Kora (instrument)

The kora is a 21-string lute-bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.

Description

A kora is a mandinka harp built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. The skin is supported by two handles that run under it, and it supports a notched double free-standing bridge. It doesn't fit into any one category of musical instruments, but rather several, and must be classified as a "double-bridge-harp-lute". The strings run in two divided ranks, making it a double harp. They do not end in a soundboard but are held in notches on a bridge, making it a bridge harp. They originate from a string arm or neck and cross a bridge directly supported by a resonating chamber, making it a lute too.

The sound of a kora resembles that of a harp, though when played in the traditional style, it bears a closer resemblance to flamenco and delta blues guitar techniques. The player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns (using the remaining fingers to secure the instrument by holding the hand posts on either side of the strings). Ostinato riffs ("Kumbengo") and improvised solo runs ("Birimintingo") are played at the same time by skilled players.

Instrument

Instrument may refer to:

Science and technology

Instrument (film)

Instrument is a documentary film directed by Jem Cohen about the band Fugazi. Cohen's relationship with band member Ian MacKaye extends back to the 1970s when the two met in high school in Washington, D.C.. The film takes its title from the Fugazi song of the same name, from their 1993 album, In on the Kill Taker.

Editing of the film was done by both Cohen and the members of the band over the course of five years. It was shot from 1987 through 1998 on super 8, 16mm and video and is composed mainly of footage of concerts, interviews with the band members, practices, tours and time spent in the studio recording their 1995 album, Red Medicine.

The film also includes portraits of fans as well as interviews with them at various Fugazi shows around the United States throughout the years. The Instrument Soundtrack by Fugazi was released in conjunction with the film. It consisted primarily of instrumental and unreleased songs (including many demo cuts from End Hits, their next album after the soundtrack).

Instrument Soundtrack

Instrument Soundtrack is a 1999 album by American post-hardcore band Fugazi.

Background

It is a mainly instrumental soundtrack for the documentary (Instrument) about the band produced by the band and filmmaker Jem Cohen.

The soundtrack mostly consists of previously unreleased songs and studio outtakes culled from Fugazi's history to that point, as well as seven demo versions of songs from their proper albums (six from 1998's End Hits and one from 1993's In on the Kill Taker).

Of particular note is the song "I'm So Tired", a piano ballad played and sung by Ian MacKaye, which is a significant departure from Fugazi's usual post-hardcore sound.

The riff from "Lusty Scripps" was played in Fugazi's final live show, in the break between the main set and the encore.

Track listing

Kora

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Khoemana

Khoemana, also known as Korana or Griqua, is a moribund Khoe language of South Africa.

Names

"Khoemana" (from khoe 'person' + mana 'language') is more commonly known as either Korana /kɒˈrɑːnə/ (also ǃOra /ˈkɔərə/ ~ !Gora), or Griqua (also Gri [xri], Xri, Xiri, Xirikwa), and sometimes as Cape Khoe or Cape Hottentot. The names are often treated as different languages (called South Khoekhoe when taken together), but they do not correspond to any actual dialect distinctions, and speakers may use "Korana" and "Griqua" interchangeably. Both names are also used more broadly, for example for the mixed-race Griqua people. There are (or were) several dialects of Khoemana, but the details are unknown.

Phonology

Khoemana is closely related to Khoekhoe, and the sound systems are broadly similar. The strongly aspirated Khoekhoe affricates are simply aspirated plosives [tʰ, kʰ] in Khoemana. However, Khoemana has an ejective velar affricate, /kxʼʔ/, which is not found in Khoekhoe, and a corresponding series of clicks, /ǀ͡χʼ ǁ͡χʼ ǃ͡χʼ ǂ͡χʼ/. Beach (1938) reported that the Khoekhoe of the time had a velar lateral ejective affricate, [k͡ʟ̝̊ʼ], a common realization or allophone of /kxʼ/ in languages with clicks, and it might be expected that this is true for Khoemana as well. In addition, about half of all lexical words in Khoemana began with a click, compared to a quarter in Khoekhoe.

Kora (album)

Kora is an album by New Zealand band, Kora released in October 22, 2007. A fusion of bass-heavy electronic style reggae incorporating elements of metal, rock and funk.

Track listing

Charts

Certifications

Awards

The music video for "Skankenstein" won a Sir Julius Vogel Award (New Zealand science fiction and fantasy award) for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) in 2009.

References