AFRICAN MUSIC

The traditional music of Africa is historically ancient, rich, and diverse, with
the different regions and nations of Africa having distinct musicaltraditions.
Traditional music in much of the continent is passed down orally (or aurally)
and is not written. In Sub-Saharan African music traditions, it also frequently
relies heavily on percussion instruments of every variety,
including xylophones, drums, and tone-producing instruments such as
the mbira or "thumb piano."
The music and dance of the African diaspora, formed to varying degrees on
African musical traditions, include American music and
many Caribbean genres, such as Soca,Calypso (see kaiso) and Zouk. Latin
American music genres such as
the Bachata, Danzn, Samba, Rumba, Salsa, Tango, Cumbia, Bomba del
Chota, Mambo, Merengue,Reggae, Compas, Milonga, Son, Guaracha, Punta,
Cha-Cha-Cha, Plena, Conga, and other clave (rhythm)-based genres, were
also founded on the music of enslaved Africans, and have in turn
influenced African popular music.

Talking Drum

The talking drum is an hourglass-shaped drum from West Africa, whose pitch
can be regulated to mimic the tone and prosody of human speech. It has
two drumheads connected by leather tension cords, which allow the player
to modulate the pitch of the drum by squeezing the cords between his or her
arm and body. A skilled player is able to play whole phrases. Similar
hourglass-shaped drums are found in Asia, but they are not used to mimic
speech, although the idakka is used to mimic vocal music.

Kashaka

The kashaka is a simple percussion instrument consisting of two

small gourds filled with beans (essentially, two small maracas connected by
a string.) One gourd is held in the hand and the other is quickly swung from
side to side around the hand, creating a "clack" sound upon impact. It
originated in West Africa, but has been reproduced in various countries under
different names: Patica (Japan), Kosika (USA). Other names include Asalato,
Kes Kes, Tchangot Tche, and many others.

Rainstick

A rainstick is a long, hollow tube partially filled with small pebbles or beans
that has small pins or thorns arranged helically on its inside surface. When
the stick is upended, the pebbles fall to the other end of the tube, making a
sound reminiscent of rain falling. It is designated 112.1+133.1 in
the HornbostelSachs classification system.
The rainstick is believed to have been invented by the Aztecs and was
played in the belief it could bring about rainstorms. A sound like falling water
is made when the rainstick has its direction changed to a vertical position.

Mbira

The mbira or thumb piano is an African musical instrument consisting of a

wooden board (often fitted with a resonator) with attached staggered
metal tines, played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the
tines with the thumbs. The mbira is usually classified as part of
the lamellaphone family, and part of the idiophone family of musical
instruments.

Kora

A kora is a mandinka harp built from a large calabash cut in half and covered
with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. The skin is
supported by two handles that run under it, and it supports a notched double

free-standing bridge. It doesn't fit into any one category of musical

instruments, but rather several, and must be classified as a "double-bridgeharp-lute." The strings run in two divided ranks, making it a double harp.
They do not end in a soundboard but are held in notches on a bridge, making
it a bridge harp. They originate from a string arm or neck and cross a bridge
directly supported by a resonating chamber, making it a lute too.