Drums of West Africa

Date: Sunday, September 11 at 12pm
Location:
Stonington Opera House
Run time: 60 minutes

Join the Stonington Public Library for an interactive introduction to the Drums of West Africa with Namory Keita, a Master Village Drummer from Sangbaralla, Guinea, West Africa and Portland, Maine, USA. Keita is a cultural ambassador wishing to share his culture and, in doing so, build bridges of understanding and acceptance through engaging audiences in the musical art forms of the Humana region in West Africa. 

Namory Keita was born in 1982 in the village of Sangbarala, Guinea. At age 7 he began drumming, becoming the lead drummer for his village in 2006.

Members of his family are well-known drummers. His brothers, Solo Keita, living in Japan, and Nansady Keita, in England, grew up drumming with Namory under the tutelage of his uncle, Famoudou Konate, one of the most famous West African drummers in the world.

Namory recorded his first CD in 2010 named Kolafolo meaning the ‘Beginning of Everything’. He is a featured artist on recordings by Solo Keita, Billy Konate and Diarra Konate to name a few.

As an international teacher and performing artist, Namory has been invited to many places to share his culture including Germany, Poland, France, Canada, and Portugal. Since coming to America in 2010, he has played with Famoudou Konate, Mamady Keita, Bolokada Conde, Moussa Traore, Mamady Kourouma and the list goes on.

Namory plays for the world renowned West African dance teacher Youssouf Koumbassa, the Kouraba Festival in Canada, Cirque Zuma Zuma, ILAP, and many other noted musicians and venues throughout New England and the US and abroad.

Namory Keita, Master Drummer, is a sought after teacher and performer with a unique style and a wealth of traditional knowledge very rare to find outside the villages of Guinea. His resources include not only his wonderful ability to engage any audience but also his relationships with dancers and drummers locally and around the world.

This is a Maine Speaks event

Maine Speaks supports individuals and organizations bringing people in their community together to learn from a gifted speaker who shares their expertise and lived experience in engaging ways. This event is in partnership with the Stonington Public Library.

Partners

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