African Music

• Africa has a rich ancient musical history. Their music was orally transmitted from generation to generation.
• Music in Africa plays an important role in their daily life from birth until death. They use music in their works, in their religious ceremonies, rituals, festivities, and even as a mode of communication.
• African people believed in the power of music to cure the sick, cast away evil spirits, and pay respect to the good spirits, the dead, and the ancestors.
• Maracatu - Ceremony of the Coronation of the Black Kings.
• Maracatu Nacao - is the designation of the king.
• Baque or Toque - is considered as the rhythmic pattern used in the maracatu.
• Toada - singing part of maracatu.
• Blues - This is a gloomy folk music of African American origin which is naturally in a twelve-bar order and expresses a wide range of emotions. This gave birth to rock and roll. 
• Famous rhythm and blue singers:

  • Alicia Keys
  • Adele
  • Anastacia
  • Anita Baker
  • Bruno Mars
  • Diana Ross.
• Soul Music - This is a kind of music that combines the basics of rhythm and blues and gospel music which was popularized by the African American.
• The performers associated with Soul music:

  • Aretha Franklin
  • Marvin Gaye
  • Otis Redding
  • James Brown.
• Spiritual - It has a Christian or religious theme. It is monophonic in nature and in acapella which is the origin of the blues. It is a religious folk song of the African-American. A spiritual song provides comfort and eases the boredom from one’s daily activities. It was created by African slaves.
• Example of spiritual music singer:

  • Gary Valenciano
• Call and Response - It is a musical style where the leader sings a line and is answered by a chorus. It is a sequence of two different phrases usually played by two or more musicians. It is a direct response from the first phrase or a commentary response. 
• African Music commonly involves singing and percussion instruments.