DRUMMING, DANCING
Ghanaian master drummer headlines all-ages event June 1
Baobab Youth Performers are bringing Ghanaian master drummer Kwasi Dunyo back to the National Capital Area for an exciting concert on Sunday, June 1. The all-ages event at Wakefield’s Black Sheep Inn kicks off at 4 p.m. and features acoustic drumming and dancing styles from Ghana, Kwasi’s dynamic lead drumming and some electric highlife tunes, incorporating Ghanaian pop and traditional styles.
Dunyo was born at the Ewe village of Dagbamete, in the Volta region of Ghana. He has been playing the drums from the time he could barely reach the top of them. Since then, he has directed, coached, taught, drummed, and danced extensively in a variety of contexts. In 1992, through the efforts of Baobab’s founding director, Kathy Armstrong. After her first trip to Ghana, Dunyo was the recipient of a visiting foreign artist grant from the federal government, which provided the basis for his first trip to North America.
Dunyo’s open and generous teaching style and his love of the music have earned him praise. Now based in Toronto, Dunyo is a member of the faculties of York University, University of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board. He has also performed and given workshops at many Canadian and American universities.
Baobab Youth Performers engages students from all over the capital region to perform the vibrant music and dance of Ghana. The Baobab Community is a registered charity dedicated to the learning and sharing of the arts of Ghana, offering regular arts education opportunities for children and youth ages seven through 18. Through performances, educational classes and workshops, participants learn about themselves and their place in the world.
Founded in 1995, this multibranched organization has reached thousands of people of all ages. The group has performed for many audiences, from the National Arts Centre to Blue Skies Music Festival to the town square in Elmina, Ghana. Their tours have taken them throughout Canada, to Ghana several times and most recently to Boston where they performed at Tufts University. They continue to raise awareness for and give back to development causes in Ghana.
For more information, please call (613) 729-0987 or visit baobabtree.org