Musical fusion in the Americas and Africa
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain that many musical styles around the world are the result of fusion and can explain some ways that artists use musical fusion to innovate.
Key learning points
- Most musical styles are some form of fusion of different musical influences.
- Many key Latin-American musical styles are a fusion of African and European music.
- Many of these Latin styles have also created fusions with other styles, such as jazz and rock.
- Afrobeat is a style from the 1960s and 1970s that fuses aspects of West African music with jazz, funk and soul.
- Afrobeats is a term used to describe a wide range of different modern fusion styles from Africa.
Keywords
Fusion - The blending of more than one musical style or culture to create a new ‘fused’ sound is called musical fusion.
Afro-Cuban - Cubans with African ancestors are called Afro-Cuban.
Afro-Cuban jazz - Afro-Cuban jazz is a fusion of jazz with rhythms and other musical features from the Afro-Cuban community.
Afrobeat - Afrobeat is a style from the 1960s and 1970s from West Africa that fuses aspects of West African music with jazz, funk and soul.
Afrobeats - Afrobeats is a term used to describe a wide range of different modern styles from Africa, many of which are examples of fusion.
Common misconception
Afrobeat and Afrobeats are the same thing.
Afrobeat is a specific genre from the 1960s/1970s based on a fusion of West African music with funk and soul. Afrobeats is a broad term for many modern genres that are different fusions from across the continent, but have a few common features.
Teacher tip
For the performance or sequencing task, choose whichever is most suitable for your pupils and facilities. The key is that pupils understand the core common features of Afrobeats genres. Encourage pupils to prioritise performing a syncopated tresillo drum beat and simple chords to accompany it.
Equipment
DAW and/or class instruments
Files needed for this lesson
Afrobeats template 6.44 MB (ZIP)
10 Fusions and Bhangra Lesson 1 - Task C 4.22 KB (MXL)
10FUSL1 Afrobeats mp3 backing track 1015.43 KB (MP3)
Download these files to use in the lesson.
Licence
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