Turino’s characteristics of African Music
Interlocking, Call-and-response, cyclical and open-ended patterns, community participation, rhythmic complexity, core and elaboration parts
Interlocking
fitting your pitches and beats inter spaces of other parts
Call-and-response
alternation of the leader and chorus parts or instrument and vocal parts
Cyclical and open-ended patterns
often involving ostinatos, a lot of repetition
Rhythmic complexity
juxtaposition, duple or triple rhythmic patterns, layering
Core parts
needed for the song to go forward
Elaboration parts
“artsy” detailed pieces added
Islam’s pillars
Shahada (profession of faith), Salah (prayers), Zalah (giving of alms), saum (fasting during Ramadam), Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
Syncretism
fusing/combining different beliefs or religions
Dhikr
devotional act by repetition of the names of Gods (all 99)
Pungwe
400 yd river in Mozambique and Zimbabwe that often floods.
Griot/Jeliya
praise singers (its hereditary, tradition passed down through families)
Horo
Freeborn
Sula
Normal people (farmers, merchants, aristocrats)
Nyamalo
People who have specialized jobs (blacksmiths, musicians)
Kumbengo
layered ostinato based style on the kora with accompany singing
Birimintingo
soloistic style of instrumental performance used on instruments like the kora, bala, and koni in Mande jeliya music
Donkilo
“call to dance,” singing songs that are usually short and often have 2 main phrases
Sataro
Improvisatory, partially speechlike style of singing in jeliya vocal art
Kora
harp-like chordophone of the Mande peoples
Ngoni (Koni)
banjo-like plucked chordophone instrument of the jeli
Balafon
wooden keyed percussion idiophone, played by striking the keys with 2 padded sticks
Shona
Bantu speaking people of Zimbabwe
Mbira
inner melodic lines from the combination of thumb and forefinger, not a change in whats being played
Bira
ceremony where the spirit comes to the community through a medium in times of trouble, good mbira playing is essential for success
Sufism
inner, mystical version of Islam that practices Dhikrr and meditation
Bilal ibn Rabah
Muhammad’s meuzzin (first in Islamic faith), known for his beautiful voice with which he called people to their prayers
Gnawa
ethnic/religious group in Morocco that held healing ceremonies
Layla
enactment of the principles of the universe (performed at night)
Ma’alem
a man known for his sexual escapades, has intimate relationships with all the women who are possessed
Quraqeb
set of 4 cymbal (2 on each hand)
Maskun
inhibited (possessed) people
Mluk
abstract entities that gather lots of jinn, evoked by 7 musical patters, 7 melodic and rhythmic cells, 7 different types of incents are burned and dancers wear 7 different colors
Jinn
genie spirits
Gnawa Diffusion
band based on Gnawa tradition with some reggae and roots
Nass al Ghiwan
band that wrote about social/political climate and arranged music into Morrocan tradition
ZANLA
Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army
Thomas Mapfumo
African musician who composed songs about the liberation of Mali and when it happen he was looked at as a hero for his influence
Chimurenga
song of struggle
Maoism
ZANU commited to Maoist principles
Robert Mugabe
ZANU leader who was elected to run the ANC
Sunjata
Jeliya dedicated pieced of music to this ruler (child unable to walk, to exiled warrior, to king)
Gamelan Beleganjur
processional emsemble that marches while performing considting of multiple gongs, drums and cymbals
Gamelan Gong Kebyar
Paired tuning between sets of instruments
Ombak
blending different pitches to create an acoustic beating effect
Kecak
men chant kilitan telu patterns surounding an oil lamp, spirits are summoned, dance-drama is an episode of the Ramayana
Agama Tirta
Balinese Hinduism
Upper World
gods and venerated ancestors reside in the heavens (Brahma-creator, Wisnu-preserver), Siwa-destroyer)
Middle World
Bali itself
Lower World
where land meets sea and below, evil spirits (bhutas and leyaks which are a threat to mankind)
Ravi Shankar
famouns sitarist who spread Indian music into popular music
Raga
set of pitches consisting of 7 ascending pitches, different ragas are linked to different states of mind, seasons time of the day etc
Hindustani
N. India, greater influence on Islamic cultures, international exposure, sitar, tambura, tabla
Karnatak
status of singing is more elevated relative to instrumental music, vina, tambura, mrdangam
Gharana
system of social organization linking musician/dancers by lineage and by music style
Sitar
plucked chordophone, lead melodic instrument in Hindustani Raga
Tambura
plucked chordophone, drone-providing instrument in Hindustani Raga
Tabla
pair of drums, rhythmic accompaniment in Hindustani Raga
Tala
meter and rhythm
Tintal tala
16-beat
Jhaptal tala
10-beat
Theka
basic structure of the tala achieved through a skeletal drum pattern
Alap
slow, abstract movement in opening section, no drumming, no meter, no set compositions
Jor
when a rhythmic pulse is introduced in an alap (still no meter)
Gat
second main section when instruments are introduced (gradual, successsive patterns become longer and more complex, different formal sections combine)