Talking drums? Xylophone praises? Flutes that seduce? All around the world, cultures have found ways to communicate using notes and rhythms of music, in what have been called "musical surrogate languages". This podcast explores these incredible traditions and what they can teach us about language, music, and the richness of human culture.
Nigeria's musical surrogates, with Dr. Samuel Akinbo
After a long hiatus, we're back! Here I talk with Dr. Samuel Akinbo of the University of Toronto about a survey we've launched to catalog the diversity of musical surrogate languages found in Nigeria. But we also talk about his journey, how his childhood in Nigeria has shaped his research trajectory, and what it means to do Indigenous science.
12 Mar 2023
The Igbo oja past and future, with Gerald Eze
In our first ever interview on When Music Speaks, I talk with friend and collaborator Gerald Eze. Gerald is a master of the oja, a wind-blown Igbo instrument from Nigeria, whose poetry can praise, warn, and uplift those it addresses. This is a longer episode, but trust me, it's worth it. We talk about the history of the tradition, the challenges it faces in today's Nigeria, its connections to jazz, how Catholic priests are surprising conveyors of traditional art, and what the oja can offer th...
27 Sept 2022
Around the world in five traditions
Just what kinds of musical surrogate languages are out there? What instruments are used? And what are people even saying? In this episode, I take you around the world in five traditions: Bora slit log drumming in the Amazon, Yoruba talking drums in Nigeria, Hmong mouth organs originally from Southeast Asia, Huli and Wiru jaw harps and mouth bows in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, and finally whistled Spanish in the Canary Islands. This range of instruments and continents provides a g...
27 Jun 2022
Welcome and introduction
Welcome to When Music Speaks! This short episode introduces the topic of the podcast---musical surrogate languages---and gives you a taste of what you can expect from the podcast.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 12 / 100
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Quality
11
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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