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PULSE OF AFRICA, an African music radio program was originally created by liza schanz in Tokyo, Japan, as part of Creative Culture "Radio-On" and broadcast over Japan's Can System Cable Satellite Radio Network. Pulse of Africa then became Bambara Beat and was broadcast live on KKCR 90.9 FM Hanalei, on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii as a two hour soundscape spinning diversity in African and Black music. Dj bambara combines traditional and contemporary regional African, West African Mandeng music, Afro-Latin, Afro-Beat, Soul/Funk/Scratch/Re-mix and Hip-Hop.
PULSE OF AFRICA produced 2 African music soundscape compilation CDs. One of its projects was also photographing and recording traditional Malian music in the dusty Sahelian capital city of Bamako, Mali, West Africa.
In Malian or Maninka music culture, music related to hunters' societies and their legendary hunter heroes are sung to the accompaniment of the "simbi" a seven stringed calabash gourd harp. Also played is the six stringed Wasulu "donso ngoni" shown at the top of the page on the far right and in the photo to the left. In olden times hunters' songs and their instrument exalted courage, exhorting warriors to endurance and valor. Other instruments played are the "nege"or iron scraper, the "su fle" or sorcerer's whistle and the "kesekese"or woven fiber shakers. Naamu! Hunter's music might be the oldest musical tradition still surviving in West Africa and continues to be a potent inspiration to modern Malian musicians. For more hunter ceremony photos go to concert photos above.
Modern urban electric music, also referred to as electro-grio is mostly dominated by electric guitar which attempts to imitate the sounds of the traditional instruments of the griots; the kora, bala and n'goni. This guitar based adaptation along with Black American, European and Latin American styles has created one of the most powerful and fascinating musical syntheses in African music today.
click on face for 5 Women of Mali
Music courtesy: Toumani Diabate & Ali Farka Toure
music photos/website: liza afrika
