Saturday, February 16, 2019

Horizons! Smile, Joke, Laugh, Dance or all the above.

Let the spirit rise. Can not wait to get back to the Islands. So am keeping the vibes warm on Groovasmique with African Rhythms, Reggae, World Music and Global Grooves. Thanks to Radiojar I can work across platforms....cell, tablet, computer. Loving Majek Fashek In a New York....a blast from the past who I enjoyed in the 90's while working at HMV in NY! Now I am pondering life, seeking work, finding peace and more. Music is a great way to keep alive. The archives I have are always good to revisit. Apparently, I was more of a Peter Tosh fan than I thought. Of course I have my all-time faves. Santana, Manu Dibango, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Dollar Brand, Dudu Pukwana, Orchestra Baobab. The list seems endless, but it is always good to delve and find gems. Decades of tunes and so many styles. I will continue the treck and hope y'all enjoy the tunage. Listeners from all over is always good to see. Any requests Groovasmique@gmail.com. Make it a great day in some way if you can. Smile, Joke, Laugh, Dance or all the above. Always praise the most high! May your god go with you and your spirit shine. Never give in! Of course if you hear of work for this little olde Dj get in touch. You never know!

Thursday, February 14, 2019

African Classics from the Archives!

Old Synths, Arrangements that make me smile, interesting lyrics.
William Onyeabor (26 March 1946 – 16 January 2017) was a Nigerian funk musician and businessman. His music was widely heard in Nigeria in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but he remained an enigmatic figure, private and reclusive. Just one of the many artists I am starting to feature in my delvings into old music from 1960's to date. Strange bedfellows for sure  in some cases. Throw in some Afrobeat, Dub, Zydeco, Blues and then some Global spice. Maybe a singer songwriter here and there! Who knows! FYI Todays "Dumped Artist=Bongo Maffin!"

New Picture in my den! Bob now watching over me.

Thanks to Mr Nobody Bob always smiling! https://www.mrnobodyart.com/









Tuesday, February 12, 2019

"MY ONLY CHALLENGE IS TO BETTER KNOW

THIS FEMININE DIVINE WHICH I ASPIRE TO

THE LESSONS LEARNT HAVE BROUGHT ME TO A PLACE OF PEACE

FOR WHAT I CANNOT CHANGE I KNOW I MUST RELEASE"


INNER VOICE  - JAH9



                                                                    http://www.jah9.com/

​Bob Marley Quote

"What important is man should live in righteousness, 
in natural love for mankind". 

​Bob Marley

"Get to this! Get to that!"

In the words of Sly and Robbie "Get to this, get to that!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP2ssi7FQBU  The Groovasmique playlist is a lot like what you might hear if you were riding in my car. Afrocentric mostly, Global at times, Funky once in a while and downright rocking occasionally. Throw in a little Jazz fusion and some Folky bits and you are set to cruise. My tastes are diverse and eclectic and you will hear Blues, Zydeco, Reggae, Ska and more as the list grows and morphs with "Oldies" and more recent selections. The next set of tune updates will also take a few tracks weekly from the EthnoCloud charts which feature all genres. For now expect a mix of classic tracks and various styles which you would not probably hear on commercial radio. A little college radio, a little PBS but these are the tastes of an avid music lover and drummer. Tracks may be decades old or brand new by years end. Welcome back my friends to the morph that never ends.....especially in my music soaked brain. Drop me a note at groovasmique@gmail.com. This Dj (Currently unemployed) will keep groovin til I drop.

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Open your eyes, look within

"Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" Quote: Bob Marley

The music of Bob Marley and the Wailers for instance still sends messages to this very day and beyond. Regardless of race colour or creed, of ilk, of persuasion, of size, of identity. It can be heard and danced to amidst all genres and has become a staple in Carib playlists.

Reggae legend Bob Marley had 11 acknowledged children with seven different mothers before dying in 1981 at age 36. He had three children with his wife Rita Marley, and he adopted her two children from previous relationships. Like other famous musicians, Marley is rumored to have fathered more than the 11 children officially acknowledged by the late singer's estate, leaving such claims largely unsubstantiated.
Like any large family, Bob Marley's children have gone on to a wide variety of pursuits in their adult lives. Some, like Marley's first son Ziggy, have followed in their father's footsteps. Others have stayed out of the spotlight or chosen other ways to honor their father's legacy. 
01
of 11

Sharon (Born Nov. 23, 1964)


 Rita Marley With Her Children In Central Park, New York City.

Sharon (now Sharon Marley Prendergast) was Rita's daughter from a previous marriage. She was a long-time member of The Melody Makers, founded in 1979 by her siblings Ziggy, Stephen, and Cedella. Although she left the Melody Makers, Marley continues to perform her own work. She is also a community organizer and activist, as well as the curator of the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica.
02
of 11

Cedella (Born Aug. 23, 1967)


 Cedella Marley -- Celebrities Visit SiriusXM Studios, August 31, 2015. Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images

Cedella Marley was the first-born daughter of Bob and Rita Marley. After leaving The Melody Makers, Cedella Marley pursued a second career in fashion. She designed the uniforms for the 2012 Jamaican Olympic team and has also designed for Puma and Barneys New York.
03
of 11

David aka Ziggy (Born Oct. 17, 1968)


 Ziggy Marley -- Ben & Jerry's Hosts One Love Session. Jerritt Clark / Getty Images

Born David Nesta in 1968, Bob Marley's eldest son has earned musical acclaim of his own, first with The Melody Makers and later as a solo artist. He's won five Grammy Awards in his career, written the theme song for the PBS kids' show "Arthur," and even released a comic book, "Marijuanaman." Marley has said he gave himself the nickname of Ziggy after the David Bowie album "Ziggy Stardust," though biographers credit Marley's dad with giving him the nickname.
04
of 11

Stephen (Born April 20, 1972)


 Stephen Marley -- Kaya Fest. WireImage / Getty Images

Stephen is the second son of Bob and Rita Marley. He is an eight-time Grammy-winning musician and record producer who has worked with his siblings (both with The Melody Makers and on some of their solo projects) as well as artists such as The Fugees, Michael Franti, and Nelly.
05
of 11

Robert (Born May 16, 1972)


'Marley' Los Angeles Premiere, April 17, 2012
 Ziggy Marley, Robert "Robbie" Marley, Snoop Dogg, Rohan Marley.
 Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Robert was born to Bob Marley and Pat Williams. Having chosen to lead a private life, there is little public information about him.
06
of 11

Rohan (May 19, 1972)


 Rohan Marley -- CES 2016 At The House Of Marley. Getty Images for House of Marley / Getty Images

Born in 1972 to Bob Marley and Janet Hunt, Rohan Marley is a musician, a former collegiate and professional football player (for the University of Miami and later the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders), and an entrepreneur who co-founded the Tuff Gong clothing line and the Marley Coffee business. He has five children with singer and actress Lauryn Hill.
07
of 11

Karen (Born 1973)

Born to Bob Marley and Janet Bowen, Karen has kept her life out of the public eye.
08
of 11

Stephanie (Aug. 17, 1974)

Stephanie is Rita's daughter by a prior relationship; her father is unknown. She pursued the business side of the family's music business and directs the Marley Resort and Spa, a former family vacation home in Nassau, the Bahamas, that has been converted into a luxury vacation resort.
09
of 11

Julian (Born June 4, 1975)


 Julian Marley -- 2016 Riot Fest Denver. WireImage / Getty Images

The son of Lucy Pounder, Julian has also followed in his father's musical steps. He has performed with siblings Ziggy, Stephen, and Damian, and he is a Grammy Award-nominated musician in his own right. Like his father, Julian Marley is a devout Rastafarian.
10
of 11

Ky-Mani (Born Feb. 26, 1976)


 Ky-Mani Marley performs during Reggae On The Mountain 2015 on July 26, 2015 in Topanga, California. Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Born in 1976 to table tennis champion Anita Belnavis, Ky-Mani is a popular reggae and dancehall musician and a film actor who starred in the Jamaican films "One Love" and "Shotta." He has worked with rap musicians Shaggy and Young Buck, among others.
11
of 11

Damian aka Junior Gong (Born July 21, 1978)


 Damian "Junior Gong" Marley -- 2017 ONE Music Fest. FilmMagic / Getty Images

Bob's youngest son was born to Cindy Breakspeare, a former Miss World, and a respected jazz musician. Damian, nicknamed "Junior Gong," is a reggae musician who has won three Grammy Awards. He's worked with an impressive array of artists, including Nas, Mick Jagger, and Skrillex.

Saturday, February 9, 2019

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee and great tunage. (Crank it up!)

African coffee is known for being a true gourmet coffee experience.  Arabica beans have a reputation for being rich, full-bodied, medium to dark roasted, and of course, exceptional in sharp flavors and thick, toasty aromas. Look to Africa for a truly rewarding coffee experience! I love Yiracheffe Coffee myself. Mixed with good music past and present, a little CBD oil and some deep breaths and thoughtful pondering and we are good to go. So my musical meanderings are like a coffee blend. Sometimes deep in flavour and often with an uplifting feel. Always leave time to stop, relax, stretch, meditate in ones day for sure! Today I look out at the bright blue skies and my eyes go to the horizon as I listen to Rossy and Fela Kuti and other great musicians and share with you the timeless selections on the Groovasmique rotation. Not your regular commercial repeat of 54 tracks but a morphing of between 3000-15000 tunes of mainly African Vibes along with some Global Grooves to add a little spice! Simply I am a deeply passionate soul sharing my love of music and wishing to pass on just a little so that maybe someone will check out these oldies and goodies. I have always loved delving in record stores and finding music that still passes the test of time. Recordings of scratchy vinyl to modern digital (I know what I prefer!)......and it is an infinite hobby! Keep Grooving and have an open mind. I am barely touching the surface of what I would or could play in a DJ/Radio/Dance show. Feedback has me leaning to more Upbeat. As ever I look forward to hearing from yaz! Groovasmique@gmail.com  Cheers Ztan

Friday, February 8, 2019

Playing for Change

Discover the heart and soul of Playing For Change. A small crew travelling the world with a mobile recording studio and cameras, uniting musicians who have never met in person. All the music is recorded and filmed live outside. A fun musical adventure.

https://playingforchange.com/videos/songs-around-the-world/

Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote about the power of music.

Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory—
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken.
Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are heaped for the belovèd’s bed;
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.
"Getting into music is like getting into the rhythm of life......it is diverse, eclectic and beautifully varied. It bridges gaps and crosses frontiers and unites souls from around the globe. It is a universal language that all should speak"

Global Grooves refers not to one specific style of music, but to a certain sensibility — namely, the fusion of disparate musical styles in ways that are only possible from a globalized, multicultural perspective. The results can range from Westernized pop or dance music to wild, genre-hopping experimentalism, but the central, unifying feature of worldbeat is that it's a conscious attempt to bring world music to a wider audience. Frequently, this involves modernizing traditional sounds with up-to-date technology, or borrowing the most relevant elements from Western pop and rock, which have spread all over the world and affected other nations' pop-music scenes to varying degrees. At its best, worldbeat can produce utterly unique hybrids and amazing eclecticism; other times, worldbeat artists have been savaged for uprooting traditional styles and diluting them for mass consumption. Although the rock world was by no means closed to outside influence, the Western audience for world music really started to take shape in the mid-'80s, when rock artists like Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Mickey Hart, and David Byrne began to incorporate ethnic sounds into their recordings, and enthusiastically pursued high-profile collaborations with world-music artists. With the commercial possibilities presented by a greatly expanded potential audience, some artists began to tailor their music for international appeal. Although there were many exceptions, the majority of the worldbeat artists who achieved a measure of popularity in the West came from Africa, a continent whose music — to make a broad generalization — had already exerted a tremendous influence on Western popular music throughout the 20th century. Thus, the sounds of artists like Mory Kante, Salif Keita, and Youssou N'Dour were familiar enough to be appealing, yet different enough to be striking and intriguing. Other worldbeat performers use their broad range of musical knowledge to find similarities and common ground among different indigenous traditions from around the world — sort of the musical equivalent of comparative literature studies. Most Western-born worldbeat artists fall under this category, but a few — like England's 3 Mustaphas 3 — take a less academic approach, trumpeting their freewheeling eclecticism and accentuating the contrasts between the various styles of music they've assimilated. Worldbeat has never been a commercial blockbuster in the West, but some of the better-known styles include the popular music of West Africa and South Africa, North African rai, Bulgarian choral music, Scandinavian folk, Tuvan throat singing, various forms of Indian music (raga, dance, and film music), Pakistani qawwali, Spanish flamenco, Brazilian samba, and Argentinian tango, to name just a few that have made an impact among adventurous critics and record buyers. Music crosses borders, transcends barriers, bridges gaps and reaches the places other art forms can not reach. Your heart and soul benefit greatly from submitting to the Rhythm! In the Western world, "World music" refers either to music that doesn't fall into the North American and British pop or folk traditions or to hybrids of various indigenous musics. Certain styles -- such as Jamaican reggae or Latin pop -- grew large enough to be classified as their own genre, but everything else, from traditional Chinese music to African folk, is classified as world music. Worldbeat is something different than world music, since it's usually the result of Western hybrids and fusions, yet it still falls under the world music umbrella because it borrows styles, sounds and instrumentation from various indigineous musics. Groovasmiques diverse and eclectic mix with upbeat global grooves runs daily featuring all kinds of Rhythms from around the world. Any and all styles may be featured from the wide world of music in all genre eclectic and diverse shows guaranteed to get "Granny" tapping her toes!!!!

Woyaya is simply an all time fave Osibisa song which is in the mix.  Osibisa has been in my "Groove Bag" for decades. So Woyaya is a great word! Woyaya....We are going, heaven knows where we are going, But we know within. And We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there, But know we will. Yes We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there, But know we will. It will be hard we know And the road will be muddy and rough, But we'll get there, heaven knows how we will get there, But We know we will. Woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya We are going, heaven knows where we are going, But we know within And We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there, But know we will. It will be hard we know And the road will be muddy and rough, But we'll get there, heaven knows how we will get there, But We know we will.

Woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya,woyaya.Woyayadiyaya, woyaya,woyayadiyaya,woyaya, woyaydiyaya,woyaya,woyayadiyaya.

African Vibes
Authentic African music - the traditional music of the black peoples of Africa - is little known abroad. The non-African listener can find the music strange, difficult, and unattractive; and therefore often concludes that it is not of interest. Both African and non-African music are human inventions and individual notes contain the same elements such as pitch, duration, tone colour and intensity. Music plays a similar role in most societies, as work songs, lullabies, battle songs, religious music, and so on. Generally speaking the same categories of instruments are found in Africa as in Europe, namely stringed instruments, wind instruments, and percussion.
The African concept of music is totally different to the Western one though. Traditional African musicians do not seek to combine sounds in a manner pleasing to the ear. Their aim is simply to express life in all of its aspects through the medium of sound. The African musician does not merely attempt to imitate nature by music, but reverses the procedure by taking natural sounds, including spoken language, and incorporate them into the music. To the uninitiated this may result in cacophony, but in fact each sound has a particular meaning. To be meaningful, African music must be studied within the context of African life.
Music has an important role in African society. Music is an integral part of the life of every African individual from birth. At a very early stage in life the African child takes an active role in music, making musical instruments by the age of three or four. Musical games played by African children prepare them to participate in all areas of adult activity - including fishing, hunting, farming, grinding maize, attending weddings and funerals and dances.
An intimate union forms between man and art in Africa. It amounts to a total communion that is shared by the whole community. This may help explain why some languages in black Africa have no precise noun to define music. The art of music is so inherent in man that it is superfluous to have a particular name for it. The drum is so important in African society that it is sometimes equated with a man. Women must consequently treat it with the same respect that they would show towards their menfolk. In some African countries women are not even allowed to touch a drum under any circumstance, though Islam and European colonial influence have softened some of these traditions. African music is nearly always coupled with some other art such as poetry or dance and is one of the most revealing forms of expression of the black soul.
It seems logical to conclude that everyone in black Africa must be a musician by definition. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to assume that all Africans are necessarily musicians in the full sense of the word. In some African societies music is a dynamic and driving force that animates the life of the entire community. This communal music may be quite elaborate in form. In other societies musicians form a semi-professional group. They earn their livelihood from their music for only part of the year and rely on some other activity for the remainder of the time. In numerous African societies, the right to play certain instruments or to participate in traditional ceremonies is not open to all, but is the privilege of the professional musician. Such musicians live solely by their art and belong to particular families or castes. Griot is the term used throughout West Africa to designate professional musicians. The role of the griot extends far beyond the realm of music and magic. He or she is the relater of history, philosophy and mythology, the archive of the peoples' traditions. He or she dispenses a healing therapy for the medicine man. He or she is a praise-singer, a troubadour - the counterpart of the medieval European minstrel. People fear griots, admire them but often treat them with contempt because they belong to one of the lowest castes. The fact that music is at the heart of all of the griot's activities is yet further proof of the vital part he or she plays in African life. The equivalent of the griot in equatorial Africa is the player of the mvet (harp-zither). This person is, in some ways, more fortunate than the griot because the admiration that he enjoys is not tinged with scorn, maybe because he does not normally sing the praises of the rich and powerful like the griot does.
The African musician is feeling the effects of the revolution that is currently sweeping the entire continent. Music, as it is conceived in traditional society, is not a function which enables its exponents to meet the demands of modern life. Furthermore, the competition is enormous and under these conditions music as a profession offers very little opportunity. In some societies, music is not conceived as a profession at all, a fact which is even more limiting. As things exist today, traditional music is threatened with eventual extinction and will gradually disappear unless the musician's future is assured. This is especially true for African traditional music which is of course not written down, but handed down from generation to generation.
This does not mean that the traditional African musician should be sheltered from the infiltration of foreign influences. Such infiltration can be a source of artistic enrichment contributing to the cultural cross-fertilisation described below.
Instruments and Style
Similar musical instruments are found throughout most of black Africa. However, the flora and culture found in any particular region influences the dominance of certain categories of instruments. Drums are for instance more popular in the forest regions of West Africa than in the tree-less savanna areas of southern Africa. Musical instruments often show a close link between sculpture and music. See the page on African Musical Instruments for more information on Instruments.
There is a great deal of homogeneity in the music of this vast continent but it is also clear that there are differences between regions and tribes. The Negro cultures south of the Sahara have evidently carried on a lively exchange of music with the inhabitants of the northern part of Africa. There is also a large area of borderline cultures that are related to both the Negro and the North African societies.
Much music is based on speech and the bond between language and music is so intimate that it is actually possible to tune an instrument so that the music it produces is linguistically comprehensible. Because music is a total expression of life, shared by all the senses, different cultures and lifestyles have significant influences on the music. In East Africa, the cultures are complex and revolve around cattle. The Khoi-San area of southern Africa has a simple culture dependent mainly on the nomadic gathering of food. The north-western African coast lacks cattle and is characterised by an elaborate political organisation which, before the imposition of European rule, gave rise to powerful kingdoms. The west coast of Africa between the Khoi-San area and the north-western part has a combination of the east African and north-west African traits. A number of Pygmy tribes are still living in relative isolation in the jungle. The northern part of the continent is largely under the influence of Islamite musical culture. Music within each of these areas is more or less homogeneous, differing from the neighbouring area.
The main characteristics of the west coast are the metronome sense and the accompanying concept of "hot rhythm", the simultaneous use of several meters, and the responsorial form of singing with overlap between leader and chorus. The central African area is distinguished by its great variety of instruments and musical styles and by the emphasis, in polyphony, on the interval of the third. East Africa has, for centuries, been somewhat under Islamite influence, though by no means to as great an extent as the northern half of Africa. Vertical fifths are more prominent here, and rhythmic structure is not so complex, nor are percussion instruments so prominent. The Khoi-San music area is evidently similar in style to East Africa, but has simpler forms and instruments. It contains a good deal of music performed with the hocket technique, as does the Pygmy sub-area of central Africa, which is also characterised by the presence of a vocal technique similar to yodelling.
The Popularisation of African Music
The history of Africa and the movement of people into, out of and across Africa would indicate that many a cross-fertilisation of musical influences affected African music. In spite of slavery and colonialism - or maybe because of it - the influence of African music has spread to every corner of the world and is flourishing back home.
Millions of people were transported from Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas to work as slaves for the European colonists there. Unlike the slave population in North America, the South American slave population was more of Bantu origin (primarily from Angola and Mozambique), although Yorubas (from Nigeria) were also shipped in large numbers to Cuba and Brazil. Little original African music survived intact in the new world, but some distinctive instruments have been handed down, particularly the xylophone, the berimbau and the cuica of Brazil. In the Latin American countries of the Caribbean and South America, some African music was preserved as slaves were allowed to maintain their social identities and culture. Slaves were more often kept as tribal units. In South America and Cuba, African social music blended with the Portuguese and Spanish idioms already influenced by the North African Moors since they occupied Spain in the eighth century. Many new styles of music flourished in the Latin countries including merengue and beguine in the Caribbean and tango, candombey and samba in South America. Rumba, muntuno, cha cha cha, bolero and salsa were other popular styles in this region.
In the Caribbean many elements of European tradition influenced the music of the African slaves. Spanish, British, French and even Asian music influenced early calypso. Calypso was heavily influenced by African work songs and the role of calypsions can be likened to the role of the griot in West African society. Soca followed calypso. Even though European instruments were used, the playing style often recalled African instruments such as the xylophone. Reggae developed through ska from soca when the West Indians absorbed American Rhythm and Blues (R&B). Dub followed with a rock influence.
In the USA, African music was virtually eliminated by slave owners. Slaves were mainly imported from the Mandingo, Wolof, Fanti, Ashanti, Yoruba and Calabari tribes of West Africa. Tribal groups were split up and drums were originally prohibited, but the American banjo is based on the West African gourd guitar. African work songs appropriately survived and slowly evolved into blues. New European instruments were taken up by the blacks. Jazz, which transformed European structured music with African techniques of interweaving rhythm and melodies, call-and-response patterns and 'vocalising' with instruments, became the first all-American music form. Originally jazz was dance music, a fusion of ragtime piano style with blues, spirituals and the brass music of marching bands common at the start of the twentieth century. African-American dance music was also kept alive in the form of R&B. The R&B idioms fused with country music and ballads to become rock and roll. After jazz, rock and roll proved to be the most influential fusion but as it spread across the globe, it soon became ‘white’ music. Soul also developed out of R&B fused with gospel music. Many of the best soul musicians developed their talents in church gospel choirs. Funk and rap followed.
All of these various musical forms (but especially the Cuban rumba, the American soul and jazz, the Caribbean merengue, calypso, reggae and zouk) returned to Africa later and invigorated the local African music. "Western" music was introduced to Africa by visiting musicians, through record sales, and by radio. Many African musicians have of course toured the outside world and came across new musical instruments there, which they took home with them. Western instruments were followed by radio, and African popular music was born.
In southern Africa, an European musical tradition exists in parallel to the black African one. It is interesting to note that much of the earlier Afrikaans folk music of the Cape has its origins in the Indonesian archipelago, resulting from the importation of slaves by the Dutch. Chinese and especially Indians imported into South Africa by the Bitish had an impact on South African music also, as had the music of the native black cultures. During the Afrikaner nationalist era, much music was "borrowed" from Europe, especially Germany. Today, mainstream Afrikaans and English popular music sounds very European or American to most listeners.
The popular music of the continent is therefore in most cases the product of two parents, one African, the other external. African pop styles have become centralised, clustered around the main cultural or commercial centres, so there is 'Manding swing' or 'electro griot' music from West Africa (between Senegal, Guinea and Niger), the 'Swahili sound' from East Africa (between Uganda and Tanzania), 'jive' and jazz from the south (around South Africa), Muslim music from the north (between Morocco and Egypt), makossa and 'liberation' music in between (the area between Cameroon and Gabon, and the area between Zimbabwe and Mozambique respectively), and pan-African syntheses like 'highlife' and Congo-Zairean rumba or soukous which have radiated furthest from their points of origin (the area between Sierra Leone and Nigeria and the Congo-Zairean area respectively). Of the many popular styles of music in Africa, these are really the only ones which have spread to new audiences outside their cultural base. Many other styles - too many to mention here - are prevalent throughout the continent.
It is often forgotten that prior to the European trade in African slaves, many slaves, especially from East Africa including Nubians and people from the Kenya region, were transported to the Arabian peninsula in the Arab slave trade. The Arab penetration into Africa started 1300 years ago. The voice, tonality and language of Islam have heavily influenced North African music, but also sub-Saharan African music in countries such as Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and even Tanzania and Madagascar. Later European invasions influenced this music again. Modern North African styles such as rai have established a keen following in Europe, and are influencing music in France especially.
The instruments of the Arab world and North Africa are believed to have been the original models for almost all Western instruments from the guitar and the violin to the trumpet and other wind instruments. Not many kinds of drums are used in Islamite music. The North African music today shows a cultural continuity which goes back to before AD 500. Classical Arab music itself was a fusion of pre-Islamite Arab music with Persian and Turkish elements.
It is hoped that the musical traditions of Africa will survive and grow and that the popularity of African music will spread even further around the globe. Hopefully that will foster a better understanding and appreciation of Africa and its cultures amongst the extra-African cultures of the world.