Stroud Valleys Music Club

AT OUR last presentation of the current season we were taken on an audio-visual safari of Africa by James Crockford.

He had time to visit only a few of the countries with a large musical heritage, but we heard various examples of how European and American influences were absorbed by the locals and then transmitted back again in new musical rhythmic, vocal and dance styles.

We visited Uganda, the Congo, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Also we heard about the oral traditions and ‘praise singing’ in West Africa Kingdoms such as Senegal and Mali, where history and traditions were handed down over many centuries accompanied on the 21-stringed Kora, played by skilled musicians.

Later this music was ‘transported’ to the USA where it developed into the Blues style, which in turn spread back to Africa.

This was a fascinating musical example of ‘what goes round comes round’.

It was an evening with a difference and enjoyed by all present.