Music in West Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture

American Music Teacher, Feb-March, 2005 by Loran Olsen

Music in West Africa: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (w/CD), by Ruth M Stone; edited by Bonnie C. Wade and Patricia Shehan Campbell. Oxford University Press (198 Madison Ave., New Fork, NY 10016), 2004. 112 pp. $34.95.

A delightful combination of personal experience, scholarly integrity and cultural sensitivity characterizes Ruth Stone's book and accompanying compact disc--part of the Global Music Series by Oxford University Press.

From age 3, Ruth Stone lived among the native Kpelle in Liberia, West Africa. She is a fluent speaker of their language. It is clear she knows the people and their music first hand. Because of her considerable training, knowledge and excellence in field-work organization, ethnomusicologist Stone is free to focus the reader's attention on those elements in song style and rhythmic improvisation that are meaningful to local Liberian performers and responders.

Each chapter in this 112-page book reflects Stone's memories and experiences and her obvious love of the people and their songs. The work's directness gives an intimate portrait of the people by drawing the reader into the current of village musical thought. Thus, we can experience what is culturally important to the folks in an African community--singing, strumming, dancing, drumming and living their music.

Several aids make this book and its accompanying CD noteworthy. The inclusion of a grey disc image at the margin of each text reference helps one find and identify its corresponding CD track. Paragraphs highlighted in grey suggest educational activities to help students explore selected musical examples by listening critically, clap ping, chanting responses or imitating drum patterns. Verlon Stone's photographs feature the performers his wife interviews. A CD track list, map, drumming diagrams, glossary and important reference and resource materials all contribute. Finally, central themes explored in the text and music are neatly summarized.

A publication error resulted in the addition of an extra sound track, unidentified in the text; consequently, the last six tracks are misnumbered. Oxford University Press has addressed the matter by referring readers to its companion website at www.oup.com/us/globalmusic for clarification.

Music in West Africa can help enrich your studio by giving insights into one of the unique musics of our world. Her exemplary work should stimulate musicians to explore the other books and CDs contained in the Global Music Series.

Series editors Bonnie C. Wade and Patricia Shehan Campbell have picked capable ethnomusicologists to write each volume and recommend and record accessible musical examples. But the practicality exhibited here for effective pedagogy goes much further than that. The series can make global music a tangible and joyful experience for each reader and listener. If you believe musical expressions from many cultures of the world are meaningful, consider putting these volumes on your library shelves and sharing them with your students.

Loran Olsen, NCTM, Port Angeles, Washington.