The Repercussion Series DVD

New World slavery served as the hammer and anvil upon which startling forms of music, unlike any ever heard before, were forged. Drawing upon the expertise of the foremost experts in their fields, this classic and award-winning seven-part series traces the constantly evolving cross-fusion of rhythms and melodies that has given the world gospel, jazz, R&B, reggae, and other unique musical genres.

7-part series, 56-60 minutes each. Public performance rights are included.

A must have for music departments, music libraries and world music educators.

HERE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL FILM TITLES:

Born Musicians: Traditional Music from the Gambia

Traveling from the remote villages of the Upper River Division to the nation's capital, Banjul, this program focuses on the music of the Mandinkas and their jalis, the society's hereditary professional musicians. Displaying the delicate beauty of such instruments as the 21-string harp-lute and the xylophone and the powerfully expressive singing of the instrumentalists' wives, Gambian music is presented as an essential part of ceremonial occasions. Performers include The Kanute Family, Momadu Camara, Aamadu Jeebaate, and Mawdo Suusoo. (60 minutes, color, 1985)

BVL10509VHS $99.00
BVL10509DVD $99.00
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The Drums of Dagbon

Dagbon, a 500-year-old kingdom located in northern Ghana, has an elaborate royal hierarchy in which each member has his own orchestra of "talking drums." This program, filmed on location in a group of villages surrounding Dagbons regional capital, explores the ritual use of drum music at every milestone of life. The roles of the master drummers—born into their calling and rigorously trained from childhood—as entertainers, historians, and moral guardians of their culture are also examined. Performers include Issahaku Abdulai, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulai, Fuseini Alhassan, and Fuseini Tia. (58 minutes, color, 1984)

BVL10510VHS $99.00
BVL10510DVD $99.00
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On the Battlefield: Gospel Quartets

Spirituals have been described both as the literature of American slavery and as the jewels that the slaves brought out of bondage. Today, the harmony, percussive precision, and evangelical fervor of gospel music have made it a hit all around the world. This program spotlights two venerable groups—The Sterling Jubilee Singers and The Four Eagle Gospel Singers—and climaxes with a Sunday gospel quartet celebration. Additional performers include the all-woman Harps of Melody, The Birmingham Sunlites, and The Pattersonaires. (60 minutes, color, 1984)

BVL10511VHS $99.00
BVL10511DVD $99.00
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Legends of Rhythm and Blues

Breaking away from the well-traveled blues trail connecting the Mississippi Delta with Chicago, this program searches for fresh insights about R&B in an entirely different direction: the migratory route that runs from the South to the California coast, where work opportunities abounded during World War II. With its jazzy instrumentation and strong gospel flavor, R&B spread like wildfire, eventually becoming a fundamental element of rock 'n' roll. Performers include Big Mama Thornton, Joe Liggins, Lowell Fulson, Lloyd Glenn, Charles Brown, Big Jay McNeely, and Margie Evans. (60 minutes, color, 1984)

BVL10512VHS $99.00
BVL10512DVD $99.00
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Sit Down and Listen: The Story of Max Roach

At the age of 12 he got his first drum set—and by 19 was the hottest drummer on the New York bebop scene. In this program, the incomparable Max Roach reflects on his lifelong career in music. Footage of the renowned musician, bandleader, composer, and professor in the studio, on tour, and behind the podium sheds light on his many talents. Additional performers include Cecil Bridgewater, Odean Pope, Tyron Brown, the all-star M'Boom Percussion Ensemble, and the Swedenborg String Quartet. (56 minutes, color, 1984)

BVL10513VHS $99.00
BVL10513DVD $99.00
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Caribbean Crucible

This program analyzes the diverse forms of Caribbean popular music, tracing their roots to the traditional music of island nations such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Recordings of music from Maroon communities and ecstatic Kumina sects, plus examples of mento and urban reggae, provide a sampler of the region's exciting musical hybrids—each a unique blend of African and European influences. Performers include Big Youth, Louise Bennett-Coverley, The Mummies of San Pedro de Macoris, The Congos of the Holy Spirit, Sarandunga Group of Bani, Talisman, and Mama Zeela and the Kumina of Spring Garden. (56 minutes, color, 1984)

BVL10514VHS $99.00
BVL10514DVD $99.00
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Africa Come Back: The Popular Music of West Africa

Just as Africa has impacted the music of the Caribbean and the Americas, so has the New World reciprocated, strongly influencing the music of Africa. This program documents the history of the musical genre known as hi-life, from the sweet and melancholy sounds of palm wine guitar, to the plangent harmonies of nnwonkoro and the fierce polyrhythms of kpanlogo, to hi-life's contemporary place in world music. Performers include Koo Nimo, Segun Adewale and His Superstars International, Adinkra, Nana Ampadu and the African Brothers, Frankie Lane and Gifty Collins, and the Sunsum Band. (60 minutes, color)

BVL10515VHS $99.00
BVL10515DVD $99.00