Evening Concert Series 2017–2018 Season Sara M. Snell Music Theater Friday, December 1, 7:30 PM
West African Dance & Drum Ensemble Julie Hunter, director
Martin Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng, guest instructor and artist
Ayelevi Traditional
Kwadzo Ku Traditional
Atumpan Drumming & Poetry Traditional
Kpatsa Dance-Drumming Traditional Shayo Lee Kpatsa Le Samba
Gahu Dance-Drumming Traditional Gahu Woe Loo Se Adzo
Marimba Improvisation
Kpanlogo Dance-Drumming Traditional ABC Calabash Song Ayelevi Salam Malekum Tsoo Boi
Special Thanks:
Dean Michael Sitton Martin Obeng Peter McCoy Erica Mensah Joseph Janover Emily Willis
Kaylee Tasber
Paul Mardy
Karen Miller Sarah Burgess Lorelei Murdie Robert Zolner Lonel Woods Timothy Sullivan James Petercsak Robert Vadas Doyle Dean Manavi Deku Komi Deku Yaw Atiso Daniel Atiso Caron Collins Marsha Baxter Crane Student Association (CSA) The Center for Diversity Department of Music Theory/History/Composition Brown University Department of Music
Jason Hunter
Linda and David Hunter
Ensemble performers: Additional Guests:
Austin Antle Nana Abena Baffour Akoto Matthew Bahr Ebenezer Akuffo “Ayelevi” is a short song in call and response form which is set in the Ewe Matthew Bruno Evelyn Clark language. It is often performed as part of the Kpanlogo repertoire, though Alexandra Coulibaly Narise Connor most kpanlogo songs are sung in Ga since the genre originated among the Joseph Demato-Garcia Brandon Griffin Ga ethnic group in southern Ghana. Ndeye Dieng Kady Konate Amandine Edwards Greg Otu Larbi “Kwadzo Ku” is an agbadza song about a Monday-born male who has Anthony Frimpong Jonell McCray died at home. In West Africa, people are given day names based on the day Fauzia Ghatta Dicko Oumar of the week they are born. Agbadza is a type of Ewe war dance-drumming, Paulina Gyamerah Kwabena Poku which is typically performed in contemporary contexts at funerals. It first Andrew Holcomb developed in the 1700s, and is the most common type of traditional music Joseph Janover played today among the Ewe people of southeastern Ghana and Bri Jessmore southwestern Togo. The themes of songs touch on heroism, leadership, Sean Kouznetsov bravery, war, and death. The instrumentation for this arrangement of the Erica Mensah song includes the gankogui (iron double bell), axatse (gourd shaker), toke Jwuan Murphy-Rodriguez (boat-shaped bell), and sogo (lead drum). Justin Pannullo Matthew Schlicht Atumpan Drumming & Poetry is unique in a number of ways. The Daniel Smith atumpan is a pair of low- and high-pitched drums which originated with the Rebecca Stacy Akan people in southern Ghana and is played in two main ways: the speech Kaylee Tasber and dance modes. Today the atumpan is used by many other ethnic groups Emily Willis throughout this region of West Africa, such as the Ga, Ewe, and Dagbamba. Kaitlyn Wilson The atumpan is capable of communicating phrases of meaning through its imitation of the rhythms and tonal variations of the spoken Akan language. In this way, the atumpan literally “speaks”. For this reason, it is known as a talking drum. In this piece, the ensemble will recite phrases of Akan poetry, Martin Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng has worked with the ensemble since its which will then be played on the atumpan in the speech mode. The text, start in Spring 2013. He is a well-renowned drummer, composer, dancer, shared below, honors the River Tano with many significant traditional and educator originally from Ghana who has worked internationally for the phrases and proverbs. The transcription and translation come from the past 30 years. He began drumming at the age of five, and by seventeen he recording Rhythms of Life, Songs of Wisdom produced by Smithsonian was appointed Royal Court Drummer to the high chief of the Aburi- Folkways. Akuapim region of the Eastern Region of Ghana. He was a member of Ghana's National Arts Council Folkloric Company. He has continued to perform traditional music of West Africa, in addition to highlife, jazz, Latin music, reggae, and different fusions of these styles. Obeng teaches at Brown University, and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Max Roach, Roy Hargrove, Randy Weston, Anthony Braxton, Gideon Alorwoyie, and Obo Addy. His most recent recording titled Africa’s Moving Forward is available online at www.kwakukwaakyeobeng.bandcamp.com. To hear more of his music, and read about his work, please visit his website at www.kwakukwaakyeobeng.org, and follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/KwakuKwaakyeObeng/
Poetry Honoring the River Tano Kpatsa is music and dance of the Ga-Adangme ethnic group of southern coastal Ghana, and is popular as a form of entertainment at funerals and Asuo twa okwan The river crosses the path festivals. It has historically been performed as a coming-of-age dance for Okwan twa asuo The path crosses the river girls prior to marriage. It is said that this style of music originated among Opani ne hwan? Which is the elder? dwarfs, and that the off-kilter and low-to-the-ground dancing reflects the Asuo twa okwan The river crosses the path movements of dwarfs. Instrumentation includes nonota (iron double bell), Okwan twa asuo The path crosses the river toke (boat-shaped bell), shekeshe (gourd rattle), mi (lead hand drum), sogo Opani ne hwan? Which is the elder? Yeboo kwan no katoo asuo no The path was cut to meet the river (low stick drum), kidi (medium stick drum), and kagan (high stick drum). Asuo no firi tete The river is of old Asuo no firi Odomankoma a oboo adee The river comes from “Odomankoma” Gahu, the second dance-drumming piece of the evening, is an Egun dance the creator from Benin that was adopted by Ewe communities in Togo and Ghana in the Konkon Tano Konkon Tano early Twentieth Century. The music is typically played at special events Brefa Tano Brefa Tano such as religious and harvest festivals, or for the installation of a chief. It is Asuo brekete Asuo brekete a social dance that reflects modern living and sensibilities in contemporary Agya Kwaa Ata ei! Father Kwaa Ata ei! Africa. The lead drum, gboba, cues the dancers to change their movements. Asu berempon The great river Instrumentation includes gankogui (iron double bell), toke (boat-shaped Asuo twa asuo River that passes a river Takasi berempon Takasi the Great bell), axatse (gourd rattle), sogo (large stick drum), kidi (medium stick Woama Bosompra adi afasee You have caused Bosompra to eat the drum), kagan (small stick drum) and gboba (large lead drum). water yam Me nam, me nam, me nam, ma si ta ko mu I have wandered, and wandered, and Marimba Improvisation will feature Music Education major Joseph wandered, I have stepped into the Janover playing kpanlogo melodies on the marimba, and creatively deep floods of Ta improvising around them. Takasi berempon Takasi the great Frampon damirifa Frampon, condolence Kpanlogo, the third dance-drumming piece of the night and last piece of the Damirifa Condolence performance, is a type of Ga recreational genre from the capital city region Damirifa Condolence of Accra in southern Ghana. It is typically played at funerals, festivals, and Damirifa due Deepest condolence Damirifa due Deepest condolence parties. It developed in the 1950s during Ghana’s independence period. The Takasi berempon Takasi the great song lyrics and dance movements embody the lifestyle of urban West Frampon, damirifa Frampon, condolence African youth. The lead hand drum calls the dancers. Instrumentation Damirifa Condolence includes mi (hand drums), nonota (double iron bell), shekeshe (gourd Damirifa Condolence shaker), dodompo (small iron bell), and tamalin (frame drums), and wooden Damirifa due Deepest condolence clappers. In West African performance contexts in places such as Ghana, Damirifa due Deepest condolence Togo, and Nigeria, audiences often acknowledge the exceptional dancing Damirifa due, due, due. Deepest, deepest, deepest and music abilities of skilled artists by handing them money or placing it on condolences. their foreheads as they perform. This practice is known as dashing or spraying. The audience is encouraged to join us at the end for this dance, and clap and sing along, if so inspired!