How to Pick Music for Kwanzaa

Selecting Kwanzaa music is an important step in planning your celebration. The right music will help set the mood, give people a chance to dance or relax and provide a nice background for those times when conversation grows quiet. If shopping for the right Kwanzaa music seems daunting, keep it simple and follow these tips.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Pick the Right Music for Kwanzaa

1. Select a variety of artists and styles. Start with traditional African music, but also pick some modern musicians, children's groups and instrumental (drumming) songs.
2. Look for music created exclusively using traditional instruments, such as slit gongs, musical bows and rattles. More modern African music can also include flutes and fiddles, so don't discard a group just because it strays a little from your idea of what constitutes traditional music.
3. Get a sing-along CD for a night of fun karaoke. While most of the Kwanzaa sing-along CDs in the market are created for kids, there's no reason why adults shouldn't join in the fun.
4. Pick drumming sounds. CDs of drumming groups are available everywhere. While many of them are not created especially for Kwanzaa, they can still be used to create mood and push along the celebration.
5. Go to the Holiday Spot website for free songs and music clips that you can download directly to your computer (see Resources below). If you haven't bought Kwanzaa music before, finding samples on the Internet will help you decide which artists you prefer and which are more appropriate to the spirit of the celebration you're hosting.

Tips & Warnings

• When you're handing out invitations to the party, ask guests if they have any favorite Kwanzaa music that they want to bring along. By inviting others to collaborate, you're ensuring variety and increasing your chances of pleasing everybody.
• When choosing Kwanzaa music, keep in mind the mood of the party. If you want a party where people feel motivated to dance and jump around, choose music accordingly.
• For a large Kwanzaa celebration in a public space, consider finding local artists to perform live rather than using CDs. DJs, live bands and performers may be hired for just a few hours, which would provide a nice mix between live entertainment and CD music.
• If you know one of the guests can sing or play an instrument, ask him to prepare something for the party. Give him the option to back out if he doesn't feel comfortable performing in front of other people, but remark how much you would like it if he would.