MFAH | Artful Thursday: High Notes – Thursday, September 15, 2011 @ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM.
Up to thirty percent of the slaves brought to the United States from Africa were Muslim. They spoke and wrote Arabic, and carried a rich musical tradition. Centuries’ worth of Muslim instrumental and singing traditions were combined with those of other cultures encountered in the United States, eventually forming blues, jazz, rock, and hip-hop—uniquely American musical genres.