Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje has been on the UCLA faculty since 1979. She teaches theoretical area courses in African and African-American music and was director of an African-American vocal ensemble. Much of DjeDje's research has focused on performance practices as they relate to the one-string fiddle tradition in West Africa. In recent years her research has extended to the study of fiddling in African-American culture and its inter-connections with Anglo-American music. In addition, she has conducted investigations on African-American religious music. She is particularly interested in how the dynamics of urban life give rise to change and other musical activity. She has conducted fieldwork in several countries in West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, and Senegal), Jamaica, California, and the southern United States (Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana).

DjeDje's most recent publications include Fiddling in West Africa: Touching the Spirit in Fulbe, Hausa, and Dagbamba Cultures (a book),Fiddling in West Africa (1950s-1990s): The CD Recording, and Fiddling in West Africa (1950s-1990s): The Songbook. In addition, she is the author of Distribution of the One String Fiddle in West Africa, American Black Spiritual and Gospel Songs from Southeast Georgia: A Comparative Study, and Black Religious Music from Southeast Georgia (a recording with accompanying booklet). She is editor of Turn Up the Volume! A Celebration of African Music, a collection of essays published in conjunction with three Los Angeles museum exhibitions on African and African-derived music. Also, she is principal editor of African Musicology (two volumes) and co-editor of Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, Vol 5 and California Soul: Music of African-Americans in the West. In addition, she has contributed articles to a number of periodicals and reference publications, including Africa: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Vol 1; The United States and Canada: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Vol 3; The World's Music, General Perspectives and Reference Tools: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Vol 10; The Cambridge History of American Music; The Revised New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians; Black Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia; and The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Black Women in America: Music,Vol 5.

DjeDje is former president of the Southern California Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology and second vice president of the Society for Ethnomusicology. Twice an award recipient from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she has served as panelist for the Folk Arts Program of that organization.