African Soundscapes Spring 2013 Syllabus Course #: MUH 5536 Credits: 3 Time: Tues 1:30 –4:00 Place: KMU 204 Professor: Dr. Frank Gunderson
Office: LON 3410Office Phone: 644-6106 E-Mail: [email protected] Hours: by appointment.Course Website: Can be accessed through blackboard:http://campus.fsu.edu
Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce graduate studentsand upper-level undergraduates to the diversity ofmusical cultures from the African continent. Africanmusic is now heard and appreciated throughout the worldbecause of a combination of historical forces, whichinclude the widespread reception by African diasporanaudiences and other curious listeners, as well as theemergence of worldwide recording, broadcasting,networking and distribution systems. This course willexplore various case studies from the continent, and willgive students the tools to interpret their musical valueand contextual meanings. A background or interest inmusic, anthropology, performance studies, or Africanstudies is required.
Course Format:
This course is a reading intensive seminar. The formatof the course will also include lectures, film viewing,and listening sessions. A seminar is a form of academicteaching, normally at a university in small groups wherestudents are requested to actively participate duringmeetings. The idea behind seminars is to confrontstudents with the methodology of their chosen subject and
also to familiarize them with practical problems thatmight crop up during their research work. A seminar willencourage open discussion, where questions can be raisedand debates conducted. Seminars do not work unlessstudents complete the assigned weekly readings, and areprepared to discuss them with vigor. In order tofacilitate this, students will be asked to write short,typed, 3-5 page weekly responses/reflections/insights tothe course materials (readings and films, lectures,discussions), due every Tuesday. These reflections willbe evaluated and their overall quality will be consideredin the final grade. Main point: I need to see that youare thinking about and engaging the issues that arise inthe books, films, and discussion. Further, I need to seethat you are listening to the required sound materials,reflecting on them, and connecting your reflections tothe other course materials.
Additional Course Requirements:
In addition to participating in weekly class activitiesand writing the weekly responses, all students will:
Write an end-of-semester research paper on a topicto be decided in consultation with the professor (15pages). Graduate students will present a 20 minuteconference-style oral version of this report inclass at the end of the semester. Students will berequired to submit a 1-page proposal for theirresearch paper by week eight, and in weeks nine andten will have consultations with the professor abouttheir final project. All written assignments must
be typed, double-spaced, 12 point font with no lessthan 10 words per line, and submitted in 2 hardcopies. All footnotes/endnotes and citations mustfollow one citation format consistently (e.g.,Chicago, Turabian, APA, MLA, etc.).
Students will be required to create a fifteen-minute“guided listening” tour of one recording inconjunction with the professor, and will write athree-page CD review in a style consistent with thatexpected of an academic journal.
Students will be required to co-lead (with theprofessor) at least one discussion seminar, withpre-distributed talking points (composed inconsultation with the professor, no later thanSunday every week).
Required Listenings:
Blackboard MP3 files, as required.
College of Music Warren D. Allen library reserve CDs, asrequired.
Various webcasts, as required.
Course CDs, as required.
Required Books (available at Bill’s Bookstore and OnReserve)
Agawu, Kofi (2003). Representing African Music: Postcolonial Notes, Queries, Positions.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Barz, Gregory, and Judah Cohen. 2011. The Culture of AIDS in Africa: Hope and Healing Through Music and the Arts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Charry, Eric. 2012. Hip Hop Africa: New African Music in a Globalizing World Bloomington: Indiana University Press.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Danielson, Virginia. 1998. "The Voice of Egypt": Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ON RESERVE ALLEN
Feld, Steven. 2012. Jazz Cosmopolitanism in Accra: Five Musical Years in Ghana. Duke University Press.FSU LIBRARY ONLINE
Friedson, Steven. 2009. Remains of Ritual: Northern Gods in a Southern Land. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Gilman, Lisa. 2011. The Dance of Politics: Gender, Performance, and Democratization in Malawi. Temple University Press. PDF (TBD)
Gunderson, Frank, with Gregory Barz, editors (2000).Mashindano!: Competitive Music Performance in East Africa. Foreword byTerrence Ranger. Dar es salaam: Mkuki na NyotaPublishers; Lansing: Michigan State University Press;
Oxford: African Books Collective LTD. East Lansing:Michigan State University Press. 468 pages.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Gunderson, Frank. 2010. Sukuma Labor Songs from Western Tanzania:"We Never Sleep, We Dream of Farming." Leiden: Brill University Press. ON RESERVE ALLEN
Hale, Thomas. 2007. Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music.Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ON RESERVE ALLENJorritsma, Marie. 2011. Sonic Spaces of the Karoo: The Sacred Music of a South African Coloured Community. Temple University Press. ON RESERVE ALLEN
Perullo, Alex. 2011. Live from Dar es Salaam: Popular Music and Tanzania's Music Economy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ON RESERVE ALLEN
Ranger, T.O. (1975). Dance and Society in Eastern Africa 1890-1970.University of California Press, Los Angeles.ON RESERVE ALLEN
White, Bob. 2008. Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu’sZaire. Duke University Press.ON RESERVE ALLEN
Required Allen School of Music Library Reference:
Stone, Ruth, ed. 1998. Africa: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. New York: Garland.
Kubik, Gerhard. Inter-African Streams of Influence. pp. 293-324.
McCall, John. The Representation of African Music in Early Documents. pp 74-100.
Nketia, J.H. Kwabena. The Scholarly Study of African Music: A Historical Review. pp 13-73.
Shelemay, Kay. Notation and Oral Tradition. pp 146-163.
University Attendance Policy:
Excused absences include documented illness, deaths inthe family and other documented crises, call to activemilitary duty or jury duty, religious holy days, andofficial University activities. These absences will beaccommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalizestudents who have a valid excuse. Consideration will alsobe given to students whose dependent children experienceserious illness. Grades:Attendance 10%
Seminar Participation 10%Weekly Responses 40%Student-Led Discussion 5%Final Paper 20%Guided Listening 5%Final Paper Oral Presentation 10%
A 93-100% A- 90-92.9% B+ 87-89.9% B 83-86.9% B- 80-82.9% C+ 77-79.9% C 73-76.9% C- 70-72.9% D 60-69.9%
Academic Honor Policy:
The Florida State University Academic Honor Policyoutlines the University’s expectations for the integrityof students’ academic work, the procedures for resolvingalleged violations of those expectations, and the rightsand responsibilities of students and faculty membersthroughout the process. Students are responsible forreading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up totheir pledge to “. . . be honest and truthful and . . .[to] strive for personal and institutional integrity atFlorida State University.” (Florida State UniversityAcademic Honor Policy, found athttp://dof.fsu.edu/honorpolicy.htm.) Free Tutoring from FSU
For tutoring and writing help in any course at FloridaState University, visit the Academic Center forExcellence (ACE) Tutoring Services’ comprehensive list oftutoring options - see http://ace.fsu.edu/tutoring orcontact [email protected] for more information. High-qualitytutoring is available by appointment and on a walk-inbasis. These services are offered by tutors trained to
encourage the highest level of individual academicsuccess while upholding personal academic integrity.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodationshould: (1) register with and provide documentation tothe Student Disability Resource Center; and (2) bring aletter to the instructor indicating the need foraccommodation and what type. This should be done duringthe first week of class. This syllabus and other classmaterials are available in alternative format uponrequest. For more information about services available toFSU students with disabilities, contact: Student Disability Resource Center874 Traditions Way 108Student Services BuildingFlorida State UniversityTallahassee, FL 32306-4167(850) 644-9566 (voice) (850) 644-8504 (TDD)[email protected]://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/ Syllabus Change Policy
Except for changes that substantially affectimplementation of the evaluation (grading) statement,this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject tochange with advance notice.
African Soundscapes Spring 2013 ClassCalendar
Week One (January 8th): IntroductionT: Preliminaries, Course Overview, BooksAssignment Due: Beg borrow steal books
Week Two (January 15th): Histories, Historiographies T: Readings SeminarReadings: Kubik (ref); McCall (ref); Nketia (ref); Shelemay (ref)Film: The Language You Cry InOnline Listening: TBAAssignment due: Writing Response #1
Week Three (January 22nd): Issues of RepresentationT: Readings SeminarReadings: Agawu, Kofi (2003). Representing African Music:Postcolonial Notes, Queries, Positions.Film: TBAAssignment Due: Writing Response #2Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Master Drummers of Dagbon
Week Four (January 29th): Music and Competitive PracticesT: Readings SeminarReadings: Ranger (reserve), Gunderson and Barz (selectedreadings, reserve) Film: Gunderson / Bagiika Bagaalu beni competitionAssignment Due: Writing Response #3Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Taarab misc.
Week Five (February 5th): Music and Labor T: Readings SeminarReadings: Gunderson, Frank. 2010. Sukuma Labor Songs from Western Tanzania: "We Never Sleep, We Dream of Farming." Leiden: Brill University Press. ON RESERVE ALLEN, PDFFilm: Gunderson field recordingsAssignment Due: Writing Response #4Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Music of the Farmer Composers of Sukumaland
Week Six (February 12th): Music and CreativeProcessesT: Readings SeminarReadings: Hale, Thomas. 2007. Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ON RESERVE ALLENFilm: Keita: The Heritage of the GriotAssignment Due: Writing Response #5Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Konono 1
Week Seven (February 19th): Music and RitualT: Readings SeminarReadings: Friedson, Steven. 2009. Remains of Ritual: Northern Gods in a Southern Land. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Web Explore : http://remainsofritual.comAssignment Due: Writing Response #6
Week Eight (February 26th): Christian Music Scenes in South AfricaT: Readings SeminarReadings: Jorritsma, Marie. 2011. Sonic Spaces of the Karoo: TheSacred Music of a South African Coloured Community. Temple University Press. ON RESERVE ALLENAssignment Due: Writing response #7; Final paper consultationsFilm: Amandla!Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Missa Luba
Week Nine (March 5th): Gender, Islam, and PopularMusic in Africa T: Readings SeminarReadings: Danielson, Virginia. "The Voice of Egypt": Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century. University of Chicago Press.
Film: Umm KulthumAssignment Due: Writing Response #8Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Yousour N’dour: Egypt
Spring Break (March 11th – 15th)
Week Ten (March 19th): Music and CatastropheT: Readings SeminarReadings: Barz, Gregory., and Judah Cohen. 2011. The Culture of AIDS in Africa: Hope and Healing Through Music and the Arts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.ALLEN RESERVE.Film: Assorted youtube videosAssignment Due: Writing Response #9Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Singing for Life
Week Eleven (March 26th): Music / Gender / PoliticsT: Readings SeminarReadings: Gilman, Lisa. 2011. The Dance of Politics: Gender, Performance, and Democratization in Malawi. Temple University Press. ON RESERVE ALLENFilm: Mama AfricaAssignment Due: Writing Response #10Online Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Oumou Sangare
Week Twelve (April 2nd): Music and Pop CosmopolitanismT: Readings SeminarReadings: Feld, Steven. 2012. Jazz Cosmopolitanism in Accra: FiveMusical Years in Ghana. Duke University Press.FSU LIBRARY ONLINEFilm: Koo NimoAssignment Due: Writing Response #11Online Listening: Jazz Cosmopolitanism in AccraGuided Listening: PorPor: Honk Horn Music of Ghana
Week Thirteen (April 9th): The Phenomenal Rise ofCongolese Popular MusicT: Readings seminar Readings: White, Bob. 2008. Rumba Rules: The Politics of Dance Music in Mobutu’s Zaire. Duke University Press. Assignment Due: Writing Response #12Online Listening: Soundscapes Congo asst.Guided Listening: Franco Luambo Makiadi Special Event: Potluck party with film showing (On RumbaRiver, Jupiter’s Dance)
Week Fourteen (April 16th): The Tanzania PopularMusic SceneT: Readings seminarReadings: Perullo, Alex. 2011. Live from Dar es Salaam: Popular Music and Tanzania's Music Economy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Assignment Due: Writing Response #113Film: Throw Down Your HeartOnline Listening: TBAGuided Listening: Bitchuka / Kafumbe with Rhumba Kali. “Sasa Nifanye Nini?
Week Fifteen (April 23rd): Hip Hop Africa
T: Readings seminarReadings: Charry, Eric. 2012. Hip Hop Africa: New African Musicin a Globalizing World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Assignment Due: Writing Response #14.Film: African Underground: Democracy in DakarWeb Explore: Africanhiphop.comGuided Listening: Jagwa Music
Final Exam Week (May 1st): Student Presentations;Final papers due (TBA)
A List of Suggested of Research Paper Topics
The African continent and its attendant diaspora is avast geo-political-ethnoscape, with more difference andvariety of musical expression found within its trajectorythan is found in any comparison to the rest of theworld’s musics. As a result, a 15 week course cannotpretend to “cover” all of the musical territory involved.For this reason, students are encouraged to write theirfinal paper presentations on areas and topics that havebeen under-represented in class. Following is a list(that admittedly only scratches the surface) of importantareas and topics that may not get the attention theydeserve:
Genres/Places:
Everywhere, anywhere
Rap, Soul, Jazz, Hip Hop
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
Popular Music
The Horn: Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea
Popular or traditional musics
Francophone West Africa (Guinea, Mali, Gabon, Togo,Benin, Senegal)
Popular or traditional musics
Madagascar
Malagasy string/popular music
North Central (Sudan, Chad)
Popular or traditional
Other Southern states (Mozambique, Angola)
North West: Mauritania
Artists and Bands:
E.T. Mensah (Ghana)
Miriam Makeba (SA)
Mbelia Bel (Congo)
Mahmoud Ahmed (Ethiopia)
Salif Keita (Mali)
Thomas Mapfumo (Zimbabwe)
Mahlathini (SA)
Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde)
Some Internet Resources for African Music
Listservs
Afropop Worldwide List
http://www.afropop.org/
H-AFR-Arts
http://www.h-net.org/~artsweb/
Djembe-L
http://djembelfaq.drums.org/index.htm
alt.music.african
http://www.ibiblio.org/usenet-i/groups-html/alt.music.african.html
Misc. Blogs and Audio Files
Awesome Tapes From Africa
http://awesometapesfromafrica.blogspot.com/
Likembe
http://likembe.blogspot.com/
Professional Societies
Society for Ethnomusicology African Music Section
http://www.yorku.ca/africsem/
Websites, Links and General Information
African Chorus
http://www.africanchorus.org
Frank Bessem’s Musique D’Affrique
http://www.geocities.com/fbessem/frames/framemus.html
Rootsworld
http://www.rootsworld.com/africa/
AfricaSounds
http://www.africasounds.com/
African Music Webring
http://v.webring.com/hub?ring=africanmusic
Columbia University African Music Weblinks
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/cuvl/music.html
Stanford University Weblinks
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/music.html
Eric Charry’s Weblinks
http://musc265.blogs.wesleyan.edu/links/
Popular Music
African Hip Hop:
http://africanhiphop.com/
Afropop Worldwide:
http://www.afropop.org/
Journal for African Music and Popular Culture:
http://ntama.uni-mainz.de/
African Music Encyclopedia:
http://africanmusic.org/
Commercial Sites (Stuff for Sale)
Sterns
http://www.sternsmusic.com/
Afropop Shop
http://afropopshop.org/
Africassette
http://www.africassette.com/
CD Baby
http://cdbaby.com/style/159
Pan African Allstars
http://www.panafricanallstars.com/
Regional Interests
Zimbabwe
Dandemutande
http://www.dandemutande.org/
East Africa
Douglas Patterson’s Pages
http://hometown.aol.com/dpaterson/eamusic.htm
Jen Finke’s Traditional Music and Cultures of Kenya
http://www.bluegecko.org/kenya/
West Africa
Kora Connection
http://www.coraconnection.com/
Online Radio Stations featuring African Music
Tons of stations out there, which come and go daily, bestperhaps to go here, www.vtuner.com, and either downloadthe software to listen from an excellent centralized
‘online tuner’, or take note of the individual stationnames, search for their websites and listen this way.
Web TV Featuring African Music
Cote D’Ivoire
Africa Hit Music TV (French)
http://www.africahit.com
United States
Africast
http://www.africast.coA List of Recent DVD Acquisitions Found at Strozier Libraries
Cameroon Award Winners. Strozier. DVD. M1838.C1718 C362004
Pepe Kalle (Congolese). Cocktail. Strozier. DVD. M1838.C7418 P46
Ivoire Clips Volume 4 (Cote D’Ivoire). Strozier. DVD. ML156.4.P7 I965
Ivoire Clips Volume 2 (Cote D’Ivoire). Strozier. DVD. ML156.4.P6 I865
Madilu System (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. M1838.C7418 M33
Mande Flash #3. (Mali). Strozier. DVD. ML3503.Z25 K65
Kofi Olomide (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML 3503.Z25 K644
Kofi Olomide (Congolese). Affaire D’Etat. Strozier. DVD. ML 3503.Z25 A44
Kofi Olomide, MM Mopau Makonzi. (Congolese). Strozier. DVD
Werra Son, Alerte Generale (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML 3503.z25 W473
Wera Son, Kiuisa Mpimpa (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML156.4.P6.W473
Best of Djunny Claude (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML 3503.Z25 B48
Diblo Dibala (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML 156.4.P7 D535.
Bozi Boziana, Dans Jeu Muke. (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML 3503.Z25 B695.
Les coeurs brises, dans Millesime. Strozer. DVD. ML3503.Z25 C648 2001 Les Extra Musica, Shalaï (Congolese). Strozier. DVD. ML156.4 .P6E987 2000
Victoria Eleison, Mboka Mboka (Congolese). STROZIER. DVD. ML3503.Z25 B695 2000
Franco, L'immortel (Congolese). STROZIER. DVD -- ML3503.Z25 F736 M'Bilia Bel, welcome (Congolese). STROZIER, DVD -- ML3503.Z25 M353 Awilo Longomba, le proprietaire de tous les dossiers dans(Congolese). STROZIER, DVD. ML3503.Z25 B695
Le General Defao, en concert a abidjan (Congolese). STROZIER, DVD. ML3503.Z25 G464 2004
Soukous stars in Hollywood (Congolese). STROZIER, DVD> ML3503.Z25 S6856 Alpha Blondy en concert, Cote D' Ivoire. STROZIER, ML420.B65 A475