More than 35 years ago, Dr. Yusef Lateef was employed by the Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaire to conduct research into Nigerian aerophone musical instruments. In the course of his service he established a creative music group named Hikima with the aim of recreating Nigerian music in modern context but using traditional musical instruments. He also served as the consultant on music in the production of Queen Amina by U. B. Ahmed and directed by Ziky O. Kofoworola at such venues as the National Theatre, Lagos and Theatre of Nations, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Dr. Lateef’s research has resulted in the invention of the glass version of the sarewa flute and authorship of this book.

This is a premier limited edition release published in 2019 of the outcome of Yusef's research in Nigeria. It has been formatted with his content of a co-authored book. It has photos of Dr. Lateef and Nigerian musicians, drawings, composition samplings, interviews, and of course references and a bibliography.

"The introduction and development of inter-cultural norms which now face contemporary Africa, whatever they may be - transfer of function, maximal transference, new concepts of form, eclecticism, ordering of priorities, diversity of pitch systems, invention of instruments, new ensembles of traditional instruments, and neo-philosophical ideas - it is those adjustments that are made with taste and in contextual relations that will continue to keep the musical traditions of Africa alive. For, it is the roots underlying the branches and blossoms that will provide the practices with enduring character."

— Dr. Yusef Lateef

(Below is the Introduction from "The Musicians, Music & Musical Instruments of Northwestern Nigeria")

INTRODUCTION

The purpose in undertaking this work is to share with others a segment of my research findings. Although my research obligation is conducting research into the flute (an aerophone) as a genre of musical instrument primarily in the Northern part of Nigeria, I have included in this volume four other categories of musical instruments found in the northern part of Nigeria — the voice, idiophones, membranophones and chordophones.

This research has examined the historical and contemporary music of the Nigerian musicians as occupational specialists articulating attitudes on issues — including social, psychological, philosophical, cultural, technical, artistic, ritualistic, political, spiritual and economic — having impact on others within and outside their communities.

The field research has been focused primarily on musicians in and around Zaria, Danja, Tandama, Funtua, Bomo Village, Maciya, Jos, Kaduna and Kano, home of Northern Nigerian music, developed by a variety of ethnic groups. Several case studies (Interviews) among popular musicians and participant observers (including myself) will provide a fresh reading on the long-standing social commentary tradition in North-West African music.

In Northwestern Nigeria, the musical environment is conditioned by the urbanization and socio-economic, socio-traditional development. Among at least some of the musicians, ideologies are being consciously developed and expressed; like others of their countrymen, they search for the best application of the "African personality" to the temporary socio-cultural reality.

The research is being carried out through (1) participant observation and event analysis, facilitated (at times) by performance participation by the researcher; (2) interviews with performers, patrons and colleagues, educators, key mass media figures, etcetera, forming a broader frame of reference for the primary cases: (3) analysis of song lyric content, music in terms of intervalic movement, rhythmic content and harmonic implication, form and public statements by musicians, and the use of appropriate available recorded and written materials; (4) the observation of relevant distinctions among musical styles and practices, particularly to develop the concept of a deliberate "cultural stance" as a type of social statement; and (5) the evaluation of the role of voluntary associations in the formulation and establishment of ideologies among musicians.

During this research the effort was not only directed at discovering information concerning music, which is very vast within the Nigerian culture. I have intensely tried, also, to encourage and bring about the development and invention of indigenous flutes, as well as other categories of musical instruments. Part of the results of this research is presented in the form of descriptive text accompanied by photographs and drawings. The recorded tapes which were obtained in the course of this research arc on file in the music library of centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Samara Campus, Zaria, Nigeria. Because the author of this book has the knowledge of the western conventional system of symbolically muting music, he has taken the liberty to do so in various sections; nevertheless, in regards to this Mr. Akin Luba intimates a salient point;

"As far as is known, black Africans have no indigenous musical notation. Music is an oral tradition and, in order to gain musical knowledge, it is necessary in traditional practice for the student to be in physical contact with the originators of the music. Moreover, although the musicians can and do describe the structure and practice of their art when questioned there exists no indigenous theoretical literature on music, a point that needs little emphasis, since written literature of any kind is a recent development in black Africa, In view of the absence of a notational system, traditional music is largely performed (spontaneously and) from memory"

Please Note: This book is also available in a bundle with Dr. Lateef's CD, "Yusef Lateef In Nigeria" at a special discounted price.