Transcript contemporary song

The Guinea Coast
A Presentation by:
Lisa Rickert, Jennifer Angelacos,
Minh Nguyen, David Reinert,
Erin Evans-Fudem, Carrie Guilfoyle,
Christina Kado, Jeff Nelson, Bjorn
Snider, Adam McKinley, Ryan Kaplan
MAP
Guinea Coast
 Political
and economic woes.
 Uses ancient and traditional music as a
way to pass on oral traditions and
histories.
 Trans-Atlantic Slave trade.
 Flourishing of Guinea Black kingdoms.
Instruments
Talking Drums Imitates speech and
sends messages.
 By putting pressure
on middle of drum,
the musician
reproduces notes
that correspond to
the words that he is
transmitting.

Instruments
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Doundouns - set of
three cylindrical drums
of different sizes carved
of wood.
Can be played vertically
or horizontally with a
stick.
Doundounba, Sangban,
and Kenkini.
Instruments
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Balafon - ancestor of
the xylophone.
Wood bars on wooden
frame. Under each bar
is a calabash used as a
resonator.
Each gourd is pierced
with holes which
vibrates with each note
played.
Gourds and bars are
tuned to each other.
Instruments
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Boloye - is made of a
long wooden neck tied
to a big gourd.
The musician pinches
the string with his right
hand fingers or strums
with a small piece of
wood, giving a bass
sound, while he hits the
gourd with his left hand
usually wearing a ring.
Used in Senufo in
Northern Ivory Coast.
Instruments
Shekeres - Gourd
with beads tied
around it.
 When moving the
gourd, the beads
slide and make a
shaking, rattling type
of sound.

Instruments
Alghaita - double
reed, similar to the
oboe.
 Wooden body, metal
tubing with four
holes.
 The Hausa in
Nigeria play this
instrument.

Traditional Music
Performances of traditional music are used in
many tribes for social reasons.
 Some of these events are weddings, naming
ceremonies, and royal processions.
 Also for private occasions: lullabies, play
songs, or work songs.
 Children are taught at a young age to play
music.

Traditional Musical Form
Traditional Music Samples
Dogumbo Song (“Sandema”)
From CD: Ghana Ancient Ceremonies
Song and Dance Music
 Play
Contemporary Forms and
Western Influences
 West African
musical traditions holds
strong to oral traditions and culture.
 Countries have gained independence,
many have grappled with the problem of
revitalizing indigenous ways while
engaging the changing outside world.
 1960’s - Re-Africanization of music
 Melting pot of styles and practices.
Highlife Music
Dance music played primarily in Ghana and
Nigeria.
 Blend of different music and style.
 King of Highlife, trumpeter and band leader,
E.T. Mensah.
 Sonny Okosun added reggae to the mix of
Highlife, coming up with Ozzidi.
 Father of other kinds of music: Afropop and
Juju, Apala, Fuji, etc.
 Revival of Highlife.

Other styles of Contemporary
Music
 Afro
 Fuji
 Juju
Rock
Contemporary Music:
Fela Kuti
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Fela Kuti (1938-1997),
Inventor of Afrobeat.
Music dominated by
political events in the
Nigerian government.
M.O.P. “Movement of
the People.
Developed fusion of
Highlife (contemporary)
and ancient traditional
music.
Fela Kuti
 Coffin
for Head of State
 Unknown Soldier
Both from CD: Coffin for Head of State
Nigeria

Danjuma Adamu

Song: “Bad
Company”

Song from Afro
Bush Jazz Highlife
Funk
Ivory Coast:
Alpha Blondy
African backbeat
with Western
instrumentation.
 Unique style of
reggae with rock n
roll influences.
 Song from Alpha
Blondy Mix.

THE END