African Music – The Blog of Samite

Posts Tagged ‘Sub-Saharan music’

Welcome to our new African Music Blog, a feature designed to bring you the latest news about the world of African music currently enjoying a worldwide following.

Thanks to our dear friend Samite, Soul of Africa sounds are available to a global audience.  The New York Times describes Samite’s music as “serenity” that “seemed almost miraculous”.  If you know about Samite’s extraordinary outlook on life, you will understand why his music is so transformative.

From his early years in Uganda where his grandfather taught Samite how to play a traditional African flute, to his escape from a political dictator to Nairobi, to the peaceful enclave of Ithaca, New York, Samite says music unites the world.  He blends African traditions with challenge, fear and ultimate rebirth.

Our African music blog will provide you with some of this history and perspective and update you on Samite’s latest project, an 8th CD focusing on Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Mathai of Kenya.  Samite is proud that the winner of this prestigious honor hails from his native Africa and he will strive for music that is worthy of the occasion.

Like Samite’s extraordinary life, music with African roots continues to evolve.  Historically African music has been difficult to record in writing; it is passed down in an oral tradition and that makes it very different from western music and even from the music of Northern Africa which has Arabic influences.

Sub-Saharan music involves dance as an extension of the expression of music.  Since African dialects involve tone languages, that is, the pitch of the delivery changes the meaning of essentially the same word, rhythm; melody and dance follow the tone of the voice to assist in the “translation” of the song.

We will provide a lot of exciting information for you to peruse, both traditional and modern.  So check back frequently with our African Music Blog and learn a little something new with every click of the mouse.