Results for "Djembe"

Ian Dogole

Born: 1955

Born in Philadelphia, PA, Ian Dogole began his musical journey at age four, studying piano and then switched to guitar at age seven. After growing up on soul and rock music, Ian discovered Jazz, especially Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Yusef Lateef and Sun Ra (among many), and their influences remain strong to this date. In high school outside of Philadelphia, Ian was exposed to Chinese and Indian classical music by his instructor, Roman Pawlowski. This was the point in which Ian's passion for Jazz and his newfound love of "World" music intersected. As a major in Ethnomusicology (and Classics) at Brown University, Ian delved more deeply into the indigenous music cultures of the planet, while maintaining his fascination with the evolution of Jazz

Varun Venkit

Born: January 13, 1986

Taal Inc. & Friends is a band featuring some of the country’s finest musicians and that plays traditional West African folk tunes in a contemporary and modern way. This project is an amalgamation of traditional West African folk songs, afro rhythms, percussive melodies, groovy basslines and devastatingly exploratory improv sections. All in all – it is a treat for every kind of listener. Each song tells a story that is new, dynamic, inclusive, dancy and a whole lot of fun.

Akiko Horii

Born: November 11, 1981

Born and raised in Kobe, Japanese-French jazz percussionist Akiko Horii was never afraid of bold moves growing up: after leaving her native Japan alone at the age of fifteen to attend high school on Long Island, she made a radical shift from studying classical piano to devoting herself to West African music and dance in college (CalArts), with a particular focus on the djembe and Ewe drumming from Ghana. She later spent several months in Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali, learning from masters and performing for local ceremonies. Her deep sense of rhythm and graceful abstractions notably brought her into the spotlight with several performances on Congahead

Steven Smith