Unit 4 World Music

Sub-Saharan African Musical Characteristics

Often contains a dense texture, 'buzzing' sounds, multiple layers, open-ended form, cyclical music, ostinatos, call-and-response, interlocking parts, and rhythmic complexity.

Call-and-Response

A musical structure where a leader's phrase is followed by a chorus or group response.

Jali

Hereditary musician and oral historian of the Mande people of Mali, known for praising and critiquing individuals.

Instruments associated with Jali

Balo (xylophone), Kora (bridge harp), Kontigo (plucked lute).

Ewe People's Drumming Tradition

Features a Gankoqui (double bell) playing a twelve-pulse cycle and various barrel-shaped drums.

Creolization

The blending of cultural groups, particularly evident in music.

Cuatro

A stringed instrument with five courses used in Puerto Rican music.

Tresillo

A rhythmic pattern consisting of 3+3+2, often used in Latin American music.

Andes Mestizo Music

Music combining Indigenous and Spanish elements, with instruments like Siku (panpipes) and Charango.

Nueva Cancion

A protest song movement associated with social and political change, epitomized by the works of Victor Jara.

Danzon

A Cuban dance form that incorporates a specific clave rhythm, typically used in social dance settings.

Reggaetón

A music genre originating in Jamaica characterized by the Dem Bow rhythm and often includes Spanish and English rap.

Mbube

A South African choral tradition emphasizing harmonies from outer voice parts and featuring a dominant lead vocalist.

Tamboo Bamboo

Loud and inexpensive dance music from Trinidad, characterized by the use of bamboo instruments.

Rake-n-Scrape

Bahamas music accompanied by accordion, saw, and Goombay drums, historically linked to quadrille dancing.

Ostinato

A repeated rhythmic or melodic cycle used in various musical traditions.

Interlocking

A musical technique requiring multiple musicians to create a single musical part.

Bell Pattern

A technique used in African music to indicate where musicians are in the rhythm cycle.

Cyclical Musical Form

A form of music where there is no defined beginning or ending, allowing for continuous participation.

Polyphonic Vocal Tradition

A complex vocal technique characterized by multiple independent melodies performed simultaneously.