AAAS 388: W. African Music: Trad.&Glob.

Course Description

West African popular music contains a unique mixture of African, Cuban, European and American influences. With the advent of radio and recording, music that was once locally based is now part of a national and international popular music industry. This course offers an overview of modern West African music, both traditional and popular. The course begins with an introduction to traditional West African instruments and musical genres. Next, there is an exploration of the fusion of traditional African styles with European, Cuban and American styles during and after the colonial era. The course culminates with an examination of the contributions of West African musicians to the World Music scene, focusing on issues of representation and Fair Trade. (OC).