GUINEA: MUSIC AND DANCE

Guinean music reflects the country’s multi-ethnic background. And while there are many similarities, different ethnic groups also have their own styles, instrumentation, and techniques. For example, music of the Mandé people generally was performed by djelis, traveling musicians who more or less functioned as singers and historians, singing praises to the high-ranking members of the nobility. Djelis (sometimes called griots) were pretty common throughout West and Central Africa. 

Many of the instruments were common instruments found in other areas of West Africa.  Some of the instruments you’ll find in traditional Guinean music are the ngoni (related to the banjo), the balafon (related to xylophones and marimbas), the kora (like a cross between a harp and a lute), and a variety of drums including the dunun (a cylindrical drum tuned with ropes and played with a stick that can be either straight or curved depending on the region it’s played) and the djembe (a goblet-shaped drum tuned with ropes and played with the hand; often played in tandem with the dunun.).  After WWII, the guitar was introduced to Guinea and changed the sound of Guinean music. Some musicians developed their own ways of playing the guitar, like Kanté Facelli and Kanté Manfila.

Traditional dance in Guinea shares many of the same similarities with dance traditions in other Sub-Saharan cultures. Dancing tends to have a very rhythmic accompaniment utilizing a variety of drums and other instruments.  Rhythms tend to be polyrhythmic, meaning that there are different parts performed at the same time.  For the most part, dancing tends to be ritualistic and functional. There are dances denoted as warrior dances, love dances (used for weddings, births, anniversaries and such), rites of passage and coming of age dances to formally make the transition between childhood and adulthood, welcoming dances performed for newcomers, and religious-based dances (used for call spirits or pay homage to spirits).  The Yankadi dance of Guinea is a slow dance with smooth steps, while the Macru dance has much more energy and danced at a faster tempo. Men and women sometimes dance with scarves, and they place the scarf on the one whom they want to dance with.

After Guinea gained its independence, popular music began to take off.  By this time, most modern Guinean music is sung in French, although you’ll still find much of the traditional music sung in local languages. Many bands and musicians began to become influenced by music from abroad, especially the music of Cuba and other areas in the Caribbean.  They brought these styles back to Guinea where they mixed it with traditional Guinean styles, and many musicians recorded with the famous Syliphone Records.

One of the most famous Guinean musicians is Mory Kante. One of his most famous songs is “Yeke Yeke” that I listened to off of his Best Of album. Utilizing modern instruments, he tends to use a variety of balafon/xylophone/marimba-like instruments, mixing higher-pitched instruments with lower-pitched ones, accompanied by brass instruments as well. The melody lines definitely seem to be influenced from traditional African styles. He often utilizes a leader with a chorus answering. The drumbeats were also pretty indicative of a rock/soft rock/smooth jazz style. I found this video where he's performing with Santana.  

I also listened to Keletigui Et Ses Tambourinis.  I really liked the album The Syliphone Years.  I can tell there was some Cuban/Latin influence in their music. The Latin rhythms and the muted trumpet gave it away. Of course, if you look at history, there are a lot of similarities between West African music and that of many places in the Caribbean, seeing how a large portion of the Caribbean people originally came from West African countries. It’s a great album – you should look it up on Spotify.

Balla Et Ses Balladins uses much of the same kind of instrumentation, but I think they incorporate more harmony in their vocal lines. The music is pretty relaxing, and I think it has to do a lot with the guitar lines and the types of guitars they use. I wish I knew more about different kinds of guitars so that I can identify them more accurately when I listen to them. (Sorry, I primarily played French horn, piano, mallet percussion and was a singer, although I just bought a mandolin earlier this year but haven’t progressed farther than a few basic lessons.) Whichever guitar gives them their iconic African sound is higher-pitched and kind of echo-y.  I like that sound, whatever it is.

Another one of the most famous bands from Guinea is the Bembeya Jazz National. They were quite influenced by the music of Cuba and jazz of the US.  I listened to their album The Syliphone Years (so, I guess they really were a popular recording studio). To me, they don’t sound that different from the previous two groups I just mentioned. So, I suppose I like them by default since the entire style is one that I enjoy. 

Guinea also has its own hip-hop crowd as well. Probably the most well-known rapper from Guinea is the group Kill Point. I didn’t find anything on Spotify, but they do have some videos on YouTube. I listened to a few of their songs. They’re not bad, and their flow is pretty good.

There’s a rap festival called the African Rap Festival held in Conakry each year that always brings a good crowd. The festival actually made the news this year because of a stampede that killed 24 festival-goers. But outside of that tragic occurrence, this festival has always been a key way new artists get heard, and it also serves as a way to promote Guinean music.

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GABON: MUSIC AND DANCE

Gabonese folk music generally includes the folk traditions of the four main Bantu tribes that are in Gabon: the Fang, the Punu, the Nzebi, and the Obamba. They are mostly known for their music accompanying Bwiti religious ceremonies, especially that of the Fang and the Mitsogho. These ceremonies often use the powerful psychedelic tree bark of the iboga. This substance is illegal in several countries and is considered a Schedule I drug in the US (drugs that are basically considered illegal with no known medicinal value, although cannabis is on there, so…); in fact, it’s illegal to export it out of Gabon in an effort to preserve the sacred cultural ties to the plant. During these ceremonies, drums and the ngombi harp is played, heightening the effects of the iboga.

One instrument prevalent to traditional Gabonese music is the obala. (I had a lot of trouble finding any information on the obala; I kept getting hits for the city in Cameroun called Obala and the 1980s Croatian rock band called Daleka Obala. If you have any information on this instrument, please let me know about it!) The ngombi is a type of arched harp that is also used in traditional music, as well as the balafon (like a large xylophone with gourds used as resonators). Each instrument is designated to a specific rite or ritual within the Bwiti religion. This video is of Bwiti harp music used during an initiation. 

Dance traditions in Gabon were mostly used in religious ceremonies.  Different dances are used for different purposes and events (especially those that are tied to the Bwiti traditions), such as births, funerals, and coming-of-age ceremonies. Today, all kinds of dances –both traditional and pan-African as well as styles from Europe and the US– are taught and performed in clubs and dance troupes. The video below isn't of the best quality, but you can tell that the dance in this women's initiation ceremony uses rattles tied to the ankles of the women as they make quick movements with their hips and feet. 

During the 1980s, the African music radio station in Libreville, Africa No. 1, along with the first recording studio in Gabon, Studio Mademba, became the hot spot for up-and-coming musicians to record. Musicians across Africa and the Caribbean flocked to Libreville just to record here. However, during the 1990s, its fame dwindled, and cities like Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Johannesburg, South Africa took its place as recording capitals.  

Although rock, hip-hop, and reggae from the US, the UK, the Caribbean, and other African countries remain popular, there are several musicians who got their starts in Gabon. One of the most famous musicians in Gabon is Pierre Akendengué. He had traveled to France for treatment of an eye disease that would leave him blind. It was in France where his classical guitar studies would transfer to his music. He released several albums and only returned to Gabon when he challenged the government for censoring his music. Their response was to make him a government advisor. I listened to his album Destinée and Africa Obota/Nandipo. Both are really relaxing to listen to. I listened to it for hours.

Artists such as Hilarion Nguema, and Patience Dabany, and Oliver N’Goma have a very typical pan-African sound to their music. It tends to have a prominent percussion (albeit, some of it is synthesized), horn lines, and smooth melodic vocal lines. I’ve noticed that in the vast majority of African music I’ve heard, the vocal lines generally tend to stay within the primary key of the song.

I was immediately drawn to the voice of Annie Flore Batchiellilys on her album Mon Point Zérooo. Her alto voice intertwines with the choral harmonies, accompanied by strings and acoustic guitars. One song uses J. S. Bach’s “Prelude in C Major” as the background music. (That was the first piece I ever played in a recital.) The sultry sound of jazz guitar is what drives me to keep listening. The YouTube description on this video says she's from the DRC, although I thought I found her name on a list of Gabonese artists. Regardless, I still love her music, and I'm sure her music is played in Gabon. 

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CAMEROON: MUSIC AND DANCE

There are many ethnic groups in Cameroon, and subsequently many different styles of music that comes out of this area. One of the most well-known styles is makossa. (I first heard this term from the Brazilian singers Charlie Brown Jr and Marcelo D2 who did a song together called “Samba Makossa” – great song, by the way.) It’s more of an urban style that takes its influences from several other pan-Africa genres, such as soukous from Congo, jazz, Latin, ambasse bey (faster paced folk music from Cameroon), and the highlife style from Ghana. Probably the best known makossa performer is Manu Dibanga with his song “Soul Makossa” which rose to international fame back in 1972.

Different areas of Cameroon led to the development of different styles.  Pirogue sailors (those who use a type of traditional fishing boat) around the Douala area are famous for a type of singing called ngoso, which is now often accompanied by various percussion instruments. The Beti peoples around Youndé and points south are known for a style called bikutsi.  Bikutsi utilizes a quick 6/8 time signature and is a sister style to that of the makossa. It’s normally performed at get-togethers such as weddings and funerals. In the 1970s, a few singers added brass instruments to the mix, and it made its way to European audiences for the first time.  The 1980s brought more changes in instrumentation to bikutsi music, and the popularity of television shows and movies helped promote musicians and their music.

Today, there are a lot of grey areas between Congolese soukous, makossa, and bikutsi as the genres add different instruments and blend the styles. Some of the more popular musicians are Petit Pays, Henri Dikongué, and Pasto. The video below is a Henri Dikongué song called "C'est la Vie," and I really like it. 

Percussion instruments still reign as the basis for instrumental music. It stands not only as accompaniment but can also act as the melody as well. The balafon, a curved wooden percussion instrument similar to a marimba is used throughout West Africa. Another instrument you’ll find among Cameroonian traditional music is the mvet. It’s a type of double-sided harp which uses an amplifier made from a calabash (a type of gourd). The mvet is used in certain ceremonies by Beti storytellers and is considered such an important part of these ceremonies (and culture) that it’s thought the mvet was given by God as a means of educating the people. This idea of linking music to spirituality and a “higher level of consciousness” is one that touches almost all religions and spiritual paths throughout the world. (And still, some want to take away music education…)

I actually found several Cameroonian artists on Spotify.  I listened to the album “Traveler” by Vincent Nguini. It’s a great album if you like acoustic guitar with jazz and Latin jazz influences woven into traditional African style, instrumentation, and rhythms. Another album I listened to most of is “C’est la Vie” by Henri Dikongué. Again, it’s much of the same style as Vincent Nguini. I sampled a couple makossa albums from Petit Pays, Jean Pierre Essome, and Moni Bile, all of whom reminded me of various Caribbean music styles but with a definite African rhythm to it. (I almost felt like I needed some good rum. Or something.) I did find some songs by Uta Bella, whose music I really liked. Her music has more of a modern feel to her music, with some traditional and unexpected harmonies. Another female singer I came across is Anne Marie Nzié. Both remind me a little of the music of Angelique Kidjo from Benin. This video is of Paul Simon, whom Vincent Nguini has performed with for many years. 

Dance often takes the same name as the different music genres it accompanies. Cameroon has many different ethnic groups and over 200 different kinds of dances. These dances, for the most part, are often divided into categories based on a variety of demographic factors: age, occupation, social status, sex, among others. Many of these dancers perform for tourists and other social events and ceremonies these days still. When the early European Christians started moving into the area to colonize it, they were so offended by their dances, they not only discouraged it, but in some cases, outlawed it. As a result, several dances died out. After independence, the government did its best at trying to preserve their cultural dances.  Modern popular dance – dances that take place in bars and clubs and similar places – throw out the demographics.  It’s for everyone, mixed company and all. These styles of dances – like makossa, bikutsi, highlife, hip-hop – have also been used as a means of protest and socio-political statements. 

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BURKINA FASO: MUSIC AND DANCE

Music in Burkina Faso is a mix of many ethnic groups and languages. There are over 60 ethnic groups spread across the country, speaking Gur languages (related to the Mossi languages), Fulani, and Mande languages. Because of the large number of ethnic groups, they tend to use French as a lingua franca, and much of modern popular music is sung in French.

The kora is an instrument that has mostly been used by the djeli: a person who is a historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet and/or musician, especially in West Africa. They’re sometimes called a griot (pronounced GREE-oh) and sometimes called bards. The kora originally had seven strings, but later it increased to twenty-one. In its construction, there are some variations of course; however, it tends to be shaped more like a banjo, but it sounds closer to a harp. It can almost be tuned to play major and minor scales that are key to Western music, as well as the Lydian modes (as in medieval music). By moving rings up and down the neck, it can change the “key”. I really like the sound of this instrument. I already own an mbira from Zimbabwe, now I want one of these next. 

Another stringed instrument that is common to this area is the n’goni. It’s able to produce fast-playing accompaniment or melody lines. Some historians believe this instrument may be an ancestor of the banjo, having been brought over by Mande people during the slave trade to North America. Another instrument that also may be related to the modern banjo is the xalam, a skin-covered lute. This guy in the video is playing the n'goni, and he's so amazing to listen to. I want one of these too. 

The balafon is especially popular in the Mande-speaking areas of Burkina Faso. The balafon is a wooden percussion instrument, similar to a xylophone or marimba, and can have 17- 21 keys that are played with rubber mallets (I wonder if there’s something special with the number 21 in West Africa?) It can either be fixed-key (attached to a frame using resonators from a calabash or other gourd) or free-key (the musician will place the keys on any padded surface). Depending on the musician’s cultural background, the balafon is either tuned to a tetratonic [consisting of four notes per octave], pentatonic [having five notes per octave, as if you played only the black keys on a piano – but not The Black Keys, who tend to use heptatonic scales], or heptatonic scales [the most common scales, having seven notes per octave, pretty much the basis of Western music]. This video also highlights the bara drum (in neighboring Mali, the bara is the same as the bendré drum listed below).

The djembe drum is made from a single piece of wood, usually from the caïlcedrat or lenke tree. The city of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, is the main city that manufactures djembe drums. The bendré drum is also played in Burkina Faso. It’s made from a gourd with a head of goat skin or sheep skin. The drummer creates different sounds by striking different areas of the drum head (the center vs. the outer edges).

There is a large museum called the National Museum of Music in the capital city of Ouagadougou. Opened in 1998, it has several hundred musical instruments on display in its collections. 

As far as popular music goes, there aren’t too many artists that have made it big even in the Pan-Africa world of music. One that comes to mind is reggae musician Bingui Jaa Jammy. He has a song on the Putumayo Presents African Reggae CD that I have (a great album, by the way!). I only kept coming up with the same few songs when I did a search, and I was disappointed I couldn’t find a CD. I’m a huge reggae fan, and I’ve been really into African reggae since I found that CD.

The other musician I came across is Hermas Zopoula, whose sound has more of an African pop sound mixed with some flavors of traditional instruments and styles. I found the album Espoir on Spotify, and it’s not bad. I kind of like it.

Dancing is highly integrated into Burkinabé theatre traditions. It’s mostly tied to spiritual rites and ceremonial dances. The dancer is dressed in costume, most likely of a specific spirit, and many times it depicts a story regarding that spirit or a particular event. Most of the times, people will just wear some aspect of traditional dress that is identified with their specific ethnic group. Some dances can be quite acrobatic and take a lot of physical dexterity and/or strength. Sometimes the dancers will affix rattles or metal shakers onto their ankles so that when they dance, it accompanies the dance and accentuates the percussive basis of their music.

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