Which ethnic group does Agbekor?
ewe
What is Agbekor?
A ceremony that can be used at one’s funeral to become an ancestral spirit
what ethnic group uses the mbira?
shona
what is an mbira?
a thumb piano
which ethnic group lives in the dense central african rainforest?
BaAka
what is the primary role of a praise singer?
to recount history and genealogy and to tell moral stories
in which ethnic group would you expect to hear the woi epic?
Kpelle
Who is Woi?
A superhuman figure who is always overcoming obstacles
What kind of society does the BaAka ethnic group have?
No hierarchy – everyone is equal
which ethnic group did we talk about that has praise singers that date back to Sunjata Keita’s time?
Mande
Why was African music ignored
Not considered music
Not considered uplifting
Africans considered inferior
Lambango (listening)
Praise song
Mande
Praises for 3 group leaders
Kora main instrument
Nhemamusasa (listening)
Mbira genre
Shona Ethnic group
Nag Biegu – Wild Bull (listening)
Dagbon ethnic group
Praise song genre
Luna instrument used; the “talking drum”
Agbekor (listening)
Ewe ethnic group
Drum and dance society
Performed by semiprofessioinal musicians
Heiarchical group
Percussion ensemble and chorus
Kalu Lee, Lee – Woi epic (listening)
Kpelle ethnic group
Told by epic pourer
neverending
When the Saints Go Marching In (listening)
Dixie land style
Sing Sing Sing (listening)
Swing style
Now’s the Time (listening)
Bebop style
So What (listening)
Cool Jazz style
5 major beliefs of and values of African music?
functional
integrated into daily life
collective participation
not exalted as a high art form
multimedia expression
Evolution of Jazz 1 – Dixieland
Dixie land = Started from marching band members playing in clubs at night; New Orleans.
-Collective improvisation (heterophony)
-Louis armstrong
-scat
Evolution of Jazz 2 – Swing
Swing = When jazz went mainstream (whites started playing it)
-big band
-no collective improvisation
-written arrangements essential
-interplay between sections
-Benny Goodman
-big band leader, played clarinet
Evolution of Jazz 3 – Bebop
Bebop = Created by and for virtuoso musicians (The people who didn’t like mainstream jazz)
-small combo instead of big band
-faster
-few arrangements
-complex melody, harmony, and improv
-element of surprise
-Charlie Parker
-most important bebop musician; saxophone
Evolution of Jazz 4 – Cool Jazz
Cool Jazz = direct reaction to bebop
-focus on music, on sounds
-preference for ballads
-subdued
-Miles Davis
-started as bebop musician in charlie parker’s group; trumpet