Kaa Fo




This song is titled "Kaa Fo". The performer is Yolette Stewart, and this is a folk song from Ghana. This arrangement has female voices backed with keyboards and drums. 

This is an arrangement of a song presented in its authentic form on a Smithsonian Folkways album African Songs & Rhythms for Children.


Campbell (2004) suggests that one way of incorporating creative experiences with world music is to "extend what is already there" (p. 194). The above arrangement has been lengthened with repetition and variation, and the creation of a sections by having percussion solos. Harmony was added with the keyboard and a second voice. The lyrics roughly translate to, "Don't cry and let anyone see in your mouth as you have gold in your mouth..." This could lead to composing of additional sections to extend individual interpretations of the meaning. For example, students could compose an additional section of melody to represent the crying. Furthermore, the use of rhythm could be explored through improvisation.

Campbell, P. S. (2004). Teaching music globally: Experiencing music, expressing culture. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.


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