The traditional music of black South Africa, and particularly its presence in ceremonies and rituals such as initiation and divination, is explored in this work. Through parallel chapters designed to facilitate comparisons between various musical cultures, the text identifies the primary black language groups of South Africa and provides their physical location within the country, the tribes and clans that live in each region, and a brief history. Numerous forms of music are examined, grouped according to the musical instruments played or by performance style—communal and solo music, songs with lyrics, and songs with dances. A sampling of musical scores, a look at well-known soloists or bands who embody the traditional music, and an accompanying CD will help readers more fully experience the highly individualized sounds and musical styles of this region.

Laurie Levine has a degree in English literature and publishing studies. She has been freelancing as a researcher for the Drum Café for several years, collecting and collating material on traditional South African music and developing the Drum Café's museum of traditional Southern African music. Her passion is traditional African music and enriching people by sharing her knowledge. With a strong background in music, and as a singer-songwriter, she has a deep-seated understanding of music and musical processes. She is committed to preserving and exposing South Africa's diverse cultural heritage. This is her first publication.
As she says: " When we started our preliminary research, we discovered that there is a large gap in the writings on traditional South African music."