Roots of Black Music in America

Folkways Records – FA 2694

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: African American Music
[Tracklist]
A01 Simpah - Simpa: Hausa drum group (2:03)
A02 Jumping Dance: Bahamian drum group (1:34)
A03 Atsiagbekor: Ewe drum orchestra (1:33)
A04 New York String Band: New York street musicians (1:31)
A05 Kendal: Female Wolof singers (1:19)
A06 Everything the Monkey Do: Andros Island musicians (1:09)
A07 Gio - Song: Gio workers (1:44)
A08 New Orleans Street Drumming: n/a (1:36)
A09 New Orleans/Chicago Jazz Drumming: Baby Dodds (2:09)
A10 Anougble Festival: Baoule drum orchestra (1:29)
A11 New York Contemporary Jazz Drumming: n/a (2:01)
B01 Work Songs: Kpelle bush cutters (1:59)
B02 Work Song: Cameroonian coffee sifters (1:32)
B03 Work Song: Jamaican construction workers (1:28)
B04 Men's Wedding Song: Male Dogon singers (1:26)
B05 Go Down, Old Hannah: n/a (1:37)
B06 Wives' Song / Alabama Children's Song (medley): n/a (1:36)
B07 Akonodey: Akan Adowa musicians (1:23)
B08 Country Song: Kumina musicians (1:12)
B09 Mansa: Bafut musicians (1:58)
B10 Samba Gilajagi: Wolof gewel (1:38)
B11 Wasting My Time: J.D. Short (3:46)
C01 Tara: Wolof gewel (2:20)
C02 Minstrels: Tuareg musicians (2:01)
C03 Kentucky Banjo Instrumental: n/a (0:54)
C04 Virginia Banjo Instrumental: n/a (1:27)
C05 Kentucky Banjo with Voice: Roscoe Holcomb (1:27)
C06 Instrumental: Kpelle musician (1:39)
C07 Belly Harp: Bassa musicians (1:53)
C08 Djourou: Baoule musician (1:08)
C09 Vera Cruz-Style Harp: Yacqui musician (1:28)
C10 Balafon: Mandingo musicians (2:04)
C11 Baoule: Baoule musicians (1:44)
C12 Marimba: Mexican musicians (1:27)
C13 Musical Bow: Jon Wieh (0:59)
D01 I Have Two Wings: Utah Smith (3:28)
D02 Saddlehorse Blues: Daddy Hotcakes (3:12)
D03 When a Man Marries His Troubles Just Begin: Andros Island musicians (2:41)
D04 Just a Little While to Stay Here: Eureka Brass Band (4:01)
D05 He's a Friend of Mine: n/a (2:42)
D06 Jazz at the Philharmonic, Blues, Part 3: n/a (3:47)
[Credits]
Producer: Samuel Charters, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
This two volume-collection, is a survey of instrumental and vocal music from African cultures as well as from African American musicians in the southern United States. Producer Samuel Charters created the album with the intent to provide musical examples from "two worlds" through traditional offerings of African tribal music, cultural roots that were forcefully suppressed during the period of slavery in America, and African American music evocative of the influence of its predecessors. 41 songs, 1.3 hours, with liner notes featuring an introduction by Samuel Charters, descriptions of songs, and examples of archival documents describing early African music and black music in the southern United States.