Music Archives - Page 27 of 53 - Alliance for California Traditional Arts

Founded in 1991 by a group of Vietnamese American journalists, artists, and friends, the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association is a community-based, nonprofit organization. VAALA has organized numerous cultural events such as art exhibitions, book fairs, book signings, recitals, plays, lectures, the biennial Vietnamese International…

The batá is a sacred drum tradition originating among the Yoruba people of West Africa and brought to the New World during the slave trade era. Female in nature, the three two-headed drums played by three men activate a sacred language that communicates with the spirit world of the Orisha (or…

Congolese Ngoma, Drumming

Minyo, or folk songs, have been passed down through the generations in the various regions of Japan. Many minyo originated from “commoners” – farmers, fisherman, housewives, and merchants – recounting their daily lives, their stories, and their hopes. Other minyo tell of religious, historical, or seasonal events. In the past,…

The art of kumidaiko—ensemble drumming with the taiko, a traditional Japanese drum—was developed in post-World War II Japan in the 1950’s. Kumidaiko came to America in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, entering through the Japanese American communities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose. Hiroyuki “Jimi” Nakagawa has…

Carnatic music is an ancient tradition of South Indian classical music that dates back for centuries. It is a complex system of music that requires both artistic and technical improvisation. The genre is comprised of raga, the melodic formulae, and tala, the rhythmic cycle. The violin is an integral part…

Afro-Latin percussion refers to percussive instruments, traditions, rhythms, dances, and musical forms that have given voice, identity, and much inspiration to urban communities across the Americas. In specific countries and regions, local percussive/musical traditions are learned in tandem with the Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean traditions that have come to represent…

Hawaiian hula is an indigenous dance form accompanied by oli (chant) and mele (song). The oli and the hula dramatize and accentuate the mele, which carries valuable information: history, genealogy, religion, geography, geology, etc. There are many styles of hula which have been divided into two main categories. Kahiko…

Oaxacan music

Grupo Cultura Yoso Nuu Viko was formed in 2008 by parents and youth interested in preserving and transmitting indigenous Mixtec traditions and culture, specifically traditional sones and chilenas of the San Juan Mixtepec region of Oaxaca. Played on violins and guitars, this music plays a crucial role during social events such…