fusion of western musical elements with african traditional musical elments in afrobeat
Afrobeat music was originated by Fela Anikulapo Kuti which became a unique popular kind of music emanating from Africa. Afrobeat is the fusion of different western stylistic elements including jazz with the with traditional Yoruba music. Afrobeat music by Fela Anikulapo Kuti is characterised by his distinct personality.
A SHORT BACKGROUND ON FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI
Fela Anikulapo Kuti was born on October 15,1938 to the family of Reverend Israel Ransome Kuti at Abeokuta in Ogun State, Nigeria. At an early age, he was already exposed to music by playing the piano even from the written score. He was a well educated musician and an activist. He studied music at the Trinity College of Music London. Upon his return from abroad, he was exposed to highlife and jazz and later on developed afrobeat music. He died in
Some of the foreign and indigenous musical elements in afrobeat music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti are:
JAZZ: This is a combination of elements of western music and characteristics traceable back to the music of west Africa. The fundamental in distinguishing features of jazz is based on simple melodies and complex cross-rhythms mixed with verbal slurs, vibrato and constant syncopation. Jazz music adopts much of the use of improvisation and syncopation. One of Fela’s reasons for his adoption of jazz style into his music was because jazz music had a lot of cultural information that enriched his mind. This he said in an interview with Waltrous(1989). Some examples of Fela’s songs that have some elements of jazz styles are: water, follow follow, wayo amongst others.
BLUES: This emerged from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple ballads in United States of America in the 20th century. It later became the roots of jazz, rock and roll, hip hop and other popular music forms. The structural pattern of the blues is a basic twelve-bar lyric framework which is reflected by a standard harmonic progression of twelve bars, in 4/4 time. Slow
A SHORT BACKGROUND ON FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI
Fela Anikulapo Kuti was born on October 15,1938 to the family of Reverend Israel Ransome Kuti at Abeokuta in Ogun State, Nigeria. At an early age, he was already exposed to music by playing the piano even from the written score. He was a well educated musician and an activist. He studied music at the Trinity College of Music London. Upon his return from abroad, he was exposed to highlife and jazz and later on developed afrobeat music. He died in
Some of the foreign and indigenous musical elements in afrobeat music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti are:
JAZZ: This is a combination of elements of western music and characteristics traceable back to the music of west Africa. The fundamental in distinguishing features of jazz is based on simple melodies and complex cross-rhythms mixed with verbal slurs, vibrato and constant syncopation. Jazz music adopts much of the use of improvisation and syncopation. One of Fela’s reasons for his adoption of jazz style into his music was because jazz music had a lot of cultural information that enriched his mind. This he said in an interview with Waltrous(1989). Some examples of Fela’s songs that have some elements of jazz styles are: water, follow follow, wayo amongst others.
BLUES: This emerged from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple ballads in United States of America in the 20th century. It later became the roots of jazz, rock and roll, hip hop and other popular music forms. The structural pattern of the blues is a basic twelve-bar lyric framework which is reflected by a standard harmonic progression of twelve bars, in 4/4 time. Slow