Afropop Vignettes: Percussion Traditions

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Percussion sounds reaches the heart and the soul! We've rounded up a collection of Afropop Worldwide articles, features and photos to compliment our "Afropop Vignettes: Percussion Traditions" program. Make this the first stop to explore the artists, countries, and legendary leaders of the percussion traditions. Visit our discography for a listing of the albums featured on this program.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Ayinde Barrister [More about this artist]

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas [More about this band]

Youssou N'Dour [More about this artist]

Miguel "Anga" Díaz [Banning Eyre's CD review of Echu Mingua]

FEATURED ARTICLES / COUNTRIES

Book: "Cuba and Its Music", by Ned Sublette

Talking Improvisation with Musicians and Scholars featuring:
West African drummers: Abraham Adzenyah, Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng and more

CLICK: Nigeria CLICK: Cuba

CLICK: Senegal CLICK: Brazil

PAYING TRIBUTE TO GREAT PERCUSSIONISTS

Babatunde Olatunji (1927-2003)
In 1959, long before Americans knew about Afropop or therapeutic drumming, Olatunji recorded "Drums of Passion", probably the first African LP recorded in a modern studio, and the first one many American fans of African music ever owned. Olatunji's students and followers include a host of jazz pop musicians. Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, who credits Olatunji with introducing him to the talking drum, helped to introduce Olatunji to a new audience through the Planet Drum project. In the 1980s and 90s, Olatunji became a New Age cultural figure, awakening people all over the world to the transformational powers of drumming.

Olatunji's biography, "The Beat of my Drum," is published by Temple University Press.

King Sundiata Keita (1957-2005)
King Sundiata Keita was multitalented, a gifted African dancer, acrobat, masquerade performer and stilt walker. Known as a master drummer who thrilled and inspired many people to learn about African music and cultural arts--especially drumming, dancing and folklore--he is also credited for starting the Black History Month tour in the Detroit Public School system over 30 years ago. Today, because of him, many children now know we have moved into the 21st century. He is often quoted as saying, “Lending credit to our ancestors on both sides.”

Throughout his career, his artistry and mastery of drumming enabled him to perform with numerous renowned artists at local venues and around the world, including performances with King Sunny Ade, Carlos Santana, the Neville Brothers, the Grateful Dead, Steele Pulse, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Salif Keita, Alexander Zonjic, Bill Summers, Ali Abdullah, Vincent York and a host of other talented musicians.

excerpt from obituary by Paul Lee, Best Efforts Inc., 2005

Read the article on King Sundiata Keita "Bang the Drum" Nate Cavalieri, Metro Times

First published: www.afropop.org

Afropop Vignettes: Percussion Traditions

Aired March 22, 2007

Afropop listeners know the signature voices of Africa's Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Khaled, and others. Today we'll tune up our ears to some of the continent's great drumming voices--fuji and juju in Nigeria, sabar in Senegal--and to the travels of the drum to the Americas--samba in Brazil, rumba in Cuba, salsa in Puerto Rico and more. This show takes us into the polyrhythmic, multiple voices of live performances and into the homes of some of the world's greatest percussionists.

Discography