African musical traits in African American music

[jorge]

OK, since I am reading Kubik's statement out of context, maybe I am misinterpreting it. But either way, in the micro sense of reassembling the pattern in a single 12/8 phrase while playing, or in the macro sense of putting back together something that had been lost for years or generations, I think the mystery can be compared to logically filling in missing data. In the macro sense, there are only a limited number of ways to play and resolve a particular pattern, once an overarching structure is set up (like a clave, or a specific coro, or a dance step). Within that structure, intelligent drummers continents or centuries apart will come up with many similar patterns if there is no rote "correct" way to play it that is enforced culturally (like classical bata patterns). Certain ways to play it work, other ways don't work, and there is usually some flexibility and multiple ways to do it. That is why "clave" is a key. Once the clave is preserved, much of the rest can be reconstructed, especially if other cultural factors can provide structural clues.

[davidpenalosa]

. . . "clave" is a key. Once the clave is preserved, much of the rest can be reconstructed, especially if other cultural factors can provide structural clues.

Amen.
-David

[davidpenalosa]

There's a great program playing on PBS right now called Give me a Banjo. I'm sure it will be in rotation on PBS. Check it out. It goes into the history of the instrument, telling how white minstrels dressed in "black face," were the first European Americans to adapt the banjo.


“It was an African instrument when it came here. It became an African American instrument here. And it eventually began being played by European Americans”—Give Me a Banjo PBS (11/4/11).

banjo player