Listen to the Silence

Rhythm in African Music

Directed by Peter Bischof, Loke Film

"Africans listen to the silence and use it as a dimension in which they can improvise," says John Collins, musician, writer and authority on the music of Ghana, where he lives. He narrates this documentary exploring the nature of African polyrhythms.

The film reveals the kaleidoscope of rhythms heard in an African village. The night sings with the sounds of cicadas. Women pound pestles rhythmically to grind grain. Children amuse themselves with dancing, jumping and tapping games, and play together in small bands shaking marimbas and beating on rustic drums.

We are shown the complexity of drumming by master drummer Akakpoli Afade, who also points out the wide variety of instruments used. Music of the Ewe, Ashanti, Ga and Frafra peoples in Ghana is represented. Collins points out that village music is communal, integral to social interaction. This lively film adds a new dimension to the appreciation of African music, focusing as it does on the space between sounds - the richness of silence.

52 min. Video or DVD. Sale $295. Video rental $75.

African Studies Association, 2003

"This film provides important insights into communal African music, and how it is integral to social interaction. It is highly recommended for all students of African music, and for all scholars interested in understanding the importance of rhythm in these societies." Robert L. Wick, University of Colorado Educational Media Reviews Online