African drums to beat in the US

The esteemed drummer will play with the university’s Akwaaba African Ensemble at the World Music Concert at the school’s Varner Recital Hall.“

As our weather gets cooler,” said Mark Stone of Oakland University, “there’s something about the music of the Caribbean and Africa that helps warm people up when they hear it. It’s something people should come experience for themselves.”

Divided into two halves, the event will consist of music from several cultures including Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mali, Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago. Amen-Ra worked on several of the pieces to be showcased at the event, but will get an opportunity to perform directly to the expected audience at the event's later stages.

“In the second half of the concert, we’re going to start off with a piece featuring Chinelo and a style of drumming from Cuba called Bata,” Stone added. “That will be the one piece on the concert that will be just our guest artist with the ensemble directors.”

Much acclaimed for his work, Amen-Ra is an instructional assistant at the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University. He is also the music director for and African dance company.

According to Stone, the event will feature several instruments including the djembe, the dundun and a hand drum in what is “a very diverse program.”

“We’re going to have five musical traditions represented during the program,” he added. “What other concert can you come to in Michigan where you can experience music from three different parts of Africa and two Caribbean, played at a high level by people who are experts in their respective traditions? I think people should come check it out.”

For more information, visit the Oakland website.