Glossary

Getting your Afrobeat confused with your Highlife? Here you'll find a glossary of all things in African music, such as genres and instruments - courtesy of the Afropop Worldwide website.

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Afoxé

From Bahia, traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythm and dance movement. Also refers to the musical groups that play it, whose members generally practice candomble.

African Jazz

South Africa's unique blend of American jazz instrumentation and arrangement concepts with indigenous sources such as marabi. Many African groups such as Guinea's Bembeya Jazz and Zaire's T.P.O.K. Jazz incorporated "jazz" in band names but did not have the same direct connection to American jazz as in South Africa.

Afrobeat

Term coined by Nigerian iconoclast Fela Anikulapo-Kuti for his fusion of West African and black American music.

Afropop

Contemporary African music in its wide variety. Usually refers to urban, electric dance music. Sometimes mistakenly used to signify one style or sound. Also refers to AFROPOP series launched in 1988 on National Public Radio in the U.S, the first national showcase in U.S. media devoted to contemporary African music.

agooda

Sierra Leone street music incorporated by Abdul T-Jay.

al-jeel

Modern Egyptian dance music, originally created by Egyptians and Libyan expatriates in Cairo. Fusion of Nubian, Bedouin and Egyptian rhythms.

ambass-bey

Cameroonian street music popularized by Salle John and others.

Andalous

From Andalusia, the region of southern Spain ruled by the Moors until late inthe 15th century, and renowned for its highly developed classical music tradition. Today, Andalous music survives mostly in Morocco.

apala

Yoruba vocal and percussion music from Nigeria popularized by the late Haruna Ishola.

asiko

popular music sung in Yoruba language in Nigeria during the 1920s and 1930s. Important influence on development of juju.

authenticité

French for "authenticity". Era-shaping policy decreed by Mobutu in early 70s Zaire to discourage European and colonial-era identity and to encourage indigenous sources in names, dress, and culture. Franco played key role in spreading the word about authenticite to the masses.

Axe

Yoruba word roughly translatable as "life force," now applied as a label for an Afro-Bahian pop style.

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bachata

A Dominican dance and guitar-based song style with rhythm similar to the Cuban son; made internationally popular by Juan Lúis Guerra.

balafon

West African xylophone made of wood slats and calabash resonators. Variations appear throughout Africa such as the marimba in Mozambique.

batá

Family of three double-headed Nigerian drums played across the lap. Used in the Yoruba religious music of Cuba.

batucada

A drumming session in samba, or in a samba parade.

bendir

Northern African hand drum constructed from a circular wooden frame, 40-50 cm across,with a taut skin stretched over it. Used in many forms of traditional and modern music from this region.

benga

Musical style from western Kenya originally from the Luo people but now more widely used in the country

berimbau

Bow-shaped instrument with one steel string and a gourd resonator, brought from Angolato Brazil.

biguine

Dance rhythm from Martinique.

bikutsi

Popular Cameroonian folk-based rhythm from the Yaounde area.

Bloco afro

Contemporary Afro-Bahian carnival associations and drum corps. Best known is Olodum.

bolero

Slow ballad, popular in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

bomba

Afro-Puerto Rican musical form from coastal towns, featuring call and response between lead singer and chorus, accompanied by maracas, sticks, and barrel-shaped drums.

boucher

Popular Congolese dance first introduced by Les Bantous de la Capitale of Brazzaville in 1965.

box guitar

Acoustic guitar.

bugalú

Black PuertoRican crossover sound of the mid-60's New York. Biggest hit was Joe Cuba's "Bang Bang."

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cadence

French-Antillean dance music based, in part, on the compas-direct from Haiti.

Calypso

Trinidadian song often sung with topical lyrics. Calysonians compete at annual carnival.

candombe

Afro-Latin music from the River Plate, once present in both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay. Re-energized in the 70's by Uruguayan pop and rock musicians.

Candomblé

Afro-Brazilian syncretic religion. Venerates the Yoruba pantheon and incorporates Bantu elements.

Capoeira

Combination martial art/ dance in Brazil accompanied by berimbau, percussion, and chant.

Cavacha

Zairian dance rhythm popular in the 1970's.

cavaquinho

Ukelele-like Portuguese instrument popular throughout the lusophone world.

cha cha chá

Cuban style, very popular internationally in 50s and still popular in Cuba today. The first cha cha chá was by Enrique Jorrín called "La Engañadora".

charanga

Cuban orchestra with violins, flutes, timbales, piano, and unison singing. Charangasled by Johnny Pacheco and others were very popular in Africa.

ChebChaba

Young man young woman. Algerian and Moroccan rai singers began using these titles in the '70s as a proud assertion of their own youth, and of their music's commitment to the concerns of youth.

Cheikh / Cheikha

Titles conferring honor upon male and female popular singers in pre-independence Algeria. Singing classical poetry and love songs, cheikhs and cheikhas preceded the bolder chebs and chabas of rai music.

chemko

The fast, final section of a Tanzanian dance band tune; analogous to the seben in Zairean music.

chimurenga

In Shona, means "struggle." Describes the mbira-based popular music of social protest pioneered during the 1970s by Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited, and taken up by others Zimbabwen pop musicians.

Chouval Bois

Traditional Martinique style featuring wooden flute, percussion (Ti Boi), and lead base drum.

chutney music

Indian classical singing to a soca beat, popular in rural Trinidad.

clave

Pair of polished, hardwood sticks struck together to produce a high-pitched sound;also refers to the two-bar rhythmic pattern underlying Afro-Cuban music. Incorporated in early Congolese music.

compas

Originally compas-direct.Haitian dance music developed by Nemours Jean-Baptiste in the 50's.

conga

Single-headed barrel-shaped drum of West African descent. Played in many Latin bands.

Congo music

Widely used term in Africa for dance music from Zaire and Congo. Also called "rumba" or sometimes "soukous."

conjunto

Cuban orchestra with vocals, trumpets, piano, bass, percussion.

cuatro

Small ten-stringed guitar used in the country music of Puerto Rico.

cumbia

The most typical Columbian form, fusion of Andean Indian, African and European musical styles. Also very popular in Mexico.

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danzón

Cuban salon dance, originally played by wind bands and subsequently by charangas. Characterized by the cinquillo rhythm of quarter-eighth-quarter-eighth-quarter. The danzón was modernized in the late 30's by Arcano y sus Maravillas,who added a section at the end for harder dancing, called the "mambo"section, which developed into the mambo of the 50's.

didadi

Athletic dance rhythm from Wassoulou region of Mali.

disco

Generic term used for a music style popular in South African townships from early 80s to the present characterized by keyboards and heavy dancebeat. Also sometimes called "bubblegum".

DJ

Jamaican artist who talks over dub tracks. Influenced U.S. rap music. Early DJ's were U Roy and Big Youth.

djembe

West African hand drum often with metal sheets attached for amplification.

dry guitar

Acoustic guitar.

dub

Stripped-down mix of reggae tracks with echo effects.

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extempo

Lyrically improvised calypso, a tradition that connects Trinidad to Africa.

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firquah

Egyptian film orchestra consisting of traditional North African instruments and, from the 20's on, violins and other western instruments.

fuji

Yoruba voice and percussion style popularized by Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Alhaji Ayinla Kollington. Currently very popular in Nigeria.

funana

Cape Verdean dance, typically with accordion and metal scraper.

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gimbri

Common North African lute of sub-Saharan origin. Characteristics include a round, fretless neck, two or three strings, and a sound box with a drum-like hide face. Also called "sintir."

Gnawa

spiritual brotherhood in Morocco of people descended from slaves brought from Mali in 16th Century. Gnawa music--featuring three string sintir or gimbri, unison singing, and hand clapping--is played at healing ceremonies. ."

goje or goge

West African stringed instrument similar to violin.

gospel highlife

Highlife music with Christian themes played in the churches of Ghana. Now one of the biggest selling musics in the country.

griot / griotte

French words for male and female traditional bards and praise singers of West Africa. In Mandinka, a key language of the best known griot culture, they would be called jeli or jali, and jelimoussou, or jalimuso.

groaner

South African male singer who takes deep bass part in mbaqanga songs. Most famous groaner is Mahlathini.

Guira

Metal scraper used in merengue.

Gwoka

Percussion and street rhythm from the Antilles that has influenced zouk.

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highlife

Dance music from Ghana and eastern Nigeria. Very popular in West Africa in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

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indlamu

Traditional Zulu dance where the dancer lifts one foot over his head and brings it down hard, landing squarely on the music's downbeat. Typically,two dancers in warrior's pelts perform indlamu routines together, shadowing each other's moves perfectly.

iscathamiya

South African a cappela singing style popularized internationally by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

iskista

Ethiopian dance involving shaking shoulders and heaving chests. Very popular in Addis Ababa beerhalls.

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jali

Court or wandering bard in Manding society responsible for keeping oral histories and family lineages. Plays instruments such as kora and balafon.

jalimusolu

Female griot singer in west Africa.

jit

Vocal and percussion music from Zimbabwe rural villages. The term was adapted by the Bhundu Boys during the 1980s,and has subsequently become associated with driving, electric pop music.

jive

South African urban electric pop music.

juju

popular Yoruba style from Nigeria, featuring talking drums, guitars, keyboards, and sometimes pedal steel. First juju star was I.K. Dairo. Top-selling juju star and international popularizer is King Sunny Ade.

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kabosy

Traditional four-stringed instrument from Madagascar played by Dama, Rossy and others. Plays lively, strummed rhythms.

kalindula

Zambian pop music style. Originally named after a traditional one-string bass, kalindula has become a general term for much of this southern African country's homegrown pop.

kamele ngoni

Literally "young person's harp." A smaller version of the dosongoni, or "hunter's harp," this six-string harp-lute gives the Wassoulou music of southern Mali distinctive, funky,low lines that define its rhythm and harmony.

kiri kiri

Dance rhythm popularized by the late Doctor Nico in Zaire in mid-60s.

kora

21-string harp-lute played in Mali, the Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal. Central to Manding culture.

kpanlogo

Popular percussion rhythm developed in Ghana in 60s.

krar

Ancient Ethiopian lyre with five or six gut or nylon strings. A krar has a bowl-shaped,goatskin-covered resonator as well as a large wooden yoke heldin place by two wooden arms. Sometimes called Harp of Apollo.

kwassa kwassa

Dance popular in Zaire in late 80s. Later, in other parts of Africa, became a synonym for Zairean music following the success of Kanda Bongo Man's African tours.

kwela

Pennywhistle street music from South Africa in the 50s.

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likembe

Lamellophone, or "thumb piano," from Congo.

Lingala

Trade language along Congo River between present day Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. The language heard in modern soukous music.

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macumba

Afro-Brazilian religion; term is used both for a specific religion and generically for Afro-Brazilian religions.

madiaba

Zairian dance craze in late 80s that succeeded kwassa kwassa.

Maghreb

The western-most part of the Arabic-speaking world, the Maghreb stretches from Egypt west across northern Africa to the Atlantic Ocean, Morocco being its furthest extremity.

makassi

rhythm popularized by Cameroonian star Sam Fan Thomas whose hits were key to launching international makossa boom in mid-'80s.

makossa

Cameroonian dance rhythm from Douala area.

makozouk

Fusion of makossa and zouk made primarily by Cameroonian composers in Paris

malhoun

Semi-classical poetry and music tradition dating back to the Moorish settlement of Andalusia in southern Spain.

mallem

Master of a brotherhood of musicians, specifically the famed group from the Moroccan village of Jajouka in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

mambo

Afro-Cuban musical form that became popular in the U.S. during the 50's. Mambo also refers to an instrumental section of a salsa or merengue tune.

Manding

Umbrella term for a related family of West African ethnic groups--including Mandinka, Bambara, Joula, Sousou, Malinke and others--and their associated cultures.

maqam

Any of approximately 120 scales used in Arab classical music and its popular descendants. Modern Arab music mostly uses about 20 maqams, sometimes moving through several in a single piece.

marabenta

Urban party in Mozambique featuring live music. Also a speeded up version of local majika rhythm.

marabi

South African style originating as piano based music played in World War I era slums. Later incorporated by emerging South African jazz bands from the '30s on. Used loosely by various musicians in South Africato mean everything from original piano style to South African jazz in general. Also used more broadly to evoke memories of townshipnight life in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

marakatu

Afro-Brazilian rhythm of the northeast. Popularized internationally by Chico Science and Nacao Zumbi.

marovany

Deep-toned box zither from the southern part of Madagascar.

masenqo

Ethiopian one-string fiddle with a diamond-shaped sound box covered with goat skin.

mawal

Improvised vocals used in Egyptian shaabi music, the toast of Cairo's working class neighborhoods. Mawal lets the singer show off storytelling abilities and street smarts.

mbalax

Percussion music from Senegal, modernized by Youssou N'Dour and others.

mbaqanga

South African township music popular from the mid-60s to mid-70s.

mbira

Original Shona-language term for a hand-held, metal-pronged instrument used in religious ceremonies to initiate communication with ancestor spirits. Mbira has become a general term for this entire class of instruments--lamellophones--popularly known as "thumb pianos."

mbira

Thumb piano of the Shona people in Zimbabwe. Played by plucking metal strips on a wooden slab, often clamped inside a gourd resonator. Used recreationally and to communicate with ancestors.

mbube

Term used to describe South African choral music.

merdoum

Folkloric vocal and drum style made popular by Sudanese singer and bandleader Abdel Gadir Salim.

merengue

High-energy dance beat from the Dominican Republic, very popular throughout the Latin world. Essential percussion instruments are a tambora and guira, with congas added in modern bands. Originally featured accordion; today's bands have keyboards and brass with fast repeated saxophone paterns.

mi-solo

In Congolese three-part guitar arrangements, the middle part. Sometimes doubles lead or accompaniment part.

milo jazz

Sierre Leone street music named after Milo malt drink.

montuno

Section of an Afro-Cuban dance tune using call and response between improvisations by the lead singer and repeated phrases by a vocal chorus.

morna

Song form from Cape Verde characterized by sad, often minor-key haronny and slow, sensuous rhythm.

mqashiyo

What Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens called their style of mbaqanga.

mtindo

In Tanzania, the musical and performance style of each band and the dancing style associated with it.

mutuashi

Dance and rhythm from southeastern Congo, popularized by Tshala Muana.

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ngoma

Refers to a combination of music-song-dance in Tanzania and Kenya. Also refers to a specific type of drum, or drums in general.

njarka

From Mali, small, bowed fiddle made from gourd with long neck and one thin gut string.

Nubia

Region of the Nile valley linking Egypt and Sudan, much of it flooded to create the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser. As Nubians have moved into major cities, their music has developed into urban styles and has influenced Cairo's al-jeel sound.

nyatiti

7-stringed lyre played in western Kenya.

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orutu

one-stringed fiddle played in western Kenya. Also refers to currently popular Kenyan style which includes this instrument.

oud

Arabic lute consisting of a large, wooden sound box, a small fretless neck, and usually six paired strings with a single bass string.

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pachanga

Fast Afro-Cuban dance rhythm popularized in New York in the late 50s.

palm wine

Acoustic guitar music from Anglophone West Africa, named after palm wine drink.

pata pata

South African township dance of the 50s. Song of same name made international hit by Miriam Makeba.

perico ripiao

A rough, rootsy accordion-based acoustic merengue, popular in the 30's. Today sometimes called "típico."

plena

A rough, rootsy accordion-based acoustic merengue, popular in the 30's. Today sometimes called "típico."

polihet

Traditional girls' dance in the Ivory Coast popularized by Gnaore Djimi whose musichas a driven triplet feel and boisterous percussion breaks.

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rai

Popular youth-oriented music from Algeria. Rai's themes of love and drink have brought rai singers in direct conflict with Islamic militants in Algeria.

raks sharki

Dance and music from Egypt performed at weddings and for the public in Cairoclubs. Referred to abroad as "belly dance music."

Rastafari

Back-to-Africa movement and religion begun in Jamaica in the 30's. Venerates Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Spiritual basis of reggae music.

reggae

Internationally popular style dominated by melodic bass and spare drums. Originally from Jamaica where it was associated with the politics of the poor and the Rastafari religion. Evolved from older styles, ska and rock steady. Has since evolved into related styles such as dub and raga muffin.

rock steady

Bridge between ska and reggae with ska's tempo cut in half.

rumba

1) Afro-Cuban street drumming and dancing noted for dense, virtuoso percussion and subtle, sexually suggestive dancing. Main formns are guaguanco, yambu and columbia. 2) Congolese dance music of the 1940s-70s, the generation of Dr. Nico, Grand Kalle, and Franco. Strongly influenced by Cuban music. Precursor of soukous.

rumbero

A singer or player of Cuban rumba.

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sabar

Senegalese drum played with one stick and one hand, featured in many Senegalese pop bands.

salegy

Fast dance music with a triplet feel from the coast of Madagascar.

Santería

Yoruba-derived Afro-Cuban religion celebrated with music and dance. Also called lucumi.

SAPEUR

Short for Society of Ambienceurs and Persons of Elegance. Spearheaded by Papa Wemba and other Congolese celebrities but picked up by other Africans living in Paris and around the world. General term used throughout much of Africa for stylish, usually male clothes horse.

sax jive

South African township dance music in 60s which developed from "pennywhistle jive". See also kwela.

seben

Fast section of modern Zairian song form.

semba

Angolan dance,the antecedent of Brazilian samba.

shaabi

Working-class pop music of Cairo. Surged in popularity with the advent of the cassette revolution in early '70s

Shango

Trinidadian religion drawn from Yoruba tradition. Drumming has influenced modern soca rhythm.

shebeen

Illegal drinking establishment that sold liquor to black South Africans. Musical performances also tookplace in shebeens.

sintir

Large plucked-string lute played by Gnawa musicians, mostly in Morocco. The instrument has a single fat string, a drum-like sound box, and a removable resonator that adds a buzzing sound to its low, resonant notes.

soukous

Generic term for modern Congolese dance music. Said to come from the French verb "secouer", "to shake."

soundama

Dance craze in Zaire, based on folk music.

spraying

Term used in West Africa for showing appreciation of a musician by placing money on them while performing. Lucrative additional source of income for musicians. Also called dashing.

Swahili

Language widely spoken in East Africa. Also refers to the Islamic Swahili people who live along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coast of East Africa.

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tama

Wolof name for talking drum, capable of imitating spoken language. Featured in electric groups of Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal and others.

tambora

Two-headed goat skin drum, held across the player's lap, that provides characteristic heart-throb merengue beat. One head is played with a stick and the other is played with the hand.

tassou

Senegalese rap music.

timbales

Single-headed drums, usually in pairs, with metal or wooden frames, played with sticks, used in Cuban music.

tumba

Characteristic musical form of Curacao.

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ukabonga

Quick, stacatto rap that occurs near the middle of a typical Zulu traditional pop tune. The singer may praise his clan or family or expand on the theme of the song.

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valiha

zither, national instrument of Madagascar, similar in sound to the kora.

Voudou

Afro-Haitian religion with influences from West Africa, the Congo River region, and from Catholicism.

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Wassoulou

Region of southeastern Mali and adjacent parts of Guinea and Ivory Coast.. People are originally Fulani but now speak Bambara. Also refers to contemporary, acoustic music style championed by women singers such as Oumou Sangare.

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Yoruba

Language and people of southwestern Nigeria. Highly developed pre-colonial civilization. Yoruba Diaspora resulting from slave trade profoundly influenced cultures of Brazil, Cuba, Haiti and elsewhere.

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zekete zekete

Dance popularized in Congo by Zaiko Langa Langa in the mid-80s.

ziglibithy

Traditional Ivorian rhythm modernized by the late Ernesto Djedje.

zomgquashiyo

Mbaqangastyle associated with Mahotella Queens.

zouglou

pop music movement in Ivory Coast in Ivory Coast. Gave voice to student protest.

zouk

creole slang word for "party". Modern hi-tech Antillean music produced mostly in Paris.

zouk chouv

Fusion of traditional Martinique style, chouval bois, with electric instruments and zouk influence.