500 miles

Urban musical soundscapes are projected to grow within the next couple of decades (Shelemay, pg. 50, 2006). Cities are expanding rapidly and suburban lifestyles are slowing decreasing in population. If such areas are to change, what keeps a location distinctive, how can locals attain a familiarity with sights and sounds, and how can the influences of other nearby cities either positively or negatively affect the music coming in and out of the urban area? What constitutes popular music, and how does it vary in different cultures, environments, and seasons? The way music is culturally blended is an example of how music does indeed travel over time and continents, but what is the main factor…politics, religion, economic status, industrialization, trade?

Rollin’

Shelemay address these questions by using Accra, Ghana as an example of the “forced flow of musical influences” relating the history of the Gold Coast, Europe, and the New World to slave trade and the industrialization of the British Empire (Shelemay, pg. 53, 2006).

Summit Lake, Drunken Escape

The city of Accra is filled with music for any occasion or non-occasion (as our guest speaker/dance instructor mentioned April, 1 2015) There are many call and response songs, hymns, and dances that all involve instruments and rely heavily on the rhythm section (Genre: Agbadza) (Shelemay, pg. 55, 2006). A lot of times these songs are about political and social issues as well as songs to teach and pass along the day. This type of music that has developed in Accra may be a reaction to what Botton describes the brain’s function when a journey occurs. During times of difficulty and stress we develop large views and new thoughts leading to introspective reflections that require much thought even reluctancy to think at all (Botton, pg. 56, 2002). Music is an incredible release and an effective way to bring together a group/culture of like minds and help distract from any sort of stress that life brings. This also naturally leads to the progression of traditions, rituals, ceremonies, and story telling which keeps a city’s history and future rich in culture.

High and Mighty

This type of oral history and traditions play a large role in tourism and travel. Friedrich Nietzsche defined a type of tourism as learning how certain societies and identities have been formed by the past to find a sense of belonging (Botton, pg. 110, 2002). This plays directly with Accra as Ghana’s capital and the various musical scenes it is home to. “A number of musical ensembles reinforce national identity, helping to unite the many historically independent ethnic groups brought together as a nation less than fifty years ago and representing Ghana to the world” (Shelemay, pg. 61, 2006).

I’ve got the world on a string

This is a fine way to incorporate and educate tourism in a non invasion form and allows music and culture to coexist in a beautiful fusion without loosing it’s proper identity, as heard in J. H Kwabena Nketia’s “Cow Lane Sextet”.

Pacific City

The importance of traveling has never been so prevalent until now. It is always a great escape and thought as a getaway or perhaps a spring break vacation, but the main idea that has been brought to attention of traveling is that of justifying existence through the world, acknowledging the past and present, and distributing kindness and knowledge through music, traditional dances, food, and words of wisdom from nation to nation.

JackPot