The Guinea Coast

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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

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MAP
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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.

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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.

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Instruments

• 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.

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Instruments

• 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.

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Instruments

• 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.

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Instruments

• Shekeres - Gourd with beads tied around it.
• When moving the gourd, the beads slide and make a
  shaking, rattling type of sound.

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Instruments

• Alghaita - double reed, similar to the oboe.
• Wooden body, metal tubing with four holes.
• The Hausa in Nigeria play this instrument.

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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.

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Traditional Musical Form
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Traditional Music Samples

• Play Dogumbo Song (Sandema)
• From CD Ghana Ancient Ceremonies Song and Dance
  Music

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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.
• 1960s - Re-Africanization of music
• Melting pot of styles and practices.

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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.

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Other styles of Contemporary Music

• Afro Rock
• Fuji
• Juju

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Contemporary MusicFela Kuti

• 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.

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Fela Kuti

• Coffin for Head of State
• Unknown Soldier
• Both from CD Coffin for Head of State

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Nigeria

• Danjuma Adamu
• Song Bad Company
• Song from Afro Bush Jazz Highlife Funk

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Ivory CoastAlpha Blondy

• African backbeat with Western instrumentation.
• Unique style of reggae with rock n roll
  influences.
• Song from Alpha Blondy Mix.

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THE END