There's a commercial that comes on mtv of Eric Clapton and another musician going to Africa. They are going to learn from some of the tribal musicians, because, in their own words "Africa is obviously where it all started".
I don't know if I agree with that. Music is multi-cultural - every human being on this planet has that inborn urge to make music, in some form or another. Why is it attributed to Africa specifically on many occasions? I can follow the idea that traditional tribal music influenced the development of rock and roll in America, because of the blues and early African American music. But, I just don't like the blanket statement that the root of all music is African. Music is a shared human quality, cross culturally.
Just thinking out loud.
Posted by Shannon at May 5, 2004 02:44 PM | TrackBackI'm with you... I'm not sure whether it started with the creation of birds... or maybe frogs... no, could be crickets... unh, unh... had to be whales... or the wind in the trees... nope... water gurgling over rocks... somewhere in there, for sure... so it had to be a planetary thing...
Posted by: Aunt Vickie at May 7, 2004 09:48 AMWell, Scripture seems to indicate that one early (if not the earliest) source of music was Jubal (of Genesis 4's "Jubal, Jabal, and Tubal Cain" fame), who lived in Enoch, probably somewhere in the Fertile Cresent or what is now the Middle East...which means he could have been very close to Africa. Close, but no cigar. Or whatever. Who knows, really?
Posted by: jon amos at May 8, 2004 10:11 AM