Jubilation! Listening Room Series

The Sound of the Ancestors: Music in Africa: From Birth to Death

Before spirituals, gospel, jazz, or the blues, there was Africa. Across that continent, what we call music was indelibly entwined into every stage of life—from birth ceremonies and naming rituals to work, courtship, worship, initiation, celebration, healing, and remembrance. This opening Listening Room explores fundamental musical principles that crossed the Atlantic with enslaved Africans. They became foundational elements of the African contribution to American music. Participants will explore how rhythm, call-and- response, improvisation, Communal participation, dance, and spirituality have continued to shape musical traditions throughout the African Diaspora.

Facilitator: Neil Clarke is an award-winning master percussionist, educator, independent scholar, and Schomburg Center Fellow whose work in African drumming spans more than five decades. A Brooklyn native, Clarke has performed worldwide and appears on more than 100 African-influenced recordings. His distinguished collaborations include nearly 15 years with Harry Belafonte and more than 25 years with NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston, as well as work with Miriam Makeba and Dianne Reeves. An adjunct lecturer at City College of New York, Clarke researches African culture and the drum’s global significance, linking African rhythmic traditions to their enduring Diasporic legacy.