KOTOKO BRASS melds the beautifully complex traditional drumming of Central Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the joyous horns of New Orleans to forge a sound the Boston Globe has described as “propulsive, infectious party music.” The band began when brothers Ben, a performer, scholar, and educator of Ghanaian drumming, and Brian Paulding, a longtime trombone player in Boston’s reggae scene, joined forces. Ben fortified the percussion section with Attah Poku and Kwame Ofori, two master percussionists from Ghana. The rhythm section of M’talewa Thomas (bass), Dillon Zahner (guitar), Yusaku Yoshimura (keyboards), and saxophonist Andy Bergman, fill out veteran rhythm and horn sections.
Coming together as Kotoko Brass gives the band superpowers. When the traditional Ghanaian percussion and driving drum set grooves meet the steady rhythm section and jubilant horn melodies, we can’t help but dance.
While each member plays an equal and vital role in Kotoko Brass, the drums are at the heart of the band. The tradition of Asante drumming is intimately intertwined with dance in West Africa, and our audiences experience that first-hand. That instinctual link between drumming and dancing exists in nearly all indigenous traditions, and it informs the harmony and melody in Kotoko's music. The music emerges from the rich culture and heritage of the Asante Kingdom of central Ghana, but it is brought to life by a group that spans age, ethnicity, and nationality. Kotoko Brass will not only inspire you to get up and dance, they also broaden the depths of our communication as humans.
RUMBO TUMBA is the electroacoustic music project of Argentine multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Facundo Salgado, who has captivated audiences worldwide for over 12 years, touring more than 30 countries on all continents.
A craftsmen of organic loops, a one man orchestra playing, recording and mixing traditional instruments in real time, taking South American folklore and Andean music to the future. Rumbo Tumba's electro acoustic music fuses rhythms and sound textures from different parts of South America - principally from the Andean region - with urban beats such as Dub, Hip Hop and House. Rumbo Tumba's music harmonizes the deep emotions of living in contact with nature and the everyday dynamics of large cities, bridging the gap between two worlds that often seem antagonistic. Mountains and cities, earth and asphalt, wood and electricity merge together to give birth to his sound.
Wood-fired pizza, salad platters, hand cut fries, Wilcox ice cream, and beer & wine available. Rain or shine (inside the barn in the event of inclement weather). Tickets $15 at the door (kids free)
www.earthskytime.com
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