In this article, I explain how percussion and groove are at the core of many musics created and enjoyed today, yet they can be overlooked in music teaching and learning. A pervasive culture of pitched-instrument prejudice makes it difficult to take rhythm and groove seriously, although these can be at the core of meaningful music-making…

"Lift Every Voice and Sing," sometimes referred to as the Black National Anthem, has been sung everywhere from protests to concert halls in the United States for well over a century. The song's origins, however, come directly from the mind of educator James Weldon Johnson and the needs of his school community. This article recounts the…

The story of John Henry, dating back to the late nineteenth century, is one of the most enduring folktales of American culture. As the legend goes, John Henry was an African American "steel-driving man" whose job was to drive spikes through rocks in the construction of a railroad tunnel. So powerful was John Henry that he defeated a…

Hip-hop is a truly African-American art form in every sense of the phrase. Multiple decades after its development into the genre that we recognize it as today, hip-hop firmly remains a fundamental and unique element of African-American culture that has experienced international presence and regard. As a direct result of deep involvement with…

Contemporary African-American classical composers Cedric Adderley, John Lane, and Trevor Weston intertwine strands of culture and individual experience to produce musical works whose distinct designs offer cultural resources that music educators can use to integrate diversity into instructional settings. Of special interest is their ability to…

Article evaluated the current state of African music. (Editor/RK)

The word gospel means "good news," and gospel music is the good news of the message of Jesus of Nazareth in song. African American gospel is a style that is growing in popularity. The number of twenty-four-hour gospel radio stations in the United States is increasing, and sales of gospel music recordings are on the rise. Gospel music…

A voice and music education teacher at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, talks about African music in this interview. Topics discussed include differences between African and Western music, African melody, rules for composing African music, the theory of counterpoint, and the popularity of classical composers in Nigeria. (RM)

Outlines several units on African Music with complete details. (GB)

Discusses the spirituality and African roots of African-American culture. Defines Africanisms as elements of African culture that permeate both religious and secular African-American life. Defines the phenomenon identified as "soul" among African Americans as the contemporary manifestation of Africanisms. Suggests that soul music is…

Discusses the different influences of music in West Asia and North Africa and the musical instruments that foster varying musical trends. (RK)

Discusses music functions and uses of musical instruments in Africa. (RK)

Discussed is music of the sub-Sahara. Vocal, instrumental, and dance drumming from the Sudan Desert, the North Coast, East Horn, Central and West Africa, and contrapuntal yodeling of Pygmies is described. For African musicians, the ability to improvise, and creativity, are gifts from God. Includes selected readings and recordings. (KC)

Looks at the impact of Western ways on Nigeria's traditional culture, as exemplified by public education, and, particularly, music education. (SJL)

Because of its exciting use of rhythm and its variety, African music is an excellent musical culture for study. Seventh and eighth grade students, with no prior musical training, learned to play African instruments and dance the Adowa, a traditional dance of the Ashanti people of Ghana. (RM)