I came across this little-viewed video when the harmonica/djembe player commented on a video of mine. He was agreeing with my idea that the harmonica player is, among other things, beholden to whatever dancers may be in the room. In this video, a handful of male musicians (two guitarists plus this guy) are foregrounded by a pair of gently swaying female singer/dancers. It's hard to define the dancers' function--they're sort of the African equivalent of go-go dancers; they're pleasant to look at, obviously, but they also give you a visual equivalent of the underlying spirit and rhythmic flow of the music. The harmonica playing is very basic first-position stuff, but it intrigued me. First, I'm sure I've never seen this particular double--djembe and harmonica played simultaneously--and second, the harmonica is being used for purely rhythmic purposes, a kind of background texture that we could all learn from.
And of course those of us who are intrigued by the OMB format--harp and rhythm--should be interested in a Kenyan musician who is trending in that direction:
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Feb 13, 2013 3:14 AM
I'm a HUGE fan of East African music (especially music from the various ethnic traditions centered around Mali). I've only listened a little bit to music from other parts of Africa (southern and western), but this Kenyan stuff was killer!
As an aside, I've played with djembe player a couple times out on the street. Both times it was just one of those fortuitous things that happens when you play on the streets: a djembe player just came up and was like "Harmonica! I've always wanted to jam with a harp player!", and so we did. Funny thing is that both times I felt myself playing some of the most inspired stuff I've ever played. I don't know if it's the djembe in particular, or just having some good percussion going on, but they were both "magical" experiences. Sad thing is that I didn't have my camera either time!!! I ought to see if there are any djembe players locally that want to meet up to jam... It might be a pretty cool thing to pursue... ----------
The Sting track is probably Brendan Power on harmonica. Both Brendan and Larry Adler played harmonica on that CD, with Sting stating that while he can play the harmonica, he wanted better players than himself. I don't remember him receiving harmonica credits in the actual album liner notes (though the Wikipedia entry gives him credit). ---------- Winslow
Great stuff. Thanks Adam. More things on the ever-growing 'to do' list. We'll see how my marriage copes with me drumming aound the house... :) ----------
Smithsonian Folkways has a number of field recordings of this way of playing tremolo harmonica in various African countries dating from, I'm guessing, the 1950s. ---------- Winslow
Just a point of geography: Mali is in West Africa, not East. And this is where Ali was from. Kenya would be in East Africa. All great music.
Last Edited by harp-er on Feb 14, 2013 6:30 AM
Ha! You caught me! :) Of course I know that Mali is in West Africa, Duh! (*head in hands*)... Total dyslexic brain fart for me there... This one stings especially sharply 'cause I pride myself quite highly on my knowledge of geography! Oh well... Can't win 'em all!
FWIW, what I meant to say was that I've been really into WEST African music for the last couple of years, but have only listened to a little bit of EAST and Southern African music... :) ----------
seems like harmonica is in the same place there as many others.. the guitar playing is very sophisticated. the harmonica, not so much. not that i do not like what is being played
also curious adam why being able to move your body in a pleasing way and singing is somehow less than making music? they probably took as many hours practicing it, yet you are not sure how it fits in?
Walter, I think that after asking an implied rhetorical question--because that's what we professors do, as you know--I've answered it. I trust that you agree and are asking a rhetorical question of your own, not one that requires an answer from me.
But suppose I'm wrong about that?
Of course what the women do fits in and requires practice. My implied rhetorical question ("What is the function of the female dancers?") doesn't suggest otherwise. Quite the reverse: it strongly implies that my critical powers aren't quite the equal of their wonderful, subtle performance practice.
"Anyone who sees beauty and does not look at it will soon be poor." ~Yoruba Proverb
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Feb 14, 2013 7:27 PM
@harp-er: not kidding, I work for a foundation supporting civic education/democritization work around the world and I "ride" the east africa desk (in Berlin but we also have a regional office in Dar es Salaam). Gets me around a lot, including some other parts of Africa, last year I had a weeks tour through Senegal (while neighboring Mali was imploding and elections were on - fun times) and it was great musically :)
oh yeah, on the matter of the ladies dancing wikipedia tells me thus: "Mtindo"
A mtindo (pl. mitindo) is simply a rhythm, dance or style identified with a particular band. Sikinde, for example, is associated with Mlimani Park, and is derived from the ngoma (musical events held by the Zaramo). Some bands maintain the same mtindo throughout their career, while others change along with personnel or popular preference.
Mebbe that's part of it or we are reading all to much into the whole thing :)
@MarkHagen: interesting work you do, I'm sure. I asked partly because I have a vicarious connection to West Africa thru my son who has traveled there several times to study drumming, particularly kassonke music in Mali, and to record music and dance. In fact he's in Dakar at this very moment awaiting his flight back to the States this week after a short 5 week visit to help one of his teachers. Couldn't go to Mali this trip, of course. He says he'd ideally like to live there part of the year. We'll see. Travel safe.
