The djembe drum dates back roughly between 400 and 800 years, created during the Malian Empire by the Mandé people across regions including Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast. Picture a goblet ...

African music, with its distinctive emphasis on polyrhythm and beats flowing from percussive instruments, was long treated as subordinate in the international music arena. Music from the continent ...

Listeners who come to traditional African music from the American variety will find it a refreshingly organic experience. The sonorities reflect a variety of instruments both ancient and modern, ...

EVERETT — A nonstop flight from Seattle to Africa will take close to 20 hours and cost thousands. But life on the continent can be experienced for free this weekend in Everett. The first-ever Sounds ...

Traditional African musical sounds and songs are under threat today. More than 50 years after the end of official colonial rule, the legacy of colonialism continues to sideline many traditional ...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — This weekend, African cultures will be celebrated at the annual Glimpse of Africa festival through authentic artwork, music, food and more. The Glimpse of Africa Festival—now in ...

Across generations, across borders, and across genres, African women have not only contributed to the continent’s sound, they have defined it.From the golden era of Afro-jazz and soul to the current ...

No musician has been more devoted to exploring the connection between Afro-American classical music (jazz) and the ancestral spirits and rhythms of the African continent than Randy Weston. The ...

THE techniques and repertoire of traditional African music are handed down by word of mouth. There are skilled musicians who make music their profession. However, participation in music is generally ...

*This episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast features Lorraine Lionheart, a singer and songwriter heating up the global music scene. Hailing from Botswana in Southern Africa and based in the UK, she ...

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. Take traditional African instruments, ...