Akonting playing by Joe Diatta. Dakar. 07-2006

Joe Diatta (Jatta in english) plays an old Jola tune on the three string gourd lute Ekonting (Akonting). The name of the tune is Ampa Youtou, Child of Yuotou, a village in southern Senegal.The Akonting is one possible West African forerunner to the New World banjo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• West
• African
• Traditional
• String
• Music

[lionzion22]

Might as well show the other instruments as well, like the various West African fiddles.

[lsamoa]

Underbart! Tack för det!

[54markl]

Senegambian music is most ancestral to American music. Very beautiful.

[paapakobe]

priceless. Thank you for sharing the truth & putting the context of the 'american' song

[PerditaLupo]

wow ... it does sound a little like "cluck old hen" dangggg

good ear strings3002! lalolalomejor, sip! esta buenisimo!

Bonege! (Esperanto for Good stuff! or something like that)

[lalolalomejor]

que cosa mas bonita,escuchar,esta musica,es increible que con tan pocos instrumentos se pueda realizar algo tan hermoso, es una delica para los oidos!!GRACIAS!!

[fartsinwind]

the song at the end is really good

[011tombo]

Great stuff! Very nice singing and harmonies. It's also fascinating to see and remind ourselves how it all started with the modern 5-sting banjo. Ulf, can you tell us what are the strings made of on this instrument? They sound really nice and mellow like nylon stings on modern acoustic guitars. Thank you so much for posting this.

[fartsinwind]

This song is beautiful!

[UlfJagfors]

Many old time African American songs probably bear influencies from African musical backgrounds. I think this song is more closely to Sourwood Mountain. But it is up to you to try to find similarities with other OT tunes.

Ulf