Five Examples Of Records By Ti Frere, The King Of Sega Music (Mauritius)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides five examples of Sega music by the renown Mauritius vocalist Ti Frere. A Bonus video of contemporary Sega music and dance is also included in this post. Information about Mauritius, information about Sega music and information about Ti Frere are also included in this post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the musical legacy of Ti Frere. Thanks also to all other vocalists, musicians, and dancers who are featured in this post and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. In addition, thanks to the publishers of these YouTube sound files and videos.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MAURITIUS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius
"Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent."

INFORMATION ABOUT SEGA MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Mauritius
The music of Mauritius is known for sega music, alongside the nearby Réunion island, though reggae, zouk, soukous and other genres are also popular. Well-known traditional sega singers from Mauritius include Ti Frére, Marlene Ravaton, Serge Lebrasse, Michel Legris. and Fanfan.

The Sega is usually sung in Creole (mother tongue of Mauritians). Many singers had thought of also bringing forward the English version of the Sega songs but later resolved not to proceed with it so as to preserve the uniqueness and cultural richness of the local music of Mauritius. The original instruments are fast disappearing, making way for the more conventional orchestra ensemble. However, all along the coastal fishing villages, the traditional instruments such as the “Ravanne”, “Triangle”, the “Maravanne” and the traditional guitar are still being used...

The past fifty years have been a vibrant period of sega music, much of which has not been documented. In the past twenty years, Mauritian music has been revitalized by a fusion of reggae and sega, known as seggae. This new wave emerged from one of poorer suburbs of Port Louis, known as Roche Bois, with the musician Kaya (Joseph Reginald Topize) and his group Racinetatane as the first major proponent. It gained much popularity among Rastafarians and then more widely among the youths of Mauritius in the late 1980s and early 1990s.]
-snip-
Additional information about Sega music is provided in some of the summaries for the examples given below.

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INFORMATION ABOUT TI FRERE
From http://ravaton.tripod.com/
The Real TiFrère Jean Alphonse Ravaton, alias Ti Frere, was born on April 29th, 1900. His father was Madagascan ( Ravaton is a Madagascan surname) and a sega artist too, the art form being characteristically passed on from father to son, and groups often made up of members of the same family...

Ti Frere has performed [Segas] all his life. He would be called upon for parties, beach picnics, drinks after shooting parties which he himself would participate as a beater and sometimes as hunter. His sega artist reputation was firmly established through veritable tournaments, "pariages sega", contests with no prize and no jury, put on from village to village, which would last all night long, even today into the next day with only judges being the dancers and their audience.

Although Ti Frere was reputed locally, he had to wait until 1964 to achieve fame on a national scale. On October 30th of that year occurred the famous " Night Of the Sega". Held on Mt. Le Morne, it was a musical and theatrical happening which Mauritians still remember. In some ways this happening was the official reinstatement of the sega and the first step towards an awareness of Afro-Mauritian cultural identity. Four years away from independence and cohabitating with Indian, Moslem, European, Chinese ethnic groups, the Afro-Mauritian, so called Creole community felt the need to assert its identity through a rediscovery and conservation of its roots. On that night a sega contest was organised after which Ti Frere was crowned " King of sega". From then on, he was in the public eye and recorded a series of 45’s which are unobtainable today. To the traditional ravanne, maravane , and triangle, Ti Frere would sometimes add the accordion, influenced by his father (and his own) dance band instruments. Like other sega artist , Ti Frere has never been able to live from it. He has had many different trades: wood cutter, cane-cutter, " casseur roches" (boulder breaker), bus conductor, forester"...

This unique situation made Ti Frere a synthesis of African and European roots, and able, by assimilation away from the structure of African-inherited classical sega ( drumcall, soloist, choir), to adopt a form inspirited by European models: Sega’s with verse and a refrain sung from beginning to end by a soloist where melody counted above all. The " drawing room sega" followed similar lines but Ti Frere remained traditional without losing any of the rhythmic intensity and inspiration of the original rhythmic framework and ravanne sega instrumentation."...
-snip-
This article contains more information about Ti Frere and more information about Segas.

According to an online Haitian Creole to English translating service, the words "ti frere" mean "little brother". My guess is that this nickname means the same thing in Mauritician Creole.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date on YouTube, with the oldest examples given first.

Example #1: Sega - Ti Frere



Palette Morisienne... Mauritius , Uploaded on Feb 25, 2008

Ti Frere - Vintage
Most pictures are from 1950s and 70s.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR6CufnbtKk to read information about the photographs that are shown as background to this recording.

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Example #2: Ti Frere - Papitou (Sega Tipik - Mauritius)



David Yardin, Uploaded on May 10, 2008

This is a short extract from the documentary "Zafair Kaya". The clip features the song "Papitou" by one of the most famous Séga singers from Mauritius, Ti Frere (Jean Alphonse Ravaton).

Séga is the music/dance developed by the African and Malagasy slaves on the islands of the Indian Ocean. There are various types of Séga, this particular song being an example of Sega Tipik or Séga Typique (Traditional style from Mauritius).

The video also shows footage of the construction of a traditional drum, known in Mauritius as the Ravanne. The Ravanne is a large flat hand drum constructed from a goat skin, drawn taut over a wooden circular frame. Before being played, it is tuned over a fire.

The audio for the song is in Mauritian Creole, and the narration is in French. I'll maybe do an English subtitle version soon (most of the narration about the Ravanne I've mentioned above anyway).

You can find this song and more music by Ti Frere on the Ocora France release "Ile Maurice: Hommage a Ti Frere".
-snip-
Comment:
IleMauriceUKConnect, 2008
"This is the kind of Sega Tipik that I would really like to hear. Although I am born in the late 80's I never known TiFrere but it brings a different perception about Mauritius when I listen to the words. A way of life and harmony around. Hopefully the modern singers can find aspiration from that type of sega and continue the mauritian culture Which is gradually fading.That is a shame! Kan mo tanne sa banne sega tipik la mo manque mo l'ile. Mo tipti l'ile la, ene grand pays sa!!"

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Example #3: Clarel Betsy - Ti Frere



Palette Morisienne... Mauritius, Uploaded on Dec 12, 2009

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Example #4: Hommage à Ti Frere : Roseda (Séga Typique de l'Ile Maurice)



mru95 , Uploaded on Jul 4, 2010

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Example #5: ANITA (1949 ORIGINAL) - TI FRERE - SEGA DE ILE MAURICE



mru95, mru95• Uploaded on Oct 15, 2010

Hommage à Ti Frère ...

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BONUS VIDEO: CONTEMPORARY SEGA MUSIC AND DANCE
Kadans Tropikal - Ile Maurice/Mauritius



StudioProCh Uploaded on Jul 4, 2006

Grup Kadans Tropikal - Nuvo Desizion (sega promotion) *** http://www.Studio-Pro.ch introduces you the last clip of the Grup Kadans Tropikal from Mauritius (by Scorpio Studio). More about the group, CD "Nuvo Desizion": Madir Music Productions,

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Indian Arrival Days In The Caribbean (Information & Songs)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about various Indian Arrival Day celebrations in the Caribbean. This post also showcases a video of the Caribbean song "Indo Caribbean Man by Terry Gajraj (Guyana) and a sound file mix of Chutney Soca songs celebrating Indian Arrival Day in Grenada.

The content of this post is provided for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the contributions that people of Indo-Caribbean descent have made in their countries & throughout the rest of the Caribbean & the world. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to Terry Gajraj for performing the featured Indian arrival song and 1socaholic for producing the featured Chutney Soca mix and posting comments about the history of East Indians in Grenada.

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INFORMATION ABOUT INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Arrival_Day
"Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on various days in the nations of the Caribbean and the island nation of Mauritius, usually commemorating the arrival of people from the Indian subcontinent to that nation as indentured labor brought by British colonial authorities and their agents.

History of the celebration
Indian Arrival Day was first celebrated in Skinner Park, San Fernando, as the East Indian Centenary on May 30, 1845[2] which marked the hundredth anniversary of the coming of Indians to Trinidad. The Acting Governor representing the Government of the United Kingdom attended indicating the significance of the observance. Other local dignitaries who addressed the large crowd included Timothy Roodal, George Fitzpatrick, Adrian Cola Rienzi, and Murli J. Kirpalani. Greetings were also read from Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Wavell, and Colonel Stanley, the Secretary of State for the Colonies...
-snip-
Guyana
In Guyana the holiday is celebrated on May 5th commemorating the first arrival of indentured servants from India to the country, on May 8, 1838. On this day, the workers arrived in Guyana to work in sugar plantations. Their descendants today comprise 44 percent of Guyana's population of over 750,000.[1]

Mauritius
In Mauritius, the holiday is celebrated on November 2 to commemorate the arrival of indentured laborers.

Suriname
In Suriname, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated on June 5.

Trinidad and Tobago
Indian Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on May 30 in Trinidad and Tobago each year since the 1990s. It commemorates the first arrivals from the Indian subcontinent to Trinidad, on May 30, 1845, on the ship Fatel Razack (a rendering of the Arabic Fath Al Razak 'Victory to Allah the Sustainer'). The many versions of the spelling for this historic ship reflects the difficulties of pronunciation and transliteration of foreign and East Indian names in Trinidad (as with the street festival of "Muhurram" or "Hosay" and "Hussay")...

Since its establishment in Trinidad, Indian Arrival Day has given rise to similar celebrations in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, there is no similar celebration in Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa or Kenya, which are also home to large Indian-origin populations."
-snip-
As per its Wikipedia page "Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of the African continent." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius

UPDATE:
As a coincidence, I just happened to watch a house hunters international television show the same afternoon after publishing this post that featured a couple moving from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to Mauritius.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES:

Arrival Song - Indo-Carribean Man



Terry Gajraj, Published on Apr 30, 2013

This song tells the story of our Ancestors who left India & come to Guyana. Lyrics written by Terry Gajraj. Music by Simeon Ramesar. Recorded at JTS Studio, Jay Kewla. Sung by Terry Gajraj.
-snip-
Here's comment from that video's viewer comment thread:
Lakshmee Singh, 2014
Happy Arrival Day To All Indo - Guyanese. Let Us Not Forget The Struggles Of Our Fore Parents ..... To Help Us Reflect On This History, Here Is A Wonderful Song By Guyana's Very Own Terry Gajraj.

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Indian Arrival Day 2013 - Grenada Chutney Soca Mix- DK Socaholic Prodz



1socaholic, Published on Apr 30, 2013

The 1st of May kicks of the celebration of Indian Arrival Day 2013 in Grenada.

This is a little Chutney Soca mix I put together, for the Indo Grenadian People out there.

Indian culture is alive in Grenada and the Caribbean

On Caribbean family, It's all about unity

Mix put together by DJ SocaholicOCAHOLIC

Happy Indian Arrival Day!!!
-snip-
Here are several comments from 1socaholic about the history of East Indian in Grenada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRe49avYYzo
1socaholic, 2013
"The first group of East Indians arrived on the ship ‘Maidstone', which landed at Irwin's Bay in St Patrick on May 1 st 1857. It is estimated that 268 males and 68 females boarded the ship and of that number approximately 24% of them died in transit. Upon reaching Grenada, it is believed that the survivors were first taken to Belmont Estate as a holding area and were then distributed to about 15 plantations in St Patrick.

....The period of indentureship officially ended in 1890, though some Indians continued to work under existing contracts until 1893. In that year a few Indians chose to repatriate to India, but most used their bounty funds that they were entitled to, to purchase lands or to start a savings account in the local banks.

...They were not allowed to wander beyond two miles from the estate to which they were attached, without a pass. If they were found guilty of disobeying this rule, they were liable to arrest and imprisonment. Failing to report to work and misconduct were considered criminal offences, which were punishable by arrest and charged with a fine or imprisonment. Indentureship contracts were initially for one year and later extended to three years. In 1862 five year contracts were granted.

It is imperative to note that although one of the original objectives of immigration of indentured labourers failed - salvaging the island as a sugar producer - some of the indentured workers played a fundamental role in converting some estates from sugar to cocoa. As a result of this combined effort, by 1878, cocoa cultivation had surpassed sugar in its importance to the economy.

Over the last 40 years, there has been a new wave of migration of Indian nationals to Grenada as businesspersons. Most of these recently migrated Indians have had ties or businesses in other Caribbean islands like Trinidad, Barbados, St. Maarten and Curacao. Many have made Grenada their permanent adopted home, and have made a significant input into the economy of the island. In addition, they have influenced Indo-Grenadians greater appreciation for the shared Indian culture.

Life in Grenada was difficult for the Indians due to the cultural differences, language barrier, and the imbalance in the number of female to male and being a minority group on the island. The East Indians were expected to work nine hours a day for a six day work week. In return, they received free accommodation, weekly food rations and a minimum wage."

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May Angelou - "Seven Women's Blessed Assurance" & "The Mask"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post honors the award winning American author and poet Maya Angelou by showcasing two of her poems -and "The Mask". Information about Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Maya Angelou for her life's legacy. Thanks to the online publisher of this featured excerpt. Thanks also to the transcriber of this poem and the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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SEVEN WOMEN'S BLESSED ASSURANCE
(Maya Angelou)
From http://departments.weber.edu/chfam/familiesalive/angelouspeech.html The Distinguished Annie Clark Tanner Lecture

16th-annual Families Alive Conference, Weber State University, May 8, 1997

...."I must do one more poem because I don't think you've laughed enough.

I told you I don't trust people who act that way (indicating). Yet some years ago Arsenio Hall telephoned me and asked if I would come onto his program.

I said "I thank you, Mr. Hall, but --"

He said "Oh, Doctor, no, ma'am. Don't -- Oh, no, ma'am. I'm just a commoner."

I said "Please, I don't know if I would have that much in common with your constituents."

But he was so persuasive, so I went on the program. And I enjoyed myself so much I went back eight times.

But the first time I did a piece called "Seven Women's Blessed Assurance," and I enjoyed it. And then I stayed around Los Angeles a little while, and then I flew from Los Angeles to Geneva, Switzerland, took a train over to another city and took the funicular up the side of the Alps to the foot of the Matterhorn, and there I gave a three-and-a-half-hour speech in French, English and Spanish, thank you. I was so full of (indicating). I mean, I was full of it.

I took the funicular back after about six days, and over to Geneva I went. And I was standing in the Geneva airport with an umbrella, my purse over my shoulder and a briefcase when a young white man came up to me. He said "Dr. Angelou?"

I said "Yes."

He said "Ms. Angelou."

I said "Oh."

He said "It's hard to believe, it's Ms. Angelou. I was in the audience at Arsenio Hall the night you did 'Seven Women's Blessed Assurance.'"

I said then, and I say now, "Woo-woo-woo." (indicating).
Nothing to do with it but to laugh. I laughed. Then I straightened up my umbrella that was way over there and the young man was gone.
And all those Swiss were looking at me like (indicating.)

And here is this piece which I wrote to make my ownself laugh.

The first woman said One thing about me, I'm little and low, I find me a man wherever I go.

The second woman said They call me string bean 'cause I'm so tall, men see me, they ready to fall.

The third woman said I'm fat as butter and sweet as cake, men start to tremble every time I shake.

The fourth woman said I'm young as morning and fresh as dew, everybody loves me, and so do you.

The fifth woman said I'm little and lean, sweet to the bone, they like to pick me up and carry me home.

The sixth woman said When I passed forty, I dropped pretense 'cause men like women who got some sense.

But the seventh woman is my favorite, for obvious reasons. The seventh woman said fifty-five is perfect, so is fifty-nine, 'cause every man needs to rest sometime."

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THE MASK
(Maya Angelou, an adaptation of Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear The Mask")

We wear the mask that grins and lies.
It shades our cheeks and hides our eyes.
This debt we pay to human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts…
We smile and mouth the myriad subtleties.
Why should the world think otherwise
In counting all our tears and sighs.
Nay let them only see us while
We wear the mask.

We smile but oh my God
Our tears to thee from tortured souls arise
And we sing Oh Baby doll, now we sing…
The clay is vile beneath our feet
And long the mile
But let the world think otherwise.
We wear the mask.

When I think about myself
I almost laugh myself to death.
My life has been one great big joke!
A dance that’s walked a song that’s spoke.
I laugh so hard HA! HA! I almos’ choke
When I think about myself.

Seventy years in these folks’ world
The child I works for calls me girl
I say “HA! HA! HA! Yes ma’am!”
For workin’s sake
I’m too proud to bend and
Too poor to break
So…I laugh! Until my stomach ache
When I think about myself.
My folks can make me split my side
I laugh so hard, HA! HA! I nearly died
The tales they tell sound just like lying
They grow the fruit but eat the rind.
Hmm huh! I laugh uhuh huh huh…
Until I start to cry when I think about myself
And my folks and the children.

My fathers sit on benches,
Their flesh count every plank,
The slats leave dents of darkness
Deep in their withered flank.
And they gnarled like broken candles,
All waxed and burned profound.
They say, but sugar, it was our submission
that made your world go round.

There in those pleated faces
I see the auction block
The chains and slavery’s coffles
The whip and lash and stock.

My fathers speak in voices
That shred my fact and sound
They say, but sugar, it was our submission
that made your world go round.

They laugh to conceal their crying,
They shuffle through their dreams
They stepped ’n fetched a country
And wrote the blues in screams.
I understand their meaning,
It could an did derive
From living on the edge of death
They kept my race alive
By wearing the mask! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
-snip-
Source: http://goldenbridgeinmate39.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/the-mask-by-maya-angelou/
The poem written by Maya Angelou begins with the line "When I think about myself".

Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laurence_Dunbar for information about American poet, novelist, and playwright Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906)

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Maya Angelou Poem "The Mask"



Russell Jones, Uploaded on Aug 8, 2010

As seen on Bobby Jones [Gospel television program]

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Examples Of "Jesus Loves Me" In American Sign Language (ASL)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about, and lyrics for the Christian Hymn "Jesus Loves Me". Five videos of that song are showcased in this post. Three of these examples are instructional videos. The fourth example features a mother and daughter singing and signing this song, and the fifth example features children singing "Jesus Loves Me" and signing the chorus of that song.

A Bonus video in this post is of children signing "Jesus Loves Me" in South African Sign Language.

The content of this post is provided for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks also those who are featured in these videos. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "JESUS LOVES ME"
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Loves_Me
"Jesus Loves Me" is a Christian hymn written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915).[1] The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of an 1860 novel called Say and Seal, written by her older sister Susan Warner (1819–1885), in which the words were spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child.[2] The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Along with his tune, Bradbury added his own chorus "Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me..."[3] After publication as a song it became one of the most popular Christian hymns in churches around the world.[4]"
-snip-
That Wikipedia articles two versions of the lyrics of "Jesus Loves Me" - the original words written by Anna Bartlett Warner and words written by William Batchelder Bradbury. There are other versions for that song including the lyrics sung by the children in Example #1 given below:

Jesus loves me. This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me. He will stay.
Close besides me all the way.
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He's prepared a home for me
And some day His face I'll see.

Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
-snip-
I learned this song in the 1950s (Atlantic City, New Jersey) with the word "For" at the beginning of the last line. However, that version of that line doesn't appear to be commonly sung.

Two other common verses for this song are

Jesus loves me. He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

and

Jesus loves me when I'm good.
When I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I'm bad,
But it makes Him oh so sad.

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FEATURED VIDEOS

Example #1: Jesus Loves Me in American Sign Language



Trudy Callan, Uploaded on May 1, 2011

American Sign Language to Jesus Loves Me - Instructional video

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Example #2: Jesus Loves Me-Learn to Sign



canadianqueen76, Uploaded on Aug 23, 2011

I show the signs used to sign Jesus Loves Me. Later in the video, I sign along with music. For the word, For... I use the sign for "why." So, it translates: Why? The Bible says so. I didn't explain that in the video. Signing the words exactly how the songwriter wrote them can be referred to as Signed English. ASL has a distinct "gloss" and is not simply signing English. As I learn more about ASL sentence constructs, I will move toward more difficult songs.

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Example #3: Jesus Loves me in ASL for Wendy Hand Everhart



Matthew Hand, Uploaded on Jan 30, 2011

Kate Carlin Signs Jesus Loves Me

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Example #4: Jesus Loves Me This I Know With Sign Language ~ Children's Music, Songs & Nursery Rhymes



Shelby Barone, Uploaded on Nov 19, 2008

Shelby and her daughter Ella with Glitterful Felt Stories singing the song Jesus Loves Me This I Know while using sign language!

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Example #5: Gospel Bible Songs - Jesus loves me [with lyrics]



Cibertracker Imperium, Uploaded on Dec 17, 2011

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BONUS VIDEO

Children singing and signing Jesus Loves Me in Sign language.



handswithwords, Published on Aug 21, 2012


Introducing Hands with Words, a Christian ministry to the deaf community in South Africa. This video introduces some children singing and signing Jesus Loves Me in South African Sign language.

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Nyboma & Pepe Kalle with Dally Kimoko - "Nina" (Congolese Soukous Music)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the Congolese song "Nina" with singers Nyboma, Pepe Kalle, and featuring guitarist Dally Kimoko and comedian Sans souci

This post also provides information about Pepe Kalle, and Soukous music and provides several comments from this video's YouTube discussion thread.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Nyboma and Pépé Kallé for their musical legacy. Thanks also to all the vocalists, musicians and dancers that are featured in this video. Thanks to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT SOUKOUS MUSIC
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
"Soukous is a genre of dance music[1] that originated from Cuban Rumba music in the Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1940s and gained popularity throughout Africa.

Soukous is known as Congo in West Africa and Lingala in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania after the Lingala language of the lyrics. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, where Congolese music is also influential, it is still usually referred to as Rumba. It mixes the kwasa kwasa with the fast tempo zouk style and Congolese rumba. It is also an individual dance...

While the rumba influenced bands such as Lipua-Lipua, Veve, TP OK Jazz and Bella Bella [continued playing that style of music], younger Congolese musicians looked for ways to reduce that influence and play a faster paced soukous inspired by rock n roll.[9] A group of students called Zaiko Langa Langa came together in 1969 around founding vocalist Papa Wemba. Pepe Kalle, a protégé of Grand Kalle, created the band Empire Bakuba together with Papy Tex and they too became popular.

Soukous now spread[s] across Africa and became an influence on virtually all the styles of modern African popular music including highlife, palm-wine music, taarab and makossa'"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT PEPE KALLE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9p%C3%A9_Kall%C3%A9
"Pépé Kallé, sometimes written as Pepe Kalle (November 30, 1951 – November 28, 1998) was a soukous singer, musician and bandleader from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pépé Kallé was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville) in the Belgian Congo, but later assumed his pseudonym in hommage to his mentor, Le Grand Kallé.

With a multi-octave vocal range and a dynamic stage presence, the 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) and 136 kg (300 lb) vocalist recorded more than three hundred songs and twenty albums[citation needed] during his two decade-long career. Known affectionately as "the elephant of African music" and "La Bombe Atomique,"[citation needed] Kallé entertained audiences with his robust performances.

His musical career started with l'African Jazz, the band of Le Grand Kallé. He later performed in Bella Bella and became the lead singer of Lipua Lipua, where he sang alongside Nyboma Mwandido. In 1972, Kallé along with Dilu Dilumona and Papy Tex, left Lipua Lipua to form their own band named Empire Bakuba. Empire Bakuba took its name from a Congolese warrior tribe, and it pointedly incorporated rootsy rhythms from the interior, sounds that had long been sidelined by popular rumba. The band was an instant hit, and together with Zaiko Langa Langa they became Kinshasa's most popular youth band. With hits such as Pépé Kallé's Dadou and Papy Tex's Sango ya mawa, the band was a constant fixture on the charts. They also created a new dance, the kwassa kwassa.

On their tenth anniversary in 1982, the band was voted Zaire's top group. Throughout the early 1980s, Empire Bakuba continued to tour extensively while releasing no less than four albums a year. By the mid eighties, they had a large following throughout Francophone Central and West Africa. His 1986 collaboration with Nyboma labelled Zouke zouke was one of the years top selling albums. But it was his second collaboration with Nyboma, Moyibi (1988), which launched his popularity throughout Africa."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: nyboma et pepe kalle - nina (avec dally kimoko)



djinamori777, Uploaded on Jul 22, 2009
-snip-
Unfortunately, I haven't found an English translation or English summary of this Lingala song.
In addition to the music, I love the dancing in this video. I wish the visual quality was better.

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EXAMPLES FROM THIS VIDEO'S VIEWER COMMENT THREAD
horridhenri, 2010
"Great music. kuasa kuasa at its best. with the most successful comedian Sans souci mokili ngonga(rip) Koko dia Nzombo et Kimbanseke papa alube. Pepe Kalle and Niboma what a ccombination. surely you made us dance and forget aour problems. Bless you all. keep up the good work. speak up for peace in congo."

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PierB33, 2010
"Ah quelle beaute... This song is simply great. The lyrics, the rythm, the singing, the arrangements, everything is simply great..."

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Marija Dominyka, 2010
in reply to Matt Sseru
"@mattsseru It is Dally Kimoko and Lokassa Ya Mbongo. Dally Plays lead and Lokassa plays the rythmn that you can hear in the background. :)"

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spicee221, 2010
"Nybomas' voice is like expensive silk....Flawless and exquisite. This is simply beautiful. Thanks for posting."

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horridhenri, 2010
"Great music. kuasa kuasa at its best. with the most successful comedian Sans souci mokili ngonga(rip) Koko dia Nzombo et Kimbanseke papa alube. Pepe Kalle and Niboma what a ccombination. surely you made us dance and forget aour problems. Bless you all. keep up the good work. speak up for peace in congo."

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Mr Jeno, 2010
'Reminds me of my childhood when my dad use to play this song every Saturday morning. I love it. Pure African music at it's best. This song may be old but it is still great."

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kamoquot, 2010
"the best lingala i av ever had"
-snip-
“Lingala” here is probably being used as a synonym for “soukous” / “African rumba”


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SuperKayaya, 2012
"Ils peuvent tout ravir aux congolais. Mais ils ne reusiront jamais à nous ravir nos talents et notre joie de vivre. Jamais."
-snip-
Google translate from French to English= “They can steal all Congolese. But they never reusiront to rob us our talents and joie de vivre. Ever.”

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Dennis Orina, 2013
"party anthem...taking u back way back .when music was still music...i mean b4 it became public noise...music wit lots of sense..heiyooo..pepe kalee...

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Mbilia Bel - "Faux Pas" (Congo)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of the Congolese female vocalist Mbilia Bel singing "Faux Pas". The lyrics of that song are provided by a YouTube commentor. Several other comments from that YouTube discussion thread are also provided in this post.

In addition, this post provides information about African rumba as well as information about Mbilia Bel.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Mbilia Bel for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube. Special thanks to Job Mokaya for providing the English translation of this song which is sung in the Lingala language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT AFRICAN RUMBA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soukous
""Soukous", a derivative of the French word "secousse" – "to shake"[2] – was originally the name of a dance and music popular in the Congos in the late 1960s, an African version of the Cuban Rumba. From the 1940s, Afro-Cuban son groups such as Septeto Habanero and Trio Matamoros had been played over Radio Congo Belge in Léopoldville (Kinshasa), and the Congo shared the widespread popularity of Cuban music during the late 1940s and 1950s.[3]

To Africans, Cuban popular music sounded familiar[4] and Congolese bands started doing Cuban covers, singing the lyrics phonetically. Eventually they created original compositions with lyrics in French or Lingala, a "lingua franca" of the western Congo region. The Cuban horn guajeos were adapted to guitars.[5] The Congolese called this new music "rumba", though it was more based on "son"."

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INFORMATION ABOUT MBILIA BEL
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M'bilia_Bel
"M'bilia Bel (born 1959) is a Congolese rumba singer, known as the Queen of Congolese rumba. She rose to fame after being discovered by Tabu Ley Rochereau.

Born in 1959 and brought up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, M'bilia Bel became successful in the early 1980s when she recorded and toured with Tabu Ley Rochereau, and made her own solo albums. The birth of her first child prompted her to take a break from performing, however, and after a last album with Tabu Ley in 1987, she moved to Paris. There she started working with guitarist Rigo Star, and between 1989 and 1990 she went on tour to the United States, the United Kingdom, and West Africa. With a combination of beauty, an angelic soprano voice, and tremendous agility on stage, M'bilia Bel stole the hearts of music fans all over the continent. She was Africa's first female transcontinental diva. She became the first female musician from Africa who could claim popularity all over the entire continent and beyond. In fact, one could argue that there has not been any female musician from Africa who has captured the imagination of music fans across the continent as much as M'bilia Bel did in the eighties. South African Miriam Makeba, known as Mama Afrika, popularity peaked in the 1960s but could not attract as many fans as M'bilia Bel did later."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Congo - Mbilia Bel- Faux Pas



Seka Moke Uploaded on Jul 31, 2008

AFRICA FROM A-Z : CONGO - MBILIA BEL
-snip-

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LYRICS - FAUX PAS (English translation)
(as sung by Mbilia Bel)

Note: These lyrics were posted by Job Mokaya, 2013 in four comments to this YouTube discussion thread. Aside for the first comment given, given the way that YouTube publishes comments, I'm not sure if I'm reproducing the comments in the lyrics in the order that they were posted.


"LYRICS: “Faux pas” means “Wrong move” or “Wrong act” A song of Tabu Ley Rochereau, sang by the queen Mbilia Bel: [Verse] Stay there where you are, I’ve heard that you are requesting my address So you are being send by my rival I want you to forget my man now. I can’t fight you because I’m peaceful I’ve been hearing about you quite for some time. You’re being send to take my man away from me. Go back to where you are coming from. Ask to those who know about me when I go crazy.

What can I say now, who is that one making a big mounth claiming my man? Oh no, I can’t believe it, this is embarrassing, oh no, not to me M’bilia; The type of marriage we get ourself into has many faces. You wake up in the morning and you are being confroted with infidelity; You feel like going crasy, Not knowing what else to do, Oh no, not me M’bilia; In our time poligamy is taken lightly; In the time past it was dignified. Where is all of this leading us to? and to where are we taking this?"

I’ve been hearing about you quite for some time. Where ever I would go you would inquire about my whereabout. You’re being sent by my rival. But the one sending you is fooling herself. Now she’s sending you to get my man for her, but at the same time, you yourself start to fall in love with him. “You can not leave a goat along with kassava leaves”. You should know that the man is mine; You and your friend are temporary. I’m not strong enough to fight, but with my words I can piece you off

Rivalry is very painful, heartbreaking. You’re coming from “I don’t know where” and you want to kate my man away from me; I would lose my mind and I will do anything to prove you otherwise. A rival is only a “rival”. What friendship should we have? What you don’t want done to you, don’t do it to another. It hurt, it’s heart breaking. Now what else can I tell you? The man is mine. Who are you to claim my man? This is crasy. This is embarrassing! oh no; not me Mbilia"

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OTHER COMMENTS FROM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uewh-SIiI64

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LusaMonene1, 2013
"So the song is about love rivalry, good work Mokaya."

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faustino henrique, 2013
"Many Thanks, Mr. Job Mokaya, because most of us doesn´t know understande Lingala and a translation in Portuguse, English or French (for me, in this case) is very useful. Once again, many thanks."

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hombredeciencia, 2009
"Esta canción se escuchó mucho en la costa norte de Colombia en los años 80s. Tiene un ritmo Bárbaro. todo un exitazo. This song on a lot on the north coast of Colombia in the 80s. Barbaro has a rhythm. everything a hit. where can I get the letter.

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Herrick OCHOM, 2009
"I adore this lady so much that she remains me off my past while i was growing up kid in kampala in the mids 80s. where are you these days. beautifull musics and the voice..ooh my god.."

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yankin, 2012
"a CLASSIC!"

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ALEX CARLOS NUÑEZ SALVO, 2013
"this song in my city Barranquilla Colombia, was and will remain a success in folk dances. Mbilia Was there she knows."

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Revocatus Nyefwe, 2013
"Every one at the age of 30 on in tanzania knows mbilia and we love her..........she used to stole all the night clubd performance and bits"

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missevegee, 2013
"Its nice to hear that our beautiful mbilia is so appreciated by people outside congo. She is congo's dearest pride in music. She sings in Lingala which is the native language of the democratic republic of congo. I am planning to translate her music for all her non-congolese fans :)))"

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The African American Roots Of The Memorial Day Holiday

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides historical information about the African American roots of the Memorial Day holiday. A sound file of Joan Baez singing a song entitled "Free At Last" is also featured in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/free-at-last-spiritual-gospel-song.html for a pancocojams post about the African American Spiritual & Gospel song "Free At Last".

The content of this post is provided for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are honored by the celebration of the holiday now known as "Memorial Day". Thanks also to those who helped create the Memorial Day holiday, including those Black residents of Charleston, South Carolina who organized a May day celebration to honor Union prisoners who had died in that city during the Civil War. Thanks also to Joan Baez for her performance of the song that is featured in this post. This video is an example of pancocojams featuring an artist who isn't Black.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ROOTS OF THE "MEMORIAL DAY" HOLIDAY
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
"Memorial Day is a US federal holiday wherein the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces are remembered.[1] The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May,[2] was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service...

The first widely publicized observance of a Memorial Day-type observance after the Civil War was in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865. During the war, Union soldiers who were prisoners of war had been held at the Charleston Race Course; at least 257 Union prisoners died there and were hastily buried in unmarked graves.[12] Together with teachers and missionaries, black residents of Charleston organized a May Day ceremony in 1865, which was covered by the New York Tribune and other national papers. The freedmen cleaned up and landscaped the burial ground, building an enclosure and an arch labeled, "Martyrs of the Race Course." Nearly ten thousand people, mostly freedmen, gathered on May 1 to commemorate the war dead. Involved were about 3,000 school children newly enrolled in freedmen's schools, mutual aid societies, Union troops, black ministers, and white northern missionaries. Most brought flowers to lay on the burial field. Today the site is used as Hampton Park.[13] Years later, the celebration would come to be called the "First Decoration Day" in the North."

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: JOAN BAEZ ~ Free At Last ~



Scout4Me1's channel, Uploaded on Nov 5, 2009

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LYRICS: FREE AT LAST
(as song by Joan Baez)

Free at last, free at last
Free from the world and all it's sins
Free, free at last, free at last
I've been to the top of the mountain

Hatred had me bound, had me tied down
Had me turned around, couldn't find my way
Then you walked with me and You set my spirit free
To me and my family down that long highway

Free at last, free at last
Free from the world and all it's sins
Free at last, free at last
I've been to the top of the mountain

I will never forget when the voices called
I will never forget how the night did fall
I will never forget when you rose to the call
You lived and loved and sang and preached and died for us all

Free at last, free at last
Free from the world and all it's sins
Free at last, free at last
I've been to the top of the mountain

Free at last, free at last
Free from the world and all it's sins
Free at last, free at last
I've been to the top of the mountain

Free at last, free at last
Free from the world and all it's sins
Free at last, free at last
I've been to the top of the mountain

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/joanbaez/freeatlast.html
-snip-
This song appears on Joan Baez's album Honest Lullaby (1979). I'm not sure whether Joan Baez composed this song or not. The "free at last" line is probably lifted from the African American Spiritual entitled "Free At Last" and the phrase "I've been to the top of the mountain" probably alludes to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have A Dream Speech".

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"Free At Last" African American Spiritual & Gospel Song

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides three video examples & three lyric examples of the African American religious song "Free At Last".

The content of this post is provided for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks also to the unknown composers of this song. Thanks to all the featured vocalists and musicians in these examples and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-african-american-roots-of-memorial.html for a pancocojams post that features a Joan Baez rendition of another song entitled "Free At Last"

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE "FREE AT LAST" SONG
The earliest example of this song (1907) was documented by African American collector John Wesley Work, Jr. (also known as J. W. Work, I). This Spiritual has been "gospelized", i.e. sung in a Gospel style.

The words "Free at last! Free at last!/Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" were popularized by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the end of what is now known as his "I Have A Dream Speech" that he gave during the 1963 March On Washington. In that speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to "Free At Last" as "the old Negro spiritual". A video clip of that speech is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs
The text of that speech can be found at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

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AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF "FREE AT LAST"
(Collected by John Wesley Work, Jr. and included in his book New Jubilee Songs and Folk Songs of the American Negro, 1907)

Free at last, free at last
I thank God I'm free at last
Free at last, free at last
I thank God I'm free at last

Way down yonder in the graveyard walk
I thank God I'm free at last
Me and my Jesus going to meet and talk
I thank God I'm free at last

On my knees when the light pass'd by
I thank God I'm free at last
Tho't my soul would rise and fly
I thank God I'm free at last

Some of these mornings, bright and fair
I thank God I'm free at last
Goin' meet King Jesus in the air
I thank God I'm free at last

Source: http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/free_at_last_from.htm
-snip-
"John Wesley Work, Jr. (August 6, 1871[1] or 1873[2] - September 7, 1925) was the first African-American collector of folk songs and spirituals,[1] and also a choral director, educationalist and songwriter.[2] He is now sometimes known as John Wesley Work II, to distinguish him from his son, John Wesley Work III". Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Work,_Jr. for more information about J. W. Work, Jr.

The first four lines given above are the chorus for that song. That chorus was almost certainly repeated after each verse. Also, given the nature of African American Spirituals, additional verses or substitute verses were probably sometimes sung for this song and the verses given above weren't necessarily always sung in that order.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date, with the oldest examples given first.

Example #1: Al Green - Free at Last



jacob van Gellekom, Published on Apr 13, 2013

give the old life for the new, free at last!

Lyrics:
(written and recorded by Al Green, 1973)

I'm free, thank God almighty
Free at last, free, free, free, free
Oh, I give Your name the praise
Free at last

Free, free, free, free
Thank God almighty
Free at last

Thank God almighty, free at last
Let me say I am
Free, free, free, free, free, free, free
Thank You Lord, yeah, yeah, no

Free, free, free, free
Thank You, thank you Jesus, the Lord, oh, yeah
Oh, how You pick me up, turn me around
Place my feet on solid ground
Yes You did and yes You did, yes You did

Hey, took me out of the muddy clay
Set me on a rock to stay
Yes You did, yes You did, yes You did

Oh, You blessed my soul with plenty of love
Gave me wings to fly above
Yes You did, yes You did, yeah

I love Your name, I love Your name
I love Your name, I love Your name
I love Your name, I love Your name
Whoa, I'm free, free
Yes, my love can't justify The King, yes I

Source: http://www.metrolyrics.com/live-free-at-last-lyrics-al-green.html

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Example #2: Blind Boys Of Alabama's new video 'Free at Last'



TheGigantem, Uploaded on Dec 18, 2007

They may be from Alabama but they've been spending time in the Crescent City. Four-time Grammy winners The Blind Boys of Alabama's new album 'Down In New Orleans,' their first in three years, will be released January 29, 2008 on the Time Life Music label. Recording for the first time in New Orleans, The Blind Boys are backed here by a trio of world-class New Orleans musicians: David Torkanowsky (piano), Roland Guerin (bass) and Shannon Powell (drums). Other guests include legendary pianist/producer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the horn-heavy Hot 8 Brass Band, one of the city's most vital young acts. But the band's deeply soulful and natural voices remain in the spotlight on 'Down In Orleans.' After performing together for over six decades, The Blind Boys of Alabama have enjoyed one of the more striking comebacks in recent memory. Their last several albums have earned these hipster septuagenarians the best reviews and record sales of their career, four Grammy Awards in a four year span, and a completely new, contemporary audience.
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blind_Boys_of_Alabama for more information about the Blind Boys Of Alabama (also known as "The Five Blind Boys Of Alabama".

Lyrics: Free At Last
(as recorded by Blind Boys Of Alabama, 2007)

Group: Free at last, free at last
Thank God almighty, I’m free at last
Well, free at last, free at last
Thank God almighty, I’m free at last.

Soloist-One day, one day I was walking along
Group- Thank God almighty, I’m free at last
Soloist- I heard a voice but I saw no one
Group- Thank God almighty, I’m free at last

Chorus:
Soloist: Hey, I’m free at last
Group-Free at last
Entire Group -Thank God almighty I’m free at last
Soloist: Free at last free at last
Entire Group-Thank God almighty I’m free at last

Soloist- I met ole Satan on my way
Group-Thank God almighty I’m free at last
Soloist He said “Young man, you’re too young to pray.”
Group-Thank God almighty I’m free at last

Soloist-I said I’m free at last
Group-Free at last
Soloist-Thank God
Group-Thank God almighty I’m free at last

[Instrumental]

Soloist-Oh Satan's mad but I’m so glad*
Group -Thank God almighty I’m free at last
Soloist-He missed a soul that he thought he had
Group-Thank God almighty I’m free at last

[vamp]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Corrections and additions are welcome.

*The "Devil's mad" verse is a floating verse that is found in a number of religious songs. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/05/part-ii-of-series-devils-mad-virgin.html for a pancocojams post that showcases several songs that include those words.

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Example #3: Joyful Noise - Free At Last



LadyKej, Uploaded on Jan 20, 2009

This is Joyful Noise, a gospel acapella group in the DC Metro area. They sang at a popular restaurant in DC (Bus Boys and Poets) to celebrate MLK Day and the upcoming inauguration. The performance included singing of traditional Negro Spirituals, spoken word performances and saxophone solos.
-snip-
I haven't attempted to transcribe this version. A transcription would be very welcome. Like other African American Gospel songs that are based on Spirituals, the verses appear to be made from floating verses that are found on other Spirituals. I think that the second verse that was sung is "I went down to the river and the water was cold/ It chilled my body but not my soul".

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Excerpt from "Oral Literature In Africa" & Two Videos Of Jessica Mbangeni's Praise Poetry

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides a brief excerpt from Ruth Finnegan's 2012 book Oral Literature In Africa (Open Book Publishers, United Kingdom). This post also showcases two videos of Jessica Mbangeni's South African praise poetry.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Ruth Finnegan and all others who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to praise poet Jessica Mbangeni who is featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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EXCERPT FROM "ORAL LITERATURE IN AFRICA"
From http://archive.org/stream/OralLiteratureInAfrica/OralLiteratureInAfrica_djvu.txt
"The Social, Linguistic, and Literary Background [pp.65-67]
..."Linguistically Africa is one of the complex areas in the world. The exact number of languages to be found is a matter of dispute, but the most often cited figure is 800, if anything an underestimate (Greenberg 1962, 1963). These, let it be stressed, are languages in the full sense of the term and not mere 'dialects'. They can, however, be grouped together into larger
language families. The exact composition and relationships of these are, again, a matter of controversy, but the overall picture is clear. The best-known group is that made up of the Bantu languages (these include such languages as Zulu, Swahili, and Luba), which extend over a vast area, practically all of south and central Africa. In the opinion of some recent scholars, even this large Bantu group is only one sub-division within a much larger family, the 'Niger-Congo' group, which also includes most of the languages of West Africa. 10 Another vast family is the Afro-Asiatic (also called Hamito-Semitic), a huge language group which not only includes Arabic but also, in the form of one language or another, covers most of North Africa, the Horn of East Africa (including Ethiopia), and an extensive area near Lake Chad (where it includes the well-known and widely spoken example of Hausa).

The Central Saharan and Macrosudanic families are two further groupings, the former covering a large but mostly sparsely inhabited region north and east of Lake Chad (including Kanuri), the latter various Sudanic languages around the Nile-Congo divide and eastwards in the Nilotic and Great Lakes region of East Africa. Finally there is the Click (or Khoisan) family covering the Bushman and Hottentot languages which, in the south-west of Africa, form a separate island in an area otherwise dominated by Bantu. Besides these indigenous languages we should also mention the more recently arrived language of Arabic and, more recently still, European languages like English, French, or Afrikaans.

In spite of the differentiation into separate language families, there are nevertheless certain distinctive features which the indigenous languages tend to have in common. These, Greenberg writes, result from later contacts among the languages of the continent, on a vast scale and over a long period. Practically none of the peculiarities listed ... as typical are shared by all African languages, and almost every one is found somewhere outside of Africa, but the combination of these features gives a definite enough characterization that a language, not labelled as such for an observer, would probably be recognized as African (Greenberg 1962: 22)

Besides the basic structure of Bantu languages in vocabulary and morphology there are some further linguistic features which add to its resources as a literary instrument. Perhaps most important among these is the form usually called the ideophone (sometimes also called 'mimic noun', 'intensive noun', 'descriptive', 'indeclinable verbal particle', etc.). This is a special word which conveys a kind of idea-in-sound and is commonly used in Bantu languages to add emotion or vividness to a description or recitation. Ideophones are sometimes onomatopoeic, but the acoustic impression often conveys aspects which, in English culture at least, are not normally associated with sound at all— such as manner, colour, taste, smell, silence, action, condition, texture, gait, posture, or intensity. To some extent they resemble adverbs in function, but in actual use and grammatical form they seem more like interjections. They are specifically introduced to heighten the narrative or add an element of drama. They also come in continually where there is a need for a particularly lively style or vivid description and are used with considerable rhetorical effect to express emotion or excitement. An account, say, of a rescue from a crocodile or a burning house, of the complicated and excited interaction at a communal hunt or a football match— these are the kinds of contexts made vivid, almost brought directly before the listener's eyes, by the plentiful use of ideophones:

They are used by accomplished speakers with an artistic sense for the right word for the complete situation, or its important aspects, at the right pitch of vividness. To be used skilfully, I have been told, they must correspond to one's inner feeling. Their use indicates a high degree of sensitive impressionability (Fortune 1962: 6, on Shona ideophones) …

The Rhodesian Shona have a wide range of ideophones whose use and syntax have been systematically-analysed by Fortune (1962). Among them are such terms as

k'we— sound of striking a match.

gwengwendere— sound of dropping enamel plates.

nyiri nyiri nyiri nyiri— flickering of light on a cinema screen.

dhdbhu dhdbhu dhdbhu—oi an eagle flying slowly....

go, go, go, ngondo ngondo ngondo,

pxaka pxaka pxaka pxaka pxaka — the chopping
down of a tree, its fall, and the splintering of the branches.

...Also very striking are the praise names of Bantu languages. These are terms which pick out some striking quality of an object and are used for inanimate objects, birds, animals, and finally, in their fullest form, as names for people. We meet compound names that could be translated as, for instance, 'Forest-treader', 'Little animal of the veld', 'Crumple-up-a-person-with-a- hardwood-stick', or 'Father of the people'. Other examples are the Ankole 'He Who Is Not Startled', 'I Who Do Not Tremble', 'He Who Is Of Iron', 'He Who Compels The Foe To Surrender', or 'He Who Is Not Delirious In The Fingers' (i.e. who grasps his weapons firmly) (Morris 1964: 19ff), and the Zulu 'He who hunted the forests until they murmured', 'With his shields on his knees' (i.e. always ready for a fight), or 'Even on branches he can hold tight' (i.e. able to master any situation) (Cope 1968: 72). Sometimes the reference is to more recent conditions and formulations, a type which occurs in Kamba praise names for girls in popular songs. These include Mbitili (from English 'battery'): car-batteries are said to provide heat just as the girl's attractiveness heats up her admirers; Singano (needle), praising the sharpness of the girl's breasts; and Mbynki (from English 'Buick'): as Buicks are famous for their high-gloss black finish, this is effective praise of the beauty of the girl's skin (Whiteley 1963: 165) Praise names, it is clear, provide a figurative element in the literature in which they appear and, like the Homeric epithet in Greek epic, add colour and solemnity. In panegyric poetry the use of praise names is one of the primary characteristics (see Ch. 5), but in all contexts the use of praise names can add an extra dimension to speech or literature and continue to flourish amidst new conditions (further comments on praise names in Ch. 16)....

Strongly-marked dynamic stresses, occurring in more or less regular positions in all words of the same language, and the fairly regular incidence of long syllables also usually in the same positions, give to Bantu utterance a rhythmic quality and a measured and balanced flow not met with in languages with irregular stresses and more staccato delivery (Lestrade 1937: 303).

The particular genius of each language gives rise to various possibilities in the structure of verse. The type of 'prosody' often used exploits the grammatical and syntactical possibilities of the language, which is not, as in English, bound by a fixed word order. Alliterative parallelism is easily achieved. Thus in the Zulu proverb

Kuhlwile I phambili II kusile I emuva

It is dark / in front // it is light /behind ('it is easy to be wise after the event'). 14

(quoted Lestrade 1937: 307)"

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These videos are posted in chronological order based on the date that they were published on YouTube. The videos with the oldest dates are posted first.

Example #1: Jessica Mbangeni - Praise Poet, Singer and Actress



MarieGreySpeakers1, Published on Oct 2, 2012

Jessica Mbangeni made her mark as a praise-singer when she joined Soweto Gospel Choir in 2002 and toured the world in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and North American States. She has performed at prestigious events such as the 46664 concert in Cape Town and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki's second inauguration. Jessica recently released her first single, "iGoli", to great acclaim.
-snip-
Commenters indicated that Jessica Mbangeni's language is Xhosa [isiXhosa]

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Example #2: *Jessica_Mbangeni



BadilishaPoetry Badilisha, Published on Feb 28, 2013
-snip-
This is the same praise poem to Nelson Mandela that is given above.

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BONUS VIDEO :7 year old Izibongo Praise Singer



blacfoundation, Uploaded on Sep 2, 2009
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's viewer comment thread from GrumpyTinashe1 (2013)
"He is hailing Zuma as well as praising [President of South Jacob Zumas'] ancestors. Akin to what Muhammad Ali used to do, proclaim he is the greatest and all that only this time its done by a third party. Was done for and to kings/chiefs at gatherings back in the day and still is. Among other things he says indoda emadodeni meaning J.Z is a man among men. Like Gunman gunner says below its hard to get the flavour of it in translation. Imagine a rap battle dissing each other only this time you are praising someone lol"
-snip-
In addition to the flow of the oratory, it's interesting to note the audience's responses to those spoken words.

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RELATED LINK
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/south-african-praise-poet-zolani-mkiva.html
South African Praise Poet Zolani Mkiva - Transcript: Praise Poetry Is Essential Part Of African DNA

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Five Videos Of Gwo Ka Music & Dance (Guadeloupe, West Indies)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases five videos of Gwo Ka music & dance from Guadeloupe, French West Indies. Information about Gwo Ka is also includes in this post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all others featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube and thanks to those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT GWO KA
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwo_ka
"Gwo ka (Big drum) is both a family of hand drums and the music created with them, which is a major part of Guadeloupean folk music. There are seven rhythms in gwo ka, which are embellished by the drummers. Different sizes of drums establish the foundation and its flourishes, with the largest, the boula, playing the central rhythm and the smaller, markeur (or maké) drums embellishes upon it and interplays with the dancers, audience or singer. Gwo ka singing is usually guttural, nasal and rough, though it can also be bright and smooth, and is accompanied by uplifting and complex harmonies and melodies. There are also dances that tell folk stories that are accompanied by the gwo ka drums.

Rural Guadeloupans still use gwo ka drums in communal experiences called lewozes; this is the most traditional manifestation of gwo ka in modern Guadeloupe. Gwo ka is also played at Carnival and other celebrations. A modernized and popularized form of gwo ka is well-known on the islands; it is known as gwo ka moderne.

Origin
Gwo ka is the French creole term for Big drum.
The origin of Gwo Ka goes back to the period of enslavement in the 18th century. Musical research show that the instrument can find its roots in the drums and songs of the West African countries (Guinea gulf, Congo...). From the diverse music and dance of their homelands, the slaves elaborated a communication tool, a new form of art, like the creole language: the Gwo Ka. This musical genre is characterised by an African typology: - repetitive form - improvisation - physical movements linked to music - a response between a soloist and choir - a syncopation [which is] weak [at] times. Gwo-ka, is a quadruple entity: dance, music, instrument, song..."

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These videos are posted in chronological order based on the date that they were published on YouTube. The videos with the oldest dates posted first.

Example #1: GUADELOUPE - Filles super rapides (live drums - gwo ka)



lagoyave Uploaded on Nov 1, 2008

Raw footage
Genre: folklore - traditional music: Gwo ka, Guadeloupe island
Festival les Belles ka dansé - Bourget (France)
Super fast dancers. They could dance really fast and could also play drums, the KA. 7 rhythms, it is unique worldwide. Let me tell you that the easiest one is not obvious at all.
Level: advanced/expert.
Filles super rapides et synchronisées. Niveau de danse: expert.
Danse et percussions: jouent du tambour.

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Example #2: Gwo ka - Jean Fouye Pye Fouye - Lewoz a Choukaj Mas Pari [live drums]



lagoyave Uploaded on Jul 22, 2011

...Traditional drums of Guadeloupe (FWI: French West Indies - French Oversea Dpt #971). Bay lavwa, buzzez, faites tourner svp, please tell a Friend!!! Yon bèl mèsi, thanks a million!!!
Title: Jean Fouyé, Pyè Fouyé, gwo ka classic. 3 dancers/danseurs
This song is loved by everyone and is also one of my favorite for both, the lyrics and the composition as a whole. Many covers available, I like this one, it was a fair one. :)
Guest: Orèl, Style Ka

Chant: Fred Epaminondas, Lowi6
Danseurs: Camille de Miyo, Pascal Lamy en rouge et je ne connais pas le dernier. Si vous savez, dites-le moi. Merci...

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Example #3: Gwo ka - Orel Styleka - "Pa mannye loli-la" - Lewoz a Choukaj Mas Pari

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Lagoyave, uploaded on Jul 31, 2011

Title/titre: "pa mannyé loli-la"
Genre: Gwo ka music - live drums. Choukaj Mas Pari. Annual event.
3 dancers/danseuses dont Manzel Dodoz. Bay lavwa, faites tourner, commentez, svp. Merci. -
Title/titre: Pa mannyé loli-la is a Gwo ka classic song.
Guest: Orèl, StyleKa,,,

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Example #4: Gwo ka Lewoz Poirier Petit-Bourg

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Chaîne de 971chimentrase Uploaded on Sep 11, 2011

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Example #5: Veillée de Napoléon Magloire dit Napo - Gwoka Guadeloupe - 1



Kalinda Productions, Published on May 6, 2013

Wake of Napoleon "Napo" Magloire, master singer of the Guadeloupean tradition gwoka / May 3rd, 2013, Guadeloupe.

Veillée de Napoléon Magloire dit Napo, vendredi 3 mai 2013, Gosiers, Guadeloupe

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Three Videos Of Reynoir Négoce Casimir, Renown Accordion Player From Guadeloupe, West Indies

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases three video examples of Reynoir Négoce Casimir, Accordion player from Guadeloupe, West Indies. Information about quadrille music and Négoce Casimir are also includes in this post.

The content of this post is provided for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Négoce Casimir and all others featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT QUADRILLE MUSIC
From http://www.africultures.com/php/index.php?nav=disque&no=778
"En Guadeloupe, le choc des cultures occasionné par la rencontre brutale du système colonial a conduit à un brassage des us et coutumes: les maîtres se divertissaient au rythme des danses qu'ils avaient apportées d'Europe et les esclaves venus d'Afrique les ont façonnées à leur manière. La polka, le quadrille et la contredanse ("country dance") ont épousé les percussions et les rythmes d'Afrique pour donner naissance aux quadrilles créoles. Pour le "Kadri Gwadloup", un commandeur donne, dans un mélange de vieux français et de créole, des injonctions aux danseurs sur les postures à adopter, tandis que les musiciens interprètent sans discontinuer les différentes figures: "l'entrée", "le pantalon", "l'été", "la poule", "la pastourelle" et "la biguine". Reynoir Casimir dit Négoce, accordéoniste de grand talent, figure incontournable des "balakadri" est accompagné par son ensemble "Signature" (percussions et guitare). Art de déclamer, parlé-chanté proche du rap, le quadrille de Guadeloupe témoigne ici de sa force vitale. L'intégralité des savoureux textes des commandements est reproduite dans le livret.

Collection Musique du Monde, dist. France Universal cd 3016972"
-snip-
Here's my attempt to put Translate's English translation of this French text into Standard American English:
"In Guadeloupe the culture shock caused by the sudden meeting of the colonial system led to a mixing of traditions and customs the polka, quadrille and contra ( "country dance" ) rhythmic dances of Europeans combined with the percussive rhythms of enslaved Africans and gave birth to the Creole quadrilles Creole.

For "Kadri Gwadloup" the caller (soloist),gives commands in a mixture of old French and Creole for the dancers to follow while musicians play continuously different figures such as " input ", " the pants "," summer "," hen "," the shepherdess "and" beguine ". Reynoir Négoce Casimir, a talented accordionist and a leading figure of " balakadri " is accompanied by a whole "Signature" (group od percussionist and guitarist) . The quadrille art of recitation in which words are spoken and sung is close to the style of rap. is very popular in Guadeloupe. The and is very strong very /sungord is reciting , spoken - sung close to rap, quadrille Guadeloupe evidenced by its vital force. The full texts of wonderful examples are contained in this booklet."

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These videos are posted in chronological order based on the date that they were published date on YouTube. The videos with the oldest dates posted first.

Example #1: NEGOCE: KADRI GWADLOUP

.

YENKINOU Uploaded on Dec 27, 2009

Vendredi 25 décembre 2009 jour de Noël. Dans une petite ruelle du centre ville de Morne-à-L'eau, dans son bar,NÉGOCE le chantre du Kadri Gwadloup et quelques amis musiciens interprètent un titre ...

Sé tan nou osi !

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Example #2: Négoce et Signature - "Soleil" Eté final (live)



Dj Paragraf Uploaded on May 8, 2011


Négoce et le groupe "Signature" lors du 4ème numéro de "Dé MO KAT NOT" (DMKN) qui se déroulait à L'ARTCHIPEL Scène nationale de la Guadeloupe.

Diffusion: Guadeloupe 1ère (30/04/11)

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Example #3: Palé Pou Sonjé - Concert de Négoce & Signature, pastourelle (Fort Fleur d'Epée 27 septembre 2013)



lameca971, Published on Sep 29, 2013

Extrait du concert du groupe de quadrille Signature de Reynoir Casimir dit Négoce.
Ici la 4ème figure: pastourelle.

Vendredi 27 septembre 2013 19h, Fort Fleur d'Epée.

Soirée d'ouverture de la manifestation "Palé Pou Sonjé" (édition 2013) organisée par la Médiathèque Caraïbe du Conseil Général de la Guadeloupe.

Compte youtube de la Médiathèque Caraïbe du Conseil Général de la Guadeloupe, établissement bibliothécaire entièrement dédié à la Caraïbe insulaire et continentale (www.lameca.org).

Images: Médiathèque Caraïbe

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What "Shady Apes" Mean & How It Became A Catchphrase

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information and comments about the term "shady apes".

The content of this post is provided for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in the showcased video and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

WARNING: Some quotes and some links that are provided in this post contain profanity.

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DEFINITION
"Shady apes" is a mild or serious insulting referent for one or more persons who act/s in a conniving, manipulative, and/or underhanded way that benefits him, her, or them.

The term "shady apes" is made up of the word "shady" and "apes". A person who is described as a "shady ape" is acting "shady" (see the slang definition as suggested above). Describing the person as an "ape" is meant to be insulting because the person is acting like an animal - He or she doesn't have the morality that is generally attributed to a human being.

The term "shady apes" probably is a newer form of the terms "shady bitch" and "shady ass bitch".

From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shadyass%20bitch
"shadyass bitch

Someone who tries to hide something by manipulating his or others' actions or words to his own advantage in order to attain something for his own benefit. This person may also hide information by not saying anything or lying.

by Sektatasek July 26, 2011"
-snip-
While the term "shade" is included in a list of words and phrases from RuPaul's Drag Race show [edited by Branden Barker in December 8, 2012], the term "shady apes" isn't found in that dictionary http://www.realitynation.com/tv-shows/rupauls-drag-race/drag-queen-lingo-dictionary/23856/#_is=1p3t37yfyodshywg1vwh3pbgmh RuPaul’s Drag Race The Drag Queen Dictionary

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WHERE DID THE REFERENT "SHADY APES" COME FROM?
It's possible that the referent "shady apes" was used to insult people prior to its use on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 [2014]. However, African American drag queen Vivacious can be credited with introducing that term to the world on March 13, 2014 via her use of it during a screen confessional [talk to the camera] that was aired as part of Season 6, episode 3 that television show. In that screen confessional, Vivacious commented about her reaction to all of her competitors naming her as the person who should leave the show that episode.

Vivacious (Mothah!) Compilation - RuPaul's Drag Race



J Bag Published on Mar 13, 2014
Mothah! Has arrived! And then she done got eliminated.

Vivacious from RuPaul's Drag Race Season Six best moments!

Footage From Rupaul's Drag Race Season Six Episode 1 and Episode 3.

Includes "Shake It Up" by Selena Gomez

Season Six Queens: Darienne Lake, Courtney Act, Bianca Del Rio, Milk, Joslyn Fox, Trinity K. Bonet, Magnolia Crawford, Ben De La Creme, Gia Gunn, Laganja Estranja, Adore Delano, Vivacious, Kelly Mantle, April Carrion
-snip-
1:32: “Those little shady apes all threw me on the bus”.
[Vivacious almost certainly meant “under the bus”]

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IS "SHADY APES" A RACIST REFERENT?
There's a long history and present day examples of Black people being called monkeys (macaca), apes, and gorillas. Knowledge of that history & its present day usage may have significantly contributed to the formation of the "shady apes" term. However, it seems to me that no racial or racist connotations were associated with "shady apes" in the public examples of its use by Vivacious [on RuPaul's Drag Race (season 6, episode 3)] and by that series' fans and commenters. I've reached this conclusion mostly because the "shady apes" referent was applied by Vivacious to all her drag queen competitors regardless of their race & ethnicity (one of those competitors was Black, two were Latino, one was Asian, and the others were White). Furthermore, in the examples of this referent that I have found online-some of which are found below- it certainly appears to me that "shady apes" is used to describe a person's or group's behavior or words and not that person's or groups' race, ethnicity, or appearance.

To be clear, a person or group may act like a "shady ape" because he or she or they choose to do so for his, or her, or their own benefit, and not because of some supposed racial instincts or conditioning.

That said, given the reality of race in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, it's very possible that a person who calls a Black or Brown person a shady ape could face unexpected negative consequences.

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EXAMPLES OF THE USE OF THE REFERENT "SHADY APES"
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referent purposes only. Italics are used to highlight the use of the referent "shady apes".

WARNING: Some of the comments included below and some of the website linked include profanity.

1. Vivacious - [aired March 13, 2014] “Those little shady apes all threw me on the bus”.
See the video clip given above.

2. From https://www.facebook.com/vivaciousnyc
Nancy Mitchell, May 19, 2014
I'm still bitter than you went home when you did. Your "shady apes" comment STILL makes me laugh.

#3 given as a series of comments most of which are consecutive
From http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/25zt1o/finale_chat_thread_lets_get_nostalgic/?limit=500 May 20, 2014
3. SmartDeeDee
Hey, the producers deserve to say goodbye for the season too. I mean, what would be of us without our shady metallic sounds and contrived drama?

it is absolutely hilarious that they filmed that tie

**
nicolroco
it was actually kinda genius, it gave us something to freak over instead of just knowing bianca won.

**
SmartDeeDee
Yeah, it was a great way to distract us and keep us interested. I mean, I still think it was a little shady towards Courtney, but it did work to at least create a polarization that keep us interested.

**
raspberry2012
You know, that's true. It was the hot discussion around here after everyone got back from the taping - they totally faked us out, those shady apes!

#4 given as a series of comments most of which are consecutive
From http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/25zt1o/finale_chat_thread_lets_get_nostalgic/?limit=500 May 20, 2014

aftershaveocean
Ru's a shady ape for filming a tie

**
missus_b
Well she had the thirstiest sleuths on the internet (us, obv) speculating, didn't she? Well played...?

**
gayselle
Hey, it got people talking and riled up so I guess it worked in his favour.

**
boten_anna
What's funny about is that most people who just watch the show on logo and never read anything online won't know that was ever a possibility. Ru is so mean to us, thirsty fans.

5. Black_Delphinium
From http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/25zt1o/finale_chat_thread_lets_get_nostalgic/?limit=500 May 20, 2014
Rupaul you shady ape, captioning Lady Bunny like that.

6.
From http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3172889-rupauls-drag-race/page-451
calista23, Posted Mar 13, 2014
Tons of shade in this episode!

I think that Adore should lipsync for her life and not <3 April <3, as a leader, she was horrible. I like Vivacius very much and did not want her to leave the competition right now. And i will use her expression "shady apes" in my conversations!

7.
From http://isthiswhyimstillsingle.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/rupaul-recap-season-6-episode-9/
Apr 15 2014
RuPaul Recap: Season 6, Episode 9
...“Our episode begins with the queen’s coping with the destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Laganja. Adore and some of the other queens regret how they dealt with Laganja but they quickly turn their attention to Joslyn, who they see as the weakest competitor. Shown through a bunch of shady ape confessionals, it’s clear that Joslyn’s days on Drag Race may be numbered.”

#8. [consist of two comments] http://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/262jt2/the_shady_apes_of_wow_productions/ The Shady Apes of WoW Productions
...May 20, by Unnie55 -“I love WoW for bringing me this lovely show but they are the shadiest apes. I hope some of the shenanigans end for next season but I know better.”"

**
JCizle, May 20, 2014
Take it easy...
World of Wonder is doing their job: grow their brand. THEY pick they winner THEY want to give THEIR munties to after crafting the story THEY wanted. Don't catch feels or be sorry for anyone... it's just entertainment….

I expect MORE shenanigans next year. That's 95% of the reason we all watch! It's not personal... it's just drag.
-snip-
This post also included a comment with the hashtag "shadyelephants"

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Rev. Charles H. Nicks & The St. James Adult Choir - "Hold Back The Night"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is post presents the lyrics for and three YouTube examples of the now classic Gospel song "Hold Back The Night". Information about Rev. Charles H. Nicks, the composer of this song, is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Rev Charles Nicks for his religious and musical legacy. Thanks also to all those vocalists and musicians who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. In addition, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT REV. CHARLES H. NICKS
From http://museum.msu.edu/museum/tes/gospel/nicks.htm
"When Charles H. Nicks, Jr. became the organist for the St. James Baptist Church in Detroit in 1957, a thirty-year success story was begun, one which continued throughout his pastorate of the church. His recordings with the St. James Adult Choir, which captured the "feel" of the traditional Black Baptist church, helped to strengthen Detroit's position as a major center for gospel music.

Rev. Nicks was born in Lincoln, NE, July 18,1941, to the Reverend Charles Nicks, Sr., a Baptist pastor, and Alliece Nicks, a pianist who was his first musical influence. After extensive training in classical and gospel music, Rev. Nicks developed on organ style that attracted students from around the country who wanted to learn how he made the Hammond organ "talk."

A founding member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, he was also organist for the Harold Smith Majestics and a respected record producer. Rev. Nicks, who died in 1988, was celebrated for composing and/or singing several gospel classics, including "He's So Real," "Something About God's Grace," and "I Really Love the Lord."

Under the direction of Jimmy Dowell, the St. James Adult Choir continues to perform in the traditional style that first brought them and Rev. Nicks into the national spotlight."

**
From https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rev-Charles-H-Nicks-Jr/123705620985?sk=info
"Rev. Charles H. Nicks, Jr., was called as the fifth pastor of St. James Missionary Baptist Church in April, 1972

The following achievements for the Lord were realized under the pastorship of Rev. Nicks:
...Leader of the National Baptist Church Music Department - Artist for countless musical recordings - Facilitator for may nationally televised productions - Vice President and leader for the Gospel Music Workshop of America [GMWA} - Leader of many other local and national organizations to numerous to be counted"...

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LYRICS FOR THE GOSPEL SONG "HOLD BACK THE NIGHT"
(composed by Rev. Charles Nicks)*

Comment from one of this post featured videos:
k cooper, 2008
"I was a member of the St. James Adult Choir. Here are the lyrics to HOLD BACK THE NIGHT: Chorus: Hold Back the Night give me strength to fight. I'll do your will if you just say to my storm, peace be still. O Lord, I love your name, every day you're just the same. I'll be alright, if you Hold Back the Night. Verse: The storm is raging all around. Satan is trying to pull me down. Lord you told me, in your word I could abide. So stretch forth your mighty hand and Hold Back the Night."
-snip-
Here are those lyrics in song format:

Chorus [sung by the Choir]
Hold back the night.
Give me strength to fight.
I'll do Your will
If You just say to my storm
“Peace be still.”
Oh Lord, I love Your name.
Every day You're just the same.
I'll be all right
If You just hold back the night.

[repeat]

Solo: The storm is raging
All around.
Satan keeps tryin
To pull me down.
But Lord, You told me
In Your word I could abide.
So stretch forth Your mighty hand
And hold back the night.

[repeat]

[Choir sings the chorus with the soloist vamping.]
Vamping: To improvise a musical accompaniment, to improvise (an accompaniment, for example) for a solo, to improvise simple accompaniment or variation of a tune.

*Online information about the Gospel song "Hold Back The Night" is very difficult to find. However, I happened upon this website http://www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org/PopupWorshipAid.asp?LRID=96. That site gives suggested songs & their composers for a Men's Day and lists “Charles H. Nicks, Jr as the composer of "Hold Back The Night".

"Hold Back The Night" is also the title of a 1990 Gospel album by Rev. Charles H. Nicks & The St. James Adult Choir. That album features that song and other songs that would now be considered "old school Gospel".

It seems very clear to me that "Hold Back The Night" Gospel song lyrics directly refer to the New Testament verses which recount the story of Jesus calming the waves that threatened to overturn the boat that he and his disciples were traveling in on the Sea of Galilee. This is the same Biblical story that is the theme of Rev. James Cleveland and the Angelic Choir of Nutley, New Jersey's hugely popular 1962 or 1963 record "Peace Be Still". Notice the inclusion of the words "Peace Be Still" in the Gospel song "Hold Back The Night".

Click http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=hurlbut&book=bible&story=peace for a link to that Biblical story told in contemporary Standard American English. Also, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb4Vjey1WsM for a sound file of that "Peace Be Still" record. By the way, that Rev. James Cleveland recording also features keyboardist Billy Preston, who was very highly regarded for his accompaniment on Gospel recordings as well as his popular secular records.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES

Example #1: Rev. Charles Nicks teaching Hold Back The Night



Marcel West, Uploaded on Dec 29, 2008

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Example #2: Rev. Charles Nicks & The St. James Adult Choir - Hold Back The Night



Marcel West, Uploaded on Jun 4, 2008

One of my personal favs!! Lead by Rev. Charles Nicks & Sis. Jean Frederick

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Example #3: St. James Mass Choir - Hold Back The Night



Marcel West Uploaded on Jan 8, 2009

Mary Thompson sings "Hold Back The Night" with the Mass Choir

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