African Roots

A songbook of African folk songs and music with pictures and captions.

From a prolific folk-music editor and arranger, one in a series (``Traditional Black Music'') that explores African-American music in depth. These 28 songs from sub-Saharan Africa, most given in the original language plus English, have simple but effective piano accompaniments, guitar chords, and brief explanations of their contexts. Both purely traditional songs and later compositions showing European influence are included, providing good examples of two-way cultural borrowings--the Liberian ``Come By Here'' (``Kumbaya''), the Bantu ``Abiyoyo,'' variants of the Chiquita Banana jingle and ``You Are My Sunshine.'' All but four are for unison treble voices. Clearly printed on large, open staves; durably produced, with binding that stays open. Illustrated with pertinent b&w photos; introduction (repeated in each volume) by Kenneth B. Clark. Also available: Songs of Protest and Civil Rights; Slave Songs; etc. (Songbook. 5+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.