Performances
Artists & Performers:
Discover the heartbeat of the Spirit of Africa Festival as we showcase an extraordinary lineup of traditional music and dance performances at the iconic Seattle Center Armory. Our carefully curated selection features some of the most exceptional artists from Africa and the African Diaspora, both local talents and internationally acclaimed acts.
Highlights:
- Masterful Musicians: Immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds of the balafon, kora, and percussion, performed by maestros representing the cultural richness of Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Nigeria, Guinea, Congo, and Morocco.
- Captivating Performances: Experience the energy and grace of dancers and singers who bring the spirit of Africa to life. Our stage comes alive with vibrant representations from various countries, including Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Nigeria, Guinea, Congo, and Morocco.
- Unforgettable Workshops: Participate in hands-on cultural experiences with workshops led by seasoned artists. Explore the rhythms of West African dance, delve into the intricacies of African drumming, and more.
Awal Alhassan
Awal Alhassan born in Tamale, Ghana is a Master Dancer from the West African nation of Ghana. Born and raised by a traditional drumming and dancing family, Awal has worked throughout Africa both independently and with some of Ghana’s performance groups such as the Ghana Dance Ensemble, the National Theatre of Ghana, and the Center for National Culture Dance Troupe.
Bakalama Dance
Bakalama Danse, now in its 51st year, comes from the disciplines of movement, music and percussion. Its diversified activities revolve around traditional African songs and dances. Bakalama, meaning “calabash,” represents unity and rootedness in the Diola culture.
Cheikh Lo
Cheikh Lô’s signature style is unmistakable. An extremely slender frame enveloped by dreadlocks that mark out his membership of the Muslim sect Baye Fall—plus pop-art sneakers, embroidered tunics, Ray Bans glued to a craggy face, and a wide-braided leather necklace offering protection from the evil eye. This swagger carries over into his music; Cheikh Lô is a child of this Africa—an enthusiastic, Sahelian creative. He has performed in styles from Afrobeat to Jazz, from Cuban rhythms to custom Creole-style dance pieces. His most recent album Balbalou offers an array of mbalax grooves, complete with the explosive drumlines and expressive vocals that characterize his music.
Massamba Diop
Massamba Diop is perhaps the world’s most renowned master of the Tama, a talking drum from Senegal, West Africa. Most recently, Massamba has received much acclaim for his collaboration on Marvel’s Black Panther soundtrack, providing the drumming for King Tchalla’s theme music, heard throughout the film whenever the title character makes an entrance. He also performed with Mumford and Sons on their 2016 tour, including an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and is featured on two videos in Playing For Change‘s new album “Listen to the Music”. In 2016, he launched the “Tamani Talking Drum” to the public with Remo Percussion, the first mass-produced Tama, a drum he helped design.
Obo Addy
Obo Addy was one of a kind. The Ghanaian master drummer, bandleader, and teacher who made Portland his home for over 30 years, passed away in 2012, but his influence in Portland and the Pacific Northwest continues. Having spawned a love for African music in musicians and listeners alike, Obo’s greatest contribution was his tireless work in the region’s schools –providing exposure to African music and culture for generations of children. By the time he died he had performed for over 1 1/2 million people in the United States. And taught tens of thousands of children about the beauty and significance of Ghanaian cultural traditions and music.
Danz Eko
Daniel Kikomeko better known by the stage names Danz Eko is an Ugandan-American singer, song writer and producer, Deejay, Graphic designer and a father based in Seattle Washington.
He has developed his music career by collaborating with great art creators in Washington State including African Print take over, Umoja festival, Madaraka Festival, and many more
He is Award winning Artist 2023/2024 African Male Artist of the year at the African Achievements Awards.
Prince Diabate
Prince Diabaté hails from a prominent Malinke family from Guinea, West Africa. He learned his art from his father, Djéli Sory Diabaté. Breaking with tradition, Djéli Sory also taught Prince’s mother to play kora and the young boy became an exceptionally early starter by accompanying his parents to their concerts throughout West Africa. At the age of nine he caught the attention of the former President of Guinea, the late Ahmed Sekou Touré, who enrolled him into the national music school.
The kora is considered the instrument of the griot people in West Africa and the Mandinka Empire.
Thione Diop
Thione Diop, a Seattle-based (since 1998) percussionist from Senegal, West Africa, is descended from an ancestral line of Griot drummers. He fuses traditional rhythms with jazz and collaborates with many musicians from a wide range of musical backgrounds. His music appears in four studio albums and several films. He tours internationally, teaches at University of Washington, and is founder and co-producer of the annual Spirit of Africa Festival in Seattle, now in its 18th year.
Thione has shared the stage with such noteworthy musicians as Poncho Sanchez, Lee Oskar, Alpha Blondy, Prince Diabate and Max Romeo.
Etienne Cakpo
Originally from Benin, Etienne Cakpo is the Artistic Director and lead choreographer/dancer of Gansango Music and Dance. Etienne has been building his repertoire of traditional and modern dance for over thirty years. As director of Gansango Music & Dance, Etienne leads the company’s work with dozens of public libraries, schools and independent arts agencies locally and nationally to make performance of dance and music from Africa available to a wide range of audiences, including young children.
Gansango company collaborating artists perform regularly in the Seattle area, nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages.
Yao Amponsah
Anokye has expanded its repertoire by drawing inspiration from and including other west African drumming and dance traditions. Operating with respect, versatility and pure musicianship, Anokye is a multi-cultural and multi-generational group dedicated to promoting world music at its best. The group has performed in the Seattle area on many festive occasions such as Folklife, Spirit of Africa and World Rhythm Festival as well as many events in the broader community.
As a young boy he was immersed in the complex drumming culture of the “Ashanti” people. A versatile percussionist, he plays many styles of music from Ghana such as Fontomfrom, Adowa, Kete, Akom, and kpanlogo.
Zambuko Marimba Ensemble
Zambuko (under the direction of Sheree Seretse) performs traditional and contemporary music from the continent of Africa. The music is joyful to listen to and very conducive for dancing. The group draws a large part of its repertoire from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya. Zambuko has been together for over 20 years. Zambuko which means “bridges” aims to unite people of Africa descent to the roots of African Marimba music. The group has had the honor of performing in Costa Rica at the Marcus Garvey center but primarily perform within the confines of the Northwest. Zambuko has made appearances at festivals, schools and cultural events.
Boka Kouyate & The Djeliyah Band
Orchestrated by the multi-talented Djely Aboubacar “Boka” Kouyaté from Guinea in West Africa, The Djeliyah Band began February 2015 in Seattle, Washington.
The name Djeliyah means; the work of the Djely people in the community. Djely’s or Griots havealways been next to the Kings in the Mande Empire as Cultural Educators, the traditional historians, artist, and musicians of Culture.
Boka connects this rich traditional music to Global music; a harmonic fusion between the traditional Griot music, the afro beat and the modern Guinea music which provides a highlife sound for your listening and dancing pleasure. The band has played at the Nectar Lounge, Rumba Notes Lounge, Festival Sundiata, Columbia City
Theatre, The Triple Door, and during The Movie showcase for “ROOTS”.
Arsalan Ibrahim
Arsalan was born and raised in Oakland, California to a family who, despite the rigors of slavery and the passage of centuries, managed to maintain many traditions from his Songhai and Mende heritage. Working most of his life in Information Technology, as an actor, dancer and musician, Ibrahim always strove to piece together the African legacy in America and transmit this knowledge as best he could. Throughout the years he has researched the development of African martial arts into the modern martial and dance arts of the Americas, the influence of Africans on American societies and even the development of modern information technology from African educational systems.