Drumming (and Not Drumming) � Most African musics not drumming-based, though drumming is prominent or central in many. � African musics extraordinarily diverse: � C. African Ba. Mbuti vocal polyphony (CD 2 -4) � Mbira dzavadzimu of Shona people, Zimbabwe (CD 2 -2) � Qwii nkokwane musical bow (CD 2 -8) � Ugandan endongo (CD 3 -15 – Damascus Kafumbe) � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=YXJt 8 Ew 5 KNc � Endongo song performed by Kinobe) � Chopi timbila music (Mozambique) � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8 rue 9 XMPth 4

…and more drumming �Akan Fontomfrom royal drum ensemble �Musical Guided Tour (transcript: p. 199 -200) �CD 3 -14, GLE pp. 198 -202 �Chief dances to the drumming while brandishing sword �Stationary (photo, p. 199) and processional (198) �CD 3 -14: � from lead drums (huge!), plus atumpan and eguankoba, and dawuro iron bell ( / - / - / - / ) time-line � Polyrhythms, call-and-response passages (from, atumpan), layered ostinatos with variations

Musical Africanisms (p. 202 -03) �Complex polyphonic textures �Layered ostinatos with varied repetition �Conversational element �Improvisation �Timbral variety (incl. “buzzing” – e. g. , endongo) �Distinctive pitch systems and scales

The Kora and Its Musicultural World

Kora Construction �See labeled diagram, p. 205 � 21 -string spike harp chordophone �Straight wooden neck, calabash resonator, soundhole �High bridge �Two handgrips �Two parallel rows of nylon strings �(traditionally antelope hide) �Rawhide tuning collars �Cowhide face �Demonstration of kora (Toumani Diabate) �https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8 luhdx. S 2 Ku. M

Mande History, Culture, Music �Kora one of several instruments associated with jeli and the musical arts of jeliya �Others include the bala and koni (ngoni) �Jeliya repertoire – praise songs-based �Jeli classified as a type of griot

Mande History, Culture, Music II �Mande Empire (Mali Empire) – Sunjata Keita, 13 th century �Keita = royal family surname �Jeli and the jeliya tradition date back to time of Sunjata �Mande �Maninka: Mali and Guinea �Mandenka: Senegal and Gambia (Senegambia) �Mande languages (many languages, dialects) �Colonization/official languages: Senegal, Mali, Guinea (French); Gambia (British); Guinea-Bissau (Portuguese) �Herditary jeli families: Kouyate, Diabate, Sissoko (Cissokho) �(Some musicians named Keita: Seckou Keita, Salif Keita – How? )

Two Musical Keitas �Seckou Keita �Salif Keita

“Dounuya, ” by Seckou Keita �CD 3 -16 �Pages 209 -11 �Solo voice and kora �Three main types of textures: �Kumbengo (accompaniment) – 0: 10 -0: 23 �Birimintingo (solo improvisation) – 1: 41 -2: 14 �Sataro (declamatory vocalization) – 2: 15 -2: 56 �Word painting, e. g. , hammerlike chords at 1: 28 under “Why should we choose the bad” �Key moral message of song: improve our relationships (with each other, God, etc. – symbolized in text AND kora part)

“Atlanta Kaira”: Meeting of Worlds �CD 3 -17, pp. 211 -15 �From Kulanjan -- collaboration of blues/world music guitarist Taj Mahal and kora virtuoso Toumani Diabate, plus “all-star” band of jelilu including: �Bassekou Kouyate (“bass” koni) �Ballake Sissoko (kora) �Kassemady Diabate (male vocalist) �Lasan Diabate (bala) �Ramatou Diakite (female vocalist) Toumani Diabate �Son of kora legend and Malian national hero Sidiki Diabate (original “Kaira”; means “peace”) �Leading kora player of his generation

Musical Features �Sauta mode �One of four principal modes in Mande music �F G A B C D E (F) [note “Lydian” raised fourth] �As with “Dounuya, ” � complex polyphonic texture (layered ostinatos, varied repetition, improv) � Kumbengo, birimintingo, sataro � “conversational” elements � Rich timbral variety (of kora and, in “Atlanta Kaira, ” throughout ensemble

Musical Form �Solo kora intro (sauta mode, kora virtuosity) �Ensemble introduction (koras, bala, koni, guitar; mainly kumbengo w. bala birimintingo) �“Kaira” song (melodic ornamentation, kumbengo accomp) �First sataro section (homage to Sidiki K. , speechlike) �Improvised koni solo (w. some “collective improv” at points) �Second sataro section �“Kaira” song, second statement �Read GLE and follow GLQS, 213 -15

Taj and Toumani – “Catfish Blues” �Also from Kulanjan album, but at the opposite end of the jeliya/blues continuum from “Atlanta Kaira” � https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=g. ZE 7 z. Slv. Ga. M&index=7&list=P Lc. W 9 Au 8 g. MJn 8 GJVJCn. Zn 2 Dpb. JN 6 CHpv. YC

Angelique Kidjo “The Diva from Benin”

Angelique Kidjo �“The diva from Benin” who “has done more to popularise African music than any other woman” (Rough Guide to World Music) �Winner of numerous awards, including the 2015 Grammy for World Music for Eve (2014), [beating out Omnimusica] � https: //vimeo. com/78084228 (official for Eve) EPK [electronic press kit] �Album was inspired partially by her experiences as UNESCO goodwill ambassador

Kidjo �Benin—French official language, but sings most of her songs in her native Fon language �B. 1960 in Ouidah, Benin, to artistic family �Moved to Paris – world beat star. Breakthrough hit “Aye” (1994), and first big album Fifa (cameos by C. Santana, among others) �Album Trilogy: Oremi, Black Ivory Soul, Oyaya! �Albums explored African diaspora syncretisms of R&B, Brazilian, and Caribbean musics, respectively.

“Okan Bale, ” Angelique Kidjo �CD 3 -18 �Pages 217 -220 �From album Black Ivory Soul �World beat/pop ballad �Produced by Jean Hebrail, French producer/husband �“A Piece of My Heart” �I know where I come from. From you, my family. Let me take a moment to thank you because you bring me joy and strength. If my moves are full of blessings, it comes from you, my family. �Role and growing prominence through arrangement of the kora (Mamadou Diabate), interaction with Kidjo’s vocals. Symbolism?