The Global Groove: where does West African folk music fit in?

World music is a vast and vibrant mosaic of traditions reflecting the cultural soul of diverse communities. The most influential of these in my life is traditional West African folk music. Rooted in centuries of storytelling, spiritual expression, and communal connection; West African music is particularly powerful for its historical depth, and the way it continues to evolve by finding new expression in modern genres and instrumentation.

At the heart of West African music are rhythm and repetition. Instruments like the djembe, talking drum, kora, seperewa and balafon have been used for centuries to build community over mourning or celebration. These instruments don’t just provide rhythm. They speak. They chant. They sing. Few genres blur the line between percussion and melody as intuitively as the West African folk tradition.

Modern musicians across the globe have drawn from these traditions to create rich hybrid genres. Artists like Fela Kuti pioneered Afrobeat by fusing Yoruba rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife. Today, classical institutions like the London Symphony Orchestra collaborate with West African musicians, bringing instruments like the kora into a front and center spotlight, while artists such as Andrew Finn Magill combine traditions from around the globe with Irish fiddle and jazz styles. I had the pleasure of meeting Magill back in 2023 and discovered a joyous opportunity to bond over Ghanaian traditions which we’d both grown to love and incorporate into our own music.

One example of a modern technique fusing genres with West African technique is the integration of polyrhythms – interlocking, multilayered patterns – into drum machines and digital production. This type of rhythmic structure can be extremely difficult to notate due to the complex nature of the rhythms, but some composers such as Derrick Skye are able to capture the vibe of the music and layer it into a traditional orchestral setting. I was fortunate enough to be in the orchestra for the premier of Skye’s West African Drum Concerto, and the effect on the audience was palpable – most had never heard anything like it. Another feature in Skye’s concerto includes the use of uniquely African embellishments and turns – mostly products of the instruments in the West African heritage.

While there are those who would call this type of cross-cultural blending “cultural appropriation” I would argue very strongly that this in no way erases or mocks these traditions; rather, it amplifies, expands, and honors them. West African music becomes a living language – spoken by modern musicians with new instruments and ideas. The result is a dialogue between past and present, village and suburb: it offers a bridge between two cultures to foster mutual understanding, respect, and a newfound brotherhood.

As more artists seek authenticity and connection through sound, I would encourage all to explore what West African music can offer. Rhythms that both ground and inspire, melodies that can turn and dance as lightly as any ballerina, and a pulse that contributes and shapes the future of global music.