Got African Tribal Singing?
February 11, 2011 8:55 AM Subscribe
Where can I download recordings of African "tribal" songs?
I love a certain type of African vocal music. To call them "Tribal" songs is, I'm sure, inaccurate or even a gross mischaracterization, but I don't have the vocabulary to discuss this music intelligently. I just want to hear more about it and learn more about it!
I was in East Africa last year and had one opportunity to record some of it, in a church in Uganda. Please listen to this short clip of what I recorded to hear what I mean.
As in the example above, I am interested in stuff that is made up mostly entirely of people singing together, with only handclaps or drums for accompaniment, or no accompaniment at all. Also, I don't like when things sound like they're recorded in a studio -- the closer to field-recording, the better.
Another example of the kind of music I'm looking for is the song that plays during the end credits of the 1998 movie The Thin Red Line, and given that that movie doesn't take place in Africa, maybe what I'm looking for is not specific to that continent.
I looked into the Afropop worldwide podcast, but that is not really what I'm after. I'm not looking for contemporary pop songs from Africa, or the African take on reggae or dance music. I am only looking for the folksy stuff as in the example I posted.
So where can I download and listen to more of this?
I love a certain type of African vocal music. To call them "Tribal" songs is, I'm sure, inaccurate or even a gross mischaracterization, but I don't have the vocabulary to discuss this music intelligently. I just want to hear more about it and learn more about it!
I was in East Africa last year and had one opportunity to record some of it, in a church in Uganda. Please listen to this short clip of what I recorded to hear what I mean.
As in the example above, I am interested in stuff that is made up mostly entirely of people singing together, with only handclaps or drums for accompaniment, or no accompaniment at all. Also, I don't like when things sound like they're recorded in a studio -- the closer to field-recording, the better.
Another example of the kind of music I'm looking for is the song that plays during the end credits of the 1998 movie The Thin Red Line, and given that that movie doesn't take place in Africa, maybe what I'm looking for is not specific to that continent.
I looked into the Afropop worldwide podcast, but that is not really what I'm after. I'm not looking for contemporary pop songs from Africa, or the African take on reggae or dance music. I am only looking for the folksy stuff as in the example I posted.
So where can I download and listen to more of this?
I can't hear audio on my computer right now, but you might find what you're looking for through one of the albums in
the Explorer series by nonesuch especially this one.
posted by fizzix at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2011
the Explorer series by nonesuch especially this one.
posted by fizzix at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2011
...also, take a look at a style of music called 'township singing'. Great stuff there.
posted by jquinby at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2011
posted by jquinby at 9:07 AM on February 11, 2011
There's the classic Babtunde Olatunji, note that some of his albums mix in more modern instruments.
posted by nomisxid at 9:09 AM on February 11, 2011
posted by nomisxid at 9:09 AM on February 11, 2011
Here is a field recording from Ghana, where the "field" is the University of Ghana post office. Four postal workers create music through the actions involved in canceling stamps: the stamping of ink pads, slapping of envelopes, clicking of scissors, with whistling accompaniment.
posted by illenion at 9:12 AM on February 11, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by illenion at 9:12 AM on February 11, 2011 [2 favorites]
Slightly less trad than your example, but still quite so, and certainly not pop etc is the wonderful Annet Nandujja. And I'm going to recommend her anyway, even if she's not that close a fit, because she's wonderful! Please visit her page at Kerere.com where you can download her whole 2005 album "Annet Nandujja" for just US$7, having first listened to some samples! I do find her incredibly listenable. And while you're there, please have a look round Kerere's excellent site - some of it may be too poppy for your tastes (I recommend Radio & Weasel for high-quality Ugandan scallywag dancehall pop!) but you may find some trad gems too. Happy listening!
posted by vogel at 9:35 AM on February 11, 2011
posted by vogel at 9:35 AM on February 11, 2011
Browsing through the Smithsonian Folkways record label/Global Sounds database is a good bet. Also, there is a paperback called Music in East Africa that comes with a CD. It provides lots of good context for precising this kind of singing in this part of the world.
posted by umbú at 11:32 AM on February 11, 2011
posted by umbú at 11:32 AM on February 11, 2011
You might enjoy these recordings: Les Chants des Enfants du Monde Vol. 1: Guinée -- Senegal
Packed with beautiful singing.
posted by Jode at 1:50 PM on February 11, 2011
Packed with beautiful singing.
posted by Jode at 1:50 PM on February 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jquinby at 9:04 AM on February 11, 2011