West Africa

African Resources Bookmarks
With links to music, dance, and cultural resources on the Web, this site is aimed at anyone with a general interest in the arts of Africa. don't miss the "Foundation Course in Dance-Drumming", an extract from a CD-ROM created by Professor C. K. Ladzekpo (University of California, Berkeley) which shows you how to play the Atsimevu, the Sogo, and other drums of the Anlo-Ewe people of southeastern Ghana in West Africa.

Cora Connection
This site is rich with illustrations, maps, and clear explanations of West African musical traditions. Discover the differences between the West African balaphone and its close cousins, the xylophone and the glockenspiel. After seeing the instruments, reading about their use in the past and present, and hearing "sound bytes," you may be ready to take lessons: The Cora Connection is based in Boston, Mass. and offers school workshops.

A Guide to the Jembe
This article introduces newcomers to the jembe. It starts by tracing the late migration of the jembe to Anglophone countries and discussing the transcriptions of the name. After that, the history and cultural context of the jembe is treated. There is also a list of jembe videography, bibliography, and discography.

West African Percussion Pages
You can satisfy any need you have for West African drum rhythms here: just look at the long list of tablatures and sound files, complete with captions that explain the cultural context the pages are set in. A legend for the tablatures is also provided, and there are links to other sites that provide drum rhythms.