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AFRICAN MUSIC HISTORY

The description of African Music

Africa is a diverse continent with many nations, regions, and tribes/ ethnic affiliations. This follows through into African music. The diverse cultures are associated with their form of traditional music. Traditional music is basically used to mark important moments in life such as birth, initiation, marriage, and death. Over time, African music has evolved, incorporating foreign influences. African music has incorporated foreign instruments, musical styles and genres while still retaining the African sound. The role of the music to the society has also changed to maintain relevance in the rapidly changing African society.

Earliest African Music and Growth of the Industry

The history of African music can be traced back way before colonialists invaded the continent. By 3000 BC, Egyptians were already playing trumpets made of bronze. The mbira, an instrument which had vibrating iron keys, which are similar to those of the modern xylophone, was invented in the Zambezi valley around 700 AD. This invention spread across the continent and was the basis of similar instruments. Such instruments are usually regarded as evidence of music in Africa in the pre- colonial times. The colonial & post- colonial period was the most influential in the African music history. The 1950s were particularly influential in the growth of the African version of Cuban Rumba in the larger Congo. The period saw the emergence of musical legends such as Tabu Ley and Franco. Such artists laid the ground for a myriad of Congolese artists. The larger Congo- modern D.R.C. and the Congo Republic- is a great case study due to the rich history of the Africanized rumba. All over Africa, the music industry was undergoing a transformation especially with most nations gaining independence. Just like the Congolese example, African music borrowed foreign styles and gave them an African touch. The following are some of the influential musicians who emerged during the era: Babatunde Olatunji, Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and Salif Keita (Scaruffi, 2002). The African music industry has grown considerably over time with African pop music (Afro- pop) being particularly popular at the moment. Foreign genres such as hip- hop, jazz, rhythm and blues, and reggae are being adopted by many African musicians which has greatly helped the artists infiltrate the global market.

Categories of African Music

There are two major categories when it comes to African music: Traditional African music, and Contemporary/ Modern African music. Traditional African music is usually associated with music that was created by the traditional African institutions way before colonialists came to Africa (Aning, 1973). This is unadulterated music that has survived the foreign influences and is associated with cultural functions. Contemporary African music, on the other hand, is the modern form of music by African artists which is heavily influenced by Western music. Despite the foreign influence, this music has retained an authentic African feel which makes it easily recognizable.

Impact of African Music to Local Society

Traditional African music was created for the society to commemorate certain events. As such the impact on the society cannot be understated. Be it welcoming a new- born into the world or celebrating the various transitions in life, traditional music serves to entertain and educate the society. The message contained in such music can be relevant especially in building morals. Contemporary African music, on the other hand, is all about tackling emerging trends in the society. The modern artist entertains the society while tackling issues members of the society can relate to.

References

1. Aning, B. A. (1973). Varieties of African Music and Musical Types. The Black Perspective in Music,1(1), 16–23. http://doi.org/10.2307/1214120

2. Scaruffi, P. (2002). A brief Summary of African Popular music. Retrieved from: http://www.scaruffi.com/history/african.html