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Just in the nick of time, I am a born-again Motown fan. I grew up taking The Temptations for granted. Let’s think about Diana Ross and Otis Williams often in 2023. I’ll be back periodically with more inspiration. The festival or concert (free online) is scheduled for September, 2023 (TBA). It is a not for… Continue reading African Marimba Band

This is the last section of your final exam. Make a video from the choreography you created the week of July 3rd. You will not be penalized for video or audio quality. Make sure your instructor can observe your dance choreography in the file you submit. It has been a pleasure bringing you this modest… Continue reading Final Exam (Part Three)

What is the difference between the Djembe and the Conga?This essay must include both visual and audio examples.

We are concluding our summer session. Please look out for assignments on Mondays throughout August. Our final exam will be in 3 sections. It is imperative you complete each section. Section One: Create a list of as many (or all) traditional/acoustic African instruments not included in this summer session course. Hint, we skipped several, please… Continue reading Final Exam (Part One)

The Dunun is an African drum that can provide a low frequency, comparable to what western music calls a “bass drum,” to your ensemble. This particular drum comes from West Africa.

This week our assignment is the most challenging so far. Fortunately it only require your ears. Please listen to music with Swahili language/lyrics. By the end of the week, you should be familiar with this language. We won’t expect you to be able to speak it of course. Swahili is spoken in East Africa

This week you should spend some time learning the difference between the beautiful Kora (harp) instrument and the African lute(s). The latter is a predecessor to the guitar. After you become familiar with the differences, decide which instrument you want to play. Feel free to play both. Kora music

This week we will become familiar with the mother of all percussion shakers. The shekere comes from West Africa. It is very popular all over the world, influencing Latin music as well as jazz.

This week your assignment is to choregraph a dance routine featuring at least one recognizable dance move from Africa. Traditional or modern African dance. This link is to Ghana Dance Ensemble. I encourage you to go all over the continent to find inspiration. Your routine should accompany a 3+ minute song. Enjoy!