LIBERIA Folk Music of Liberia – Smithsonian Folkways Records FW 04465

LIBERIA
Folk Music of Liberia – Smithsonian Folkways Records  FW 04465, recorded by Packard L. Okie in 1954, 1992 reissue (Cassette)

In the 1980s, I began collecting Folkways records, but they were hard to find, costly, and often had subpar sound quality. After the Smithsonian Institution acquired Folkways Records in 1987, the catalog was reissued on audio cassettes in the early 1990s. These cassettes offered improved sound and were produced on an on-demand basis. Because of this limited, direct sales model, they are quite rare today.

 

The album includes enthralling traditional and folk musics of old performed by the Kpelle (A2, A5, B5), Bassa (A4, B3), Mandingo (A1, B2), Gio (Dan) (A3), Lorma (A6) and Grebo (B4) peoples of Liberia. These 1954 recordings made in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, Bromley, Montserado County, and Gbanga, Central Province, feature vocals (A1, A2, A3, A6, B1, B2, B3 B4), guitars (A1, B4), drums and percussion (A3, A6, B3, B5), balafons (B2), a musical bow (B4), a harp (B3), and horns (B5).

 

Don’t miss the terrific acoustic guitar and vocals (B4), the mesmerizing bush cutters' polyrhythmic vocals (A2) and the vibrant Kpelle ensemble with its haunting horns, drums, and percussion (B5).

 

Lorsque j'ai commencé à collectionner les disques Folkways dans les années 1980, ils étaient difficiles à trouver, chers et leur qualité sonore laissait parfois à désirer. Après l'acquisition de Folkways Records par la Smithsonian Institution en 1987, le catalogue a été réédité sur cassettes audio au début des années 1990. Ces cassettes offraient une meilleure qualité sonore et étaient produites à la demande. En raison de ce modèle de vente directe et limitée, elles sont assez rares aujourd'hui.

 

Cet album nous plonge dans les musiques traditionnelles et folkloriques d'antan du Liberia interprétées par les peuples Kpelle (A2, A5, B5), Bassa (A4, B3), Mandingue (A1, B2), Gio (Dan) (A3), Lorma (A6) et Grebo (B4). Réalisés en 1954 à Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County, Bromley, Montserado County, et à Gbanga, Central Province, ces enregistrements comprennent des voix (A1, A2, A3, A6, B1, B2, B3, B4), des guitares (A1, B4), des tambours et des percussions (A3, A6, B3, B5), des balafons (B2), un archet musical (B4), une harpe (B3) et des trompes (B5).

 

Ne manquez pas la superbe guitare acoustique (B4), le chant de travail polyrythmique envoûtant des défricheurs de brousse (A2) et l'ensemble Kpelle avec ses trompes, tambours et percussions circulaires lancinantes (B5).

Mandingo people

A1 – Mandingo Song

Female and male singers with guitar;

This song is an ode to the Prophet Muhammad and is performed during Eid al-Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan's month of fasting;

Gbanga, Central Province.

Kpelle people

A2 – Worksong

Six male bush-cutters sing.

 

Gio (Dan) people

A3 – Laborers’ song

Laborers accompanied by bamboo slit drums;

Bromley on the St. Paul River.

 

Bassa people

A4 – Solo musical bow held in mouth for pitch variations
By Jon Wieh;

Bromley on the St. Paul River.

 

Kpelle people

A5 – Harp solo 
By Pepe Kroma;

Senje District, Bomi County.

 

Lorma people

A6 – Lorma (Buzi) song

Two men sing and play Fanga drums with women vocals.

Gio (Dan) people

B1 – Song of the Snake Society (handling snakes and healing snake bites)
Singers led by Jeru.

 

Mandingo people

B2 – Mandingo Song

Vocals and two balafons with 17 wooden bars (pictured)
This song is an ode to the Prophet Muhammad and is performed during Eid al-Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan's month of fasting.

 

Bassa people

B3 – Bassa song

Belly harp (pictured), vocals and percussion by Jeffly and Bo;

Gbanga, Central Province.

 

Grebo people

B4 – Kru song 

The singer, who plays an imported acoustic guitar, learned this tune from Kru sailors.

 

Kpelle people

B5 – Kpelle Ensemble

Horns, drums with rattles and a struck iron triangle;s

This ensemble honors the Gbanga chief during the Independence Day festivities on July 26;

Gbanga, Central Province.

Download:

Flac

MP3

The cover of the 1960 vinyl reissue of the album:

Photographs below are from Primitivism in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern by William Rubin, MoMA, 1987, and the Guy Loudmer catalog for the June 28-29, 1989, art auction at Paris-Drouot:

Grebo mask, 70 cm, Liberia or Côte d'Ivoire:

Dan mask, 27 cm, Liberia or Côte d'Ivoire:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to 

pursue my global curation project and share the 

best finds with you on this blog here below: