The ASU Music Library has a good selection of materials about western Africa. Try a subject search on "music africa west" for CDs, LPs, and books. For some countries (marked * and in green on the map), we have enough materials for a more in-depth study. Other listed countries (yellow on the map) have at least one recording or text.
The best general reference book on African music is Africa , volume one from the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music (Music Reference ML 100 .G16 1998 v.1). Pages 441-530 deal specifically with the music of western Africa. A CD is included with the volume.
Western African Peoples:
Instruments:
Musical Genres:
The Cape Verde islands are in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Northwest Africa. The islands were a Portuguese colony until 1975 and have cultural ties to both Portugal and West Africa. ASU has an excellent two CD anthology, Cap Vert: anthologie 1959-1992 , from the Musique du monde series that reflects both influences. The islands most popular singer, Cesaria Évora, is represented with a CD entitled Miss Perfumado .
