| Friday, April 18, 2025 | | AFROPOP WORLDWIDE | | African Sounds of the Indian Subcontinent | | | | 700 YEARS OF AFRICA‑INDIA MUSICAL FUSION—HEAR IT NOW We're heading to India's west coast, where African and South Asian music have been blending for centuries—quietly, beautifully. This week, Afropop Worldwide takes you on a journey of discovery.
In Gujarat, the Sidi community keeps alive a powerful drumming tradition rooted in East Africa. In Kerala, Mappila songs carry Arabic melodies passed down through generations.
You don't need to know the history to feel the connection—but once you hear it, you'll want to. This episode brings you the music, the people who live it, and the stories behind sounds that crossed oceans long before we started calling it "global." Listen now. Produced by Banning Eyre. | | KEY MUSICAL TRADITIONS Where African and South Asian Sounds Meet | | CENTURIES OF MUSICAL EXCHANGE The musical exchange between Africa and the Indian subcontinent has shaped everything from rhythmic patterns to instrumental techniques. These rich connections span over 700 years of cultural dialogue. | | 1 | SIDI RITUAL MUSIC The Sidi communities of Gujarat and Karnataka perform sacred dhamal rituals featuring polyrhythmic drumming, call-and-response vocals, and circular dance formations that directly echo East African traditions. Their performances blend Sufi devotional elements with distinctly African percussion techniques passed down through generations. | | | 2 | MAPPILA PATTU Kerala's Muslim musical tradition beautifully merges Arabic poetic forms with South Indian melodic structures. The kolkali and oppana dance forms that accompany these songs show clear influences from Swahili coastal communities, featuring distinctive hand-clapping patterns and rhythmic foot movements found in both regions. | | | 3 | INDO-AFRICAN PERCUSSION Contemporary artists explicitly connect these traditions through innovative fusions. Mumbai-based percussionist Taufiq Qureshi incorporates djembe techniques with Indian tabla patterns, while the kanjira frame drum of South India shares striking similarities with frame drums from Northeast Africa—both in construction and playing technique, suggesting centuries of mutual influence. | | | NEW PUBLICATIONS Featured Articles & Research |  | | CULTURAL INSIGHT Dendana: Music as Journalism Before newspapers or digital media, there were dendana musicians. In Chad's Kanem region, these keepers of truth transform journalism into art, weaving community histories and current events into compositions that captivate while they inform. Their work reminds us that music has always been more than entertainment—it's how societies preserve their most essential truths when other records fail. READ MORE | |  | | TOUR NEWS Bab L'Bluz Returns to America Moroccan-French quartet Bab L'Bluz brings their psychedelic Gnawa rock back to American stages this spring. Led by Yousra Mansour's powerful vocals and guembri skills, the group continues pushing boundaries through their innovative fusion of traditional North African music with contemporary influences. READ MORE | | | | | SPRING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Help preserve African musical traditions for future generations | | | 30 more needed to reach our April 30 goal | | | African music's profound influence on global culture deserves to be understood, celebrated, and preserved. For over 37 years, Afropop Worldwide has been bringing you these vital stories—from traditional sounds to today's innovations. Memberships start at just $5 a month and provide the reliable support we need to continue our mission of cultural documentation and celebration. | | | | | | | In every rhythmic pattern shared between these traditions, I hear evidence of our profound human need to create beauty even through displacement and hardship. The Indian Ocean wasn't merely a highway for commerce but for souls and their expressions. When we listen deeply to these musical dialogues, we're witnessing not appropriation but genuine conversation—sounds that have journeyed together, transformed one another, and created something entirely new yet anchored in ancient wisdom. DR. AMY CATLIN-JAIRAZBHOY Ethnomusicologist, UCLA | | | FEATURED PERFORMANCE Don't Miss This Special Event | | | Paquito D'Rivera: Celebrating 70+ Years Rose Theater (JALC), Manhattan The legendary Cuban saxophonist and clarinetist celebrates over seven decades of musical innovation with this special performance. Known for his virtuosic blend of jazz, classical, and Latin traditions, Paquito D'Rivera continues to electrify audiences worldwide. Shows at 7:30 PM both nights. | | | CALENDAR Upcoming Performances & Events | | APR 18 | Bab L'Bluz Joe's Pub, 7PM DETAILS | | | APR 19 | Independence Show: Mia Guisse & Amadeus Palladium Times Square, 11PM DETAILS | | | | APR 20 | Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas Webster Hall, Doors 7PM DETAILS | | | APR 23 | Princeton in Africa 25th Anniversary Gala Mandarin Oriental, NYC DETAILS | | | | APR 27 | Youssou N'Dour Live Kings Theatre, Brooklyn DETAILS | | | MAY 17 | DanceAfrica: Tribute to the Ancestors TBD (Near BAM), Brooklyn DETAILS | | | | MAY 23-29 | DanceAfrica: FilmAfrica BAM Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn DETAILS | | | | | AFROPOP WORLDWIDE | | Connecting global audiences to the music, stories, and creativity of Africa and the diaspora since 1988. | | | | | | | | |
