October 2023

 

October 2-6 (Monday is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Tuesday is a Non-Instructional Day)

We will do tour, then I will take students in all classes through the week 3 moves for Thriller.    I do have song song and dance games planned for primaries if we have time, but it is unlikely,  Most of the older students can get a little free time on ukes-I just introduce the rules of use and the music book. I have explained that given our very busy fall schedule it will be January before we see serious instruction time on the ukulele.  We have choir after school on Wednesday this week.  

This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Cameroon

Manu Dibango-Soul Makossa-Live at Koroga Festival (8:10) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoMknhybAhU) Makossa music from Cameroon gained fans across Africa.  This is Manu Dibango with his very influential 1970's song Sould Makossa.  Makossa means 'dance'.  You don't have to listen too hard to this song to hear a riff that Michael Jackson lifted for his song 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'', and then Rihanna lifted in turn for 'Don't Stop the Music' -mamma se mamma sa mamakosa! The saddest part is that these artists stole the riff without even giving credit.

For fun-Jackson's Makossa lick  Rihanna's Makossa lick 

Balafon-Adama Diabaté (3:42) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXXhp_bZvck) The balafon is a gourd resonated xylophone instrument popular in West Africa, and important for music in Cameroon.

Bikutsi Dance (2:49) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfpvpMT-nc0&t=8s) Bikutsi is the best know traditional dance from Cameroon and very important in the culture.  

Les Tetes Brulees-Man No Run (5:51) (edited from film found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRELE1VY7Xw) In 1987 this band was formed, modernized bikutsi music (related to the dance) and has been massively influential in Cameroon and France.

 

October 9-13 (Monday is Thanksgiving Day)

We will do tour, then I will take students in all classes through the week 4 moves for Thriller.  By the end of the week most classes have the full set of moves and we have a few weeks left to practice the whole dance.  Younger students may get a singing game (This Way That A Way) if we have time and older students get some free uke time.   

This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Algeria

Haouzi or Hawzi Music - Rym Hakiki-Mali Sadr Hnine (14:44) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7tkdToNar0&list=RDQMV6jS7vj1zE0&index=2) Haouzi music is Algerian music that comes from the Al-Andalusian/Arabic 

Cheb Khaled-Aicha-Raï (4:18) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8be8zBJWDJw) Wikipedia says Algerian Music is virtually synonymous with Raï-a form of music developed in Algeria and now shared with the world. Cheb Khaled sings this song in French.  He is one of a number of Raï performers who now records and lives abroad given censorship rules in Algeria and the way much of Raï is forced to exist underground in Algeria.

Chaabi Music - Coffee or Tea (5:28) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2l1lUo-8LY) Chaabi is urban popular music in Algeria.  The video on YouTube just identified the song-not the artist, but I 'm pretty sure this is well known Chaabi singer Abdelkader Chaou.  From the comments, the song is obviously about making the choice between coffee or tea, and I quickly ran into articles online noting that this is a pretty important and deep choice to make in Algerian culture!

Sting and Cheb Mami-Desert Rose (2000)-Raï (4:43) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lWwBslWqg) Sting brought Raï music to places like the United States and Canada in 2000 by recording this song with Cheb Mami.  It went to #2 on the charts in Canada.  (There are a couple of quick shots of couples kissing in this video-we can deal with this!) I believe that Cheb Mami is singing in Algerian Arabic on this track. 

October 16-20 (Friday is a Non-Instructional Day)

We are carrying on learning Thriller Dance.  Primaries are learning the song This-Way-That-A-Way and some are learning to play the game that goes along.  Where we get time I'm introducing intermediates to the song Wake Me Up (Avicii) for ukulele.  

This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Antigua and Barbuda

Carnival (1:58) (edited from film found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzODB_G0ssU)  The most important musical event in A&B is Carnival.  It was originally started to celebrate emancipation from slavery.  It is usually held during July/August.  Here is a clip featuring a steel band on a parade float. 

Calypso-Segment from Monarch Competition 2023 (6:18) (edited from film found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZpZiWaChas) Calypso is so important in A&B that there is a televised competition each year called the Monarch.  Here is a little clip from 2023.  

Soca-Boasta-Old Time Something (4:27) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyz3Tt5zJzE&list=RDQMonkk_ZJKhRE&index=1) Here's an infectious piece from an artist called 'Boasta'. 

Reggae-Antigua Me Come From-Causion (3:39) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWvcaPKCp_4) Reggae is huge in A&B.  Here's a recent video that has all the signs of being one of those videos paid for by the tourism folk-but I do like those vids where we can see the landscape!

October 23-27

This is our last week with Thriller.  Where we have time we'll be doing the song game This-Way-That-A-Way.  A few classes where we've already decided a song will be starting work on their Christmas Concert song-particularly if the song is complex (e.g. playing Orff or ukulele).

This Week's Music Around the World-Traditional and Contemporary Music-Comoros

Traditional Village Dance (4:16) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgZ_9uC8V3o)  Traditional Comorian dance from the village of Moheli in Comoros

Traditional Twarab Music (7:20) (found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO56U4UCfRU&list=PLnOSH5j1sQh-22vKYPY6OMeLl4GRYb3w-&index=12) Comoros only has a population of about 800 000 so I only found one artist making modern high resolution videos of their music from the islands.  Here is a low res compilation with some of the traditional form of twarab music. 

Twarab Music-Nawal-Salama (DJ Click Remix) (3:24) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp1ycrRFzJU&list=PLnOSH5j1sQh-22vKYPY6OMeLl4GRYb3w-) One of the popular music forms in the Comoros is twarab music.  Here is a modern take. 

M'Toro Chamou-C'est la vie-en live (4:32) (found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PljWmnkx_VU&t=4s) The Rough Guide site I read noted that many from the Comoros have emigrated to France over the past 30 years and live in diaspora communities there.  This is will probably increase as climate change has a huge effect on island nations.  This is a well known Comorian musician in France.