A renaissance is upon us, one that grows beyond our specific ethnicities and shares the synergy of multiculturalism. We cannot survive as a society otherwise. The African contribution to America is immeasurable. In music alone, when African ethnicity mixed with Euro ethnicity a new American original was born...JAZZ! And jazz subsequently begot Rhythm and Blues, which begot Rock 'n' Roll. These folk idioms are so deeply entrenched in my psyche, that I was moved to write my symphonic trilogy #2-REGGAE, #3-HEAVY METAL and #4-FUNK. This led me finally to my roots...AFRICA. I) CHILD'S PLAY/THE TRIBAL ELDER It is morning and already the sun is very hot. Children, playing in a village, seem oblivious to the oppressive heat. In their mischievous play, they come across a tribal elder in spiritual preparation. II) RUNNING/THE SINGING BIRD A young male runs for the thrill of running. The animals in the open plains seem to run with him in the same eup...