AFRO LATIN

MUSIC

The music of the Non-western

countries reflects and expresses
the mixture of the worlds
languages, religions, values,
beliefs, social and economic
systems, geographical conditions,
and ways of life. Every culture has
its own characteristic instruments,
tonal systems, melodic and
rhythmic patterns and performance
practices.

The Non-western cultures also

differ in their range of musical
styles: folk music style, popular
music and complex classical as
well and can offer a wide range of
listening experiences and cultural
insights. Furthermore, nonwestern traditions were an
important source of inspiration
for the twentieth century western
music.

AFRICAN MUSIC
The traditional music of Africa is
historically ancient, rich and
diverse with distinct musical
traditions of the different
regions and nations of Africa and
the continent is much passed
down orally or (aurally) and it is
not written.

 The continent of Africa was divided into North

Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, the SubSaharan Africa, which is environmentally and
culturally diverse has several thousand peoples
with different religions, customs and over 700
different languages. The music is a diverse as its
people, relies heavily on percussion
instruments, including the xylophones,
drums, and tone- producing instruments
such as the mbira or thumb piano, and
complex in rhythms and polyrhythm and wide
variety of instrumental ensembles Vocal music
often performed by a soloist and a responding
chorus, and a different cultures of Africa have
influenced each other.

 The music and dance of the African

diaspora ( refers to the
communities throughout the world
that are descended from the historic
movement of peoples of Africa),
formed an African musical traditions,
including American music and many
Caribbean genres such as coco,
calypso and zouk.

 The music of Africa is used to

entertain as part of dances, plays,
religious ceremonies, magic rites and
to mark such as birth, puberty,
marriage and death. There are work
songs, specific songs or dances to
treat the ill, songs praising for
leaders, criticizing authority,
recounting history and many songs
for particular occasions.

LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC

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The origin of Latin American music begins

with Spain and Portugals colonization of
Latin America in 16th century where the
European settlers brought their music
from overseas. The Latin American music
is performed in Spanish, Portuguese and to
a lesser extent, French. The cumbia, chacha, tango, bossa nova, reggae, foxtrot
pasa doble are the vocal and dance form
music generated from Latin countries.

 The Latin American music also

incorporates African music from slaves
who were transported to the America by
European and settles as well as the music
from Indigenous people of the Americas.
The samba, rumba, salsa and other clave
(rhythm) are the Latin American genres
found to varying degrees on the music of
enslaved Africans and have turn
influenced African popular music.

 Latin American music is

characterized by its prominent use of
percussion and stringed instruments
that each of a major traditions
contributed remained in common
use. The claves, guiro, maracas,
bongos, cajon and charango are the
instruments use for their music.

 Claves is a pair of hard wood sticks that

struck together in particular patterns to
provide the rhythmic key of the song.

Guiro is a hollowed gourd made from the

fruit of higuera. A fine wire fork is used to
scratch the ridges producing a scraping
sound.

Maracas (shakers) is a traditionally made

gourd with beans

 Bongos is a two drums consisting of

one larger drum and one smaller drum
joined together.

Cajon is a wooden rectangular box

played as a drum
Charango is a small ten stringed
guitar traditionally made from an
armadillo shell.

 The genre of Latin American and

Caribbean urban popular music
developed in the 20th century
incorporated musical instruments of
the three traditions are the European
string, woodwind, brass, and
keyboard melodic instruments
supported by Indian or African
derived from harmonic and rhythmic
instruments.