QUARTER II: AFRO-LATIN AMERICAN AND POPULAR MUSIC

MUSIC OF AFRICA
Music has always been an important part of the daily life of the African people. African music is a collective result of
the cultural and musical diversity of more than 50 ethnic division of the continent. The organization of this vast continent is a
colonial legacy from European rule of the different nations up to the end of the 19th century, enabling to incorporate its music
with language, environment, political developments, immigration, and cultural diversity.

Traditional Music of Africa

African traditional music is largely functional in nature, used primarily in ceremonial rites, such as
birth, death, marriage, succession, worship, and spirit invocations.

Some types of African Music

Afrobeat Jive
A term used to describe the fusion of West African with A popular form of South African music featuring an
black American music. uninhibited variation of the jitterbug, a form of swing
dance.
Apala (Akpala) Juju
A musical genre from Nigeria in the Yoruba tribal style to A popular music style from Nigeria that relies on the
wake up the worshipers after worshiping during the traditional Yoruba rhythms where the instruments in Juju
Muslim holy feast of Ramadan. Percussion are more western in origin. A drum kit, keyboard, pedal
instrumentation includes the rattle (sekere), thumb piano steel guitar, and accordion are used along with the
(agidigbo), bell (agogo), and two or three talking drums. traditional dun-dun.

Axe Kwassa Kwassa

A popular musical genre from Salvador, Bahia and A dance style begun in Zaire in the late 1980’s
Brazil. It fuses the Afro-Caribbean style of the march, popularized by Kanda Bongo Man.
reggae and calypso.
Jit Marabi
It is a hard and percussive Zimbabwean dance music Marabi is three-chord township music of the 1930’s-
played on drums with guitar accompaniment, influenced 1960’s which evolved into African jazz.
by mbira-based guitar style.

Latin American Music Influenced by African Music

Reggae Soca
A Jamaican sound dominated by bass guitar and A modern Trinidadian and Tobago pop music
drums. It refers to a particular music style that combining soul and calypso music
was strongly influenced by traditional mento and
calypso music, as well as American jazz and
rhythm and blues. The most recognizable
elements of reggae are its offbeat rhythm and
staccato chords.

Salsa Were
Salsa music is Cuban, Puerto Rican and This is a Muslim music performed often as a
Columbian dance music. It comprises various wake-up call for early breakfast and prayers
musical genres including the Cuban son during Ramadan celebrations
montuno, guaracha, cha-cha-cha, mambo, and
bolero.

Samba Zouk
Samba is the basic underlying rhythm that Zouk is fast, carnival like rhythmic music, from the
typifies most Brazilian music. It is lively and Creole, slang word for party, originating in the
rhythmical dance music with three steps to every Caribbean islands of Guadaloupe and Martinique
bar, making the samba feels like a timed dance. and popularized in the 1980’s
 Vocal Forms of African Music
1. Maracatu
Maracatu first surfaced in the African state of Pernambuco, combining the strong rhythms of African percussion
instruments with Portuguese melodies. The Maracatu groups were called nacoes (nations) who paraded with a drumming
ensemble numbering up to 100, accompanied by a singer, chorus and a coterie of dancers.

Musical instruments used in Maracatu

Tarol - Shallow snare drum Agbe- A gourd shakers covered by beads,

Caixa-de-guerra - War-like snare Miniero or ganza- A cylindrical metal shaker filled with
metal shot or small dried seed.

Gongue- A metal cowbell (Providing the clanging sound) Alfaia- A large wooden drum that is roped-tuned

2. Blues
The blues is the musical form of the 19th century that has deep roots in African American communities. The notes of
the blues create an expressive and soulful sound

Noted Rhythm and Blues Performers

1. Ray Charles 4. James Brown 7. Steve Winwood
2. Cab Calloway 5. Aretha Franklin 8. Blues Traveler
3. John Lee Hooker 6. Eric Clapton 9. B.B. King

3. Soul
A popular genre of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It originated in the United States. It combines elements
of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues and often jazz. The catchy rhythms are accompanied by handclaps
and extemporaneous body moves which are among its important features. Other characteristics include “call and response”
between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense and powerful vocal sound.

Some important innovators whose recording in the 1950’s contributed to the emergence of the soul music.

1. James Brown- “Godfather of Soul” 4. Etta James 6. Hank Ballard

2. Clyde McPhatter 5. Ray Charles 7. Little Richard
3. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson

4. Spiritual
The term spiritual, normally associated with a deeply religious person, refers here to a Negro spiritual, a song form
by African migrants to America who became enslave by its white communities. The musical form became their outlet to vent
their loneliness and anger, and is a result of interaction of music and religion from Africa with that of America. The texts are
mainly religious, sometimes taken from psalm, while the music utilizes deep bass voices. The vocal inflections, Negro
accents and dramatic dynamics changes add to the musical interest and effectiveness of the performance.

Example of Spiritual music

1. We are Climbing Jacob’s ladder 3. Rock my Soul
2. When the Saints Go Marching In 4. Peace be Still

5. Call and Response

The call and response method is a succession of two distinct musical phrases usually rendered by different
musicians, where the second phrase act as a direct commentary on or response to the first. Much like the question and
answer sequence in human communication. It also forms a strong resemblance to the verse-chorus form in many vocal
compositions.
Examples of Call and Response Songs
1. Mannish Boy- One of the signature songs by Muddy Waters
2. Ring, Ring Goes the Bell – By Chuck Berry
3. School Da
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF AFRICA
African music incorporates all the major instrumental genres of Western music, including strings, winds, and
percussion, along with a tremendous variety of specific African musical instruments for solo or ensemble playing.

Classifications of Traditional African Instruments

Idiophone – are percussion instruments that are either struck with mallet or against one another.

Balafon Shekere Agogo Atingting kon

Slit drum Djembe Rattles Rasp

1. Balafon – A west African xylophone. A pitched percussion instrument with bars made from bamboo or
logs
2. Rattles – Vessels made of seashells, tin, basketry, animal hoofs, horn, wood, metal, cocoons, palm ker
nels or tortoise shells. These may range from single to several objects that are either
joined or suspended to create sound as they hit each other.
3. Agogo – Single bell or multiple bells that has its origins in traditional Yoruba. Music as in the samba
bateria (percussion) ensembles. Can be called “the oldest samba instrument based on west African
Yoruba single or double bells”. It has the highest pitch among the bateria instruments.
4. Atingting kon – The atingting kon are slit gongs used as communication between villages. Traditionally, they are curved
out of wood to resemble ancestors and had a slit opening at the bottom.
5. Slit Drum – It is a hallow percussion instrument. Although referred to as drum, it is more of an
Idiophone.
6. Djembe- The West African djembe(zhembay) is one of the best-known African drums. It is shaped like
a large goblet and played with bare hands.
7. Shekere – It is a type of gourd and shell megaphone from west Africa, consisting of a dried gourd
with bead woven into a net covering the gourd.
8. Rasp- A rasp, or scraper, is a hand percussion instrument whose sound is produce by scaping the
notches on a piece of wood with a stick, creating a series of rattling effects.

Membranophones – Are instruments, usually drums, which have vibrating animal membranes.
Their shapes may be conical, cylindrical, barrel, hourglass, globular or kettle and are
played with sticks, hand or a combination of both

Entenga (Ganda) Dundun(Yoruba) Atumpan (Akan) Ngoma (Shona)

1. Body Percussion
African people frequently use their bodies as musical instruments.
They clap their hands, slap their thighs, pound their upper arms or
chest, shuffle and stomp their feet. This body percussion creates
actions or movements that combines dance and music.
2. Talking Drum
The talking drum is used to send messages to announce birth, deaths, marriages, sporting events, dances,
initiation, or war. It is also believed that these drums can carry direct messages to the Spirits after the death of a loved one.

Lamellaphones - One of the most popular African percussion instruments which is a set of tongues, or keys mounted on a
sound board. It is known by different names according to the regions such as mbira, karimba, kisaanj and likembe
 MBIRA (Thumb piano or finger xylophone)

From Zimbabwe that is used throughout the continent. It consists of a

wooden board with attached metal tines of graduated sizes. It is played by holding
the instrument while plucking the tines with thumbs, producing a soft pluck sound.
It is used in ceremonial functions

Chordophones- Instruments which produce sounds from the vibration of strings.

Musical Bow
Ancestor of all string instruments. It is the oldest and one of the most widely used string instruments of Africa.

The Mouth Bow The Resonator Bow The Earth Bow

2. Lute 3. Kora 4. Zither 5. Zeze – From Sub-Saharan Africa

Has Arabic state origin Africa’s most sophisticated Strings are attached along Has one or two strings made of
Harp its body. steel or bicycle brake wire

Aerophone
Musical instruments that produce sound primarily by trapping or enclosing a body or column of air and causing it to vibrate.

1. Flutes

Fulani Atenteben Panpipes

Traditional flute of the Fulani people Bamboo flute from Ghana Consists of cane pipes of
different length.

2. Horns 3. Reed Pipes 4. Whistles 5. Trumpets

Either end-blown or s ide Single-reed pipes Found throughout the Made of wood, metal,
blown continent May be made animal horn etc. Often
of wood or other material used to announced the
arrival or departure of
important guest.
 POPULAR MUSIC

Popular music literally means “music of the populace”. Similar to traditional folk music of the past. As it developed in
the 20th century, pop music generally consisted of music for entertainment of large number of people, whether on radio or
live performances.

Popular Music Styles and Genre

1. FOLK MUSIC
Traditionally, folk music refers to melodies and songs of the common people that are handed down from one
generation to the next.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s, folk music took a new character. It was combined with elements of rock to express the
social and political concerns of the youth of that era.
Folk materials were adopted by contemporary performers and popularized in concerts, recordings and broadcasting. A new
genre of popular music with folk roots had developed.

Known Folk Music Artists

Joan Baez Bob Dylan

2. COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC

It is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. It has roots in traditional folk
music and evolved rapidly in the 1920’s. “Country music” began to be used in the 1940’s when the earlier term “Hillbilly
music” was felt to be degrading, and the term was subsequently embraced in the 1970’s.

3. BALLADS
The ballad originated as an expressive folksong in narrative verse with text dealing typically with love. The word is
derived both from the medieval French “chanson Balladee” and “ballade” which refers to a dancing song.

Variations of Ballads
a. Blue Ballads – A fusion of Anglo-American and Afro-American styles from the 19th century
b. Jazz Ballads- Built from a single verse of 16 bars ending dominant of half-cadence.
George Gershwin – The Man I Love
Irving Berlin- Always
Duke Ellington- In A Sentimental Mood
c. POP and Rock Ballads- An emotional love song with suggestions of folk music.
Beatles- The Ballad of John and Yoko
Billy Joel – The ballad of Billy
4. STANDARDS
The term “standard” is used to denote the most popular and enduring songs from a particular genre or style.

Foremost Proponents of Standards

• Frank Sinatra -Also known as “Ol”,” Blue Eyes”, “Chairman of the Board” or “The Voice”.
• His Songs: My Way, Strangers in the Night
• Nat King Cole; Unforgettable, Mona Lisa Too Young
• Mat Monroe- Portrait of My Love, From Russia with Love, Born Free

5. ROCK and ROLL

A hugely popular song from the United States during the late 1940’s to the 1960’s. It combined Afro-American forms
such as the blues, jump blues, jazz and gospel music with the Western swing and country music.
• Chuck Berry- Johnny B. Good, Roll Over Beethoven
• Elvis Presley- Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes
6. DISCO
Pertained to rock music that was more danceable, thus leading to the establishment of venues for public dancing
also called discos. The term originated from “discotheque” which means a library for phonograph records.

Superstars of the Disco Genre

Bee Gees The Village People

ABBA Gloria Gaynor
Donna Summer- The Queen of Disco Earth, Wind and Fire
7. POP MUSIC
A genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950’s in the United Kingdom.
They have a good rhythm, a catchy melody and are easy to remember and sing along to.
 Some of the Pop Artists
A.

a. Neil Sedaka c. Diana Rose e. Olivia Newton John

b. Stevie Wonder d. The Carpenters

B.
Michael Jackson- “The King of Pop”
Some of his popular songs
1. Thriller- World’s Best-Selling Album of All Time 6. Scream
2. The Wall 7. Beat It
3. Bad 8. Billie Jean
4. Dangerous 9. Black or white
5. History
C.
a. One Direction b. Ed Sheeran

8. HIP HOP AND RAP

Hip hop music, also known as rap music, is a genre of popular music developed in the United States by inner-city
African Americans and Latino Americans in the Bronx Borough of New York City in the 1970’s.
It consists of stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is
chanted.

➢ Early Hip Hop Artist- LL Cool J Run- D.M.C.

➢ Recent Hip-hop Artists- Eminem Kanye West Beastie Boys

9. ALTERNATIVE MUSIC
Alternative music was an underground independent form of music that arose in the 1980’s. It became widely
popular in the 1990’s to defy “mainstream” rock music. Thus, it was known for its unconventional practices such as distorted
guitar sounds, oppressive lyrics and defiant attitude.

Alternative Pop/Rock Artist

1. Alanis Morrissette 3. U2
2. Nirvana 4. Billie Eilish

CLASSICAL MUSIC
Classical Music is a very general term which normally refers to the standards music of countries in the western
world. It is music that has been composed by musicians who trained the art of writing music (composing) and written down in
music notation so that other musicians can play it.

Classical Musicians
1. Johann Sebastian Bach 3. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 5. Franz Liszt
2. Ludwig Van Beethoven 4. Frederick Chopin

Crossover Performances
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers who appeal to different types of audience, for example
(especially in the United States) by appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical styles
or genres.

PHILIPPINE POPULAR MUSIC

The word that comes to one’s mind when we think of contemporary Philippine music is the type commonly termed
as Original Pinoy Music or Original Philippine Music or OPM for short.

1960’s to 1970’s OPM Singers

1. Asin 3. Victor Wood 5. Eddie Pregrina
2. Nora Aunor Victor 4. Apo Hiking Society 6. Pilita Corales

1970’s-1980’s Major Commercial Philippine

Pop music artists
1. Claire Dela Fuente 4. Hajji Alejandro 7. Imelda Papin 10. Basil Valdez
2. Didith Reyes 5. Rey Valera 8. Eva Eugenio 11. Celeste Legaspi
3. Rico J. Puno 6. Freddie Aguilar 9. Ryan Cayabyab
 1980’s to 1990’s Popular OPM Singers
1. Martin Nievera 4. Dingdong Avanzado 7. Regine Velasquez 10. Manilyn Reynes
2. Lea Salonga 5. Janno Gibbs 8. Ogie Alcasid 11. Pops Fernandez
3. Sharon Cuneta 6. Vina Morales 9. Joey Albert 12. R. Lauchengco

1990’ Popular Bands

1. Eraserheads 3. Rivermaya 5. South Boarder
2. Smokey Mountain 4. After Image 6. Parokya Ni Edgar

Original Pilipino Music (OPM)

The year 1980’s to 1990’s is regarded as “The Golden Era of Philippine Ballads”
1. Ryan Cayabyab – Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika
2. Willie Cruz – Sana’y Wala ng Wakas, Tubig at Langis
3. Jose Marie Chan – Beautiful Girl, Please Be Careful with My Heart
4. Gary Valenciano – Sana Maulit Muli

Recently Included Popular Singers

Sarah Geronimo and Arnel Pineda

Philippine Pop Music

It started as an adaptation or translation, if not complete imitation of Western hits. It started with:
Bobby Gonzalez – “Hahabol-Habol” (Hot Pursuit) Rico J. Puno -Luneta

Philippine Jazz
Filipino Musicians whose music were inspired by Jazz
Boy Katindig Angel Peña Bobby Enriquez
Lito Molina Emil Mijares

Philippine Alternative Folk Music

This new form combined ethnic instrumentation with electronic accompaniment, while presenting themes or issues
of society and environment

Filipino Composers Who Championed this Style

1. Grace Nono – Ani
2. Edru Abraham of Kontragapi (Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino)
3. Joey Ayala – Tabi Po

Other Composers Whose Styles Ranged from Folk to Semi-Ethnic

1. Freddie Aguilar – Anak 3. Florante – Ako’y Isang Pinoy
2. Yoyoy Villame – Magellan 4. Gary Granada – Ka Bayani

Philippine Rock
The year 1973 saw the birth of the Philippine Rock or “Pinoy Rock” music which successfully merged the rock beat
with Filipino lyrics.
1. Juan Dela Cruz – Ang Himig Natin 3. Hale 5. Sugar Free
2. Wolfgang 4. Sandwich 6. Sponge Cola

Pinoy Rap
Filipino hip-hop or Pinoy hip hop (also known as Pinoy rap) is hip hop music performed by musicians
of Filipino descent, both in the Philippines and overseas, especially by Filipino-Americans.

Characteristics of Rap
Rapping (or rhyming, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates
"rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular", which is performed or chanted in a variety of ways, usually over
a backing beat or musical accompaniment.

Francis Magalona
Born on October 4, 1964 and died on March 6, 2009. He is also known as Francis M.“Master Rapper”,
and “The Man From Manila”. He was the first rapper to crossover to the mainstream, credited for having
pioneered the merging of rap with Pinoy rap becoming a significant influence on artists in that genre as well.
1. Mga Kababayan 3. Meron akong Ano
2. Man From Manila 4. Ito ang Gusto Ko