In the notation for “Angola,” furthermore, there are words presented to be sung: “Ho-baognion, Hoba, Hoba, Hoba-ognion.” In “Koromanti,” meanwhile, one phrase is included: “Meri Bonbo mich langa meri wa langa.”
We would love any leads or ideas about how we might figure out what these lines mean, what language they are in, etc.
Koromanti
Scholars have long debated how to best interpret the meaning of African ethnic terms as used in the Caribbean and the Americas more broadly. One of our questions is whether these songs can actually give us a better understanding of what "Koromanti" meant as a term in seventeenth century Jamaica. How might we read back from the music? What does the fact that three songs that are so different are all called "Koromanti" signify about the term and its meaning at the time?
a flexible feel inviting improvisation
In the Musical Passage Workshop in Jamaica, Earl "Chinna" Smith did a great improvisation on the piece using slide guitar, which was a really interesting way of engaging with the scales laid out in the piece:
His solo is here about 7 minutes into the video:
a beat divided into 3 parts instead of two
There was an interesting discussion between a scholar named Peter Espeut & Earl "Chinna" Smith about the beat of this song during the Jamaica Musical Passage Workshop (starting about 10:20 in the video below)
Koromanti
Scholars have long debated how to best interpret the meaning of African ethnic terms as used in the Caribbean and the Americas more broadly. One of our questions is whether these songs can actually give us a better understanding of what "Koromanti" meant as a term in seventeenth century Jamaica. How might we read back from the music? What does the fact that three songs that are so different are all called "Koromanti" signify about the term and its meaning at the time?
Koromanti (Part 3)
We have not yet been able to interpret the vocal line in this particular song. Are there ideas about what language this might be? About what this might mean? About how it might have been sung in relation to the melody of this particular piece?