Africa: South of the Sahara

This 1957 compilation attempts to provide a musical overview of the entire Sub–Saharan region, and also represents the scholarly contribution of American ethnomusicologist Alan P. Merriam (1923 — 1980) to the Folkways catalog. Merriam, who is best remembered for the book The Anthropology of Music, produced the album and provided an essay and track notes. This title went a long way towards dispelling prejudices and misconceptions listeners of the time may have had about African music. Merriam wrote, “The African music system works by its own rules and satisfies those who play it and sing it; it is neither necessarily older nor younger nor better nor worse.”

Track Listing

101	Zulu Song	Male Zulu singer with chorus	02:10
102	Swazi Song	Swazi chorus with whistling and drums	02:14
103	Chopi Timbila	Chopi timbila player and background chorus at the Witswatersrand Goldmine	01:03
104	Amakwavi Song	Male Amakwavi singer and chorus	00:43
105	Bushmen Song (1)*	San men singing in chorus	01:22
106	Bushmen Song (2)*	San men singing in chorus	02:15
107	Bechuana Song (1)	Tswana male singer and chorus	01:02
108	Bechuana Song (2)	Tswana male singer and chorus	01:07
109	Bechuana Song (3)	Tswana male singer and chorus	00:34
110	Luchosi Song	Luchazi male singer and chorus	01:07
111	Gangele Song	Nganguela male singer, drummer and mixed chorus	01:25
112	Tutsi Song	Tutsi women and girls	03:29
113	Tutsi Drums	The Royal Drums of the Tutsi	02:29
114	Twa Song	Twa male singer and chorus	03:22
115	Hororo Flute	Hororo male flutist	01:29
116	Shi Kasayi	Masirika Pimapima	02:57
117	Kivu Bambuti Song	Mbuti singers and musicians	02:45
118	Bambuti (1)*	Efe male singer with chorus	01:08
119	Bambuti Songs	Efe male chorus with rhythm sticks	01:24
120	Bambuti (2)*	Efe male singer with chorus	01:05
121	Pende Xylophone	Bapende xylophone player with chorus	02:45
122	Pindi Sansa	Pende sansa player with chorus	01:08
123	Sudanese Harp	Sudanese harpist with chorus of migrant Sudanese workers	02:28
124	Sudanese Song	Sudanese male singer and male chorus	02:49
125	Mahafaly Song	Madagascan singer (male)	02:28
126	Ibani Song	Ibani sansa player with chorus	02:42
127	Yoruba Song	Yoruba male chorus	03:00
128	Bulu Song	Bulu male singer with mixed chorus	01:56
129	Ewe Song	Ewe male singer with chorus	02:37
130	Bambara Song	Ewe male singer with male chorus	02:18
131	Acoli Song	Acoli male singer with lyre	03:02
132	Mboko Zither Harp	Mboko musicians with zither-harp	01:33
133	Bakwiri Song with Musical Bow	Kwiri male singer with musical bow	01:05
134	Makwa Song	Makwa female singers with chorus	01:43
135	Boungomo Song	Boungomo woman with female chorus and drum	03:30
136	Babinga Song*	Gyele musicians	01:48
137	Wolof Drums	Wolof drummers	01:32
138	Wolof Halam	Wolof halam player	03:15

Catalog

Track Listing

Release Info

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