African Rhythm, African Sensibility (Same as Africana Studies 235) (D)

 The course will investigate these topics through class discussions, papers, and reading, listening, and viewing assignments. Students will be musically immersed in African music through their participation in labs/rehearsals with the Zambezi Marimba Band (Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-6:30 PM) where they will learn to perform Zimbabwean marimba and mbira music with Professor Brown and with Cosmas Magaya and Beauler Dyoko, masters of the Zimbabwean mbira dza vadzimu (the mbira of the ancestor spirits). This material will be performed in a concert with Kusika and the Zambezi Marimba Band on a date to be announced. Other African, African-American, and European music will be discussed, analyzed, or performed informally in class.

This course fits the Educational Diversity Initiative in that it immerses students in another culture and gives them the tools with which to understand that culture from the inside. It also encourages students to reflect critically upon their insider’s perspective and to develop a more theoretical understanding of that perspective. Finally, this course fits EDI’s emphasis on the Comparative Study of Cultures and Societies by encouraging students to compare and contrast specific aspects of African and non-African music cultures.

Format: discussion/performance.

Evaluation: performance 30%. participation in Class 20%. papers 50%.