Music In East Africa

By Gregory Barz. (Subtitle: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture). This case-study volume can be used along with the core Global Music Series books, Teaching Music Globally and Thinking Musically (item MUCA1438 for the set of two books, available separately). Each case study book uses the contemporary musical situation as a point of departure, covering historical information and traditions as they relate to the present. This book shows how people in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania create, dance to, and interact with traditional East African music. It considers the significance of music for people as they negotiate the world around them. It looks at the defining principle of musical performance in East Africa - how drumming (and the playing of other musical instruments), singing, dancing, and drama are deeply connected to traditional cultures. The book highlights the importance of individual musicians as specialized members of communities and describes the role of musical performances in such social systems as popular entertainment and religious rituals. Some notated musical examples are given, and the included 70-minute CD contains recorded examples of the music discussed in the text. 139 pages.