UNITED KINGDOM: African rhythms light up London's rainy summer at the African musical festival.

Record ID: 455415

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: African rhythms light up London's rainy summer at the African musical festival.
  • Date: 10th September 2008
  • Summary: (AD1) LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 5, 2008) (REUTERS) BOAT ON RIVER THAMES BUSES DRIVING OVER BRIDGE PEOPLE WALKING ACROSS BRIDGE FOUNTAIN/ SIGN READING: QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA6DFDZIFX6KW7RU898UZBST4OP
  • Story Text: The London African Music Festival kicks off delighting audiences with a range of musical styles and rhythms from across the African continent.
    An energetic fusion of a Nigerian percussion beat with a Western jazzy melody lifted audiences out of their seats in a delightful start to the London African Music Festival (LAMF) on Friday (September 5).
    25 year old Nigerian born musician, Tunday Akintan, drew from his tribal roots in Nigeria to create a unique blend of music he has called Yorubeat.
    "It's from the tribal name called Yoruba. Yoruba is a tribe, it is one of Nigerian biggest tribes and I am from that tribe. I took the name Yorubeat from that tribe and invented, kinda that drum pattern in that tribe and mix it with western music," he said.
    Akintan, the son of a prominent accountant in Nigeria, drew his inspiration from Nigerian artist Fela Kuti and James Brown.
    Akintan said music was an international language and he created his music to bring about peace and unity.
    "You can use music to bring the whole world together. You can use music to Kings and Queens together. You can actually use music where there is war, you understand, to create peace. So my music Yorubeat is to bring peace and unity. That is what I want to bring and that is the strongest thing that I am fighting for in this music," Akintan said.
    In its sixth year LAMF, artistic director Biyi Adepegba said the festival enabled him to bring together the different music styles from across the African continent.
    "African music is different. Every single band is different. Every single country is different. Within a country you might have five major musical styles so when you have the opportunity to bring everything together its like a short holiday without actually leaving Waterloo," Adepegba said.
    Egyptian artist Hossam Ramzy thrilled audiences with his authentic Egyptian percussion rhythms.
    Known world wide for his percussion and string arrangements he has collaborated with famous artists from Peter Gabriel to the Gypsy Kings.
    Ramzy said Adepegba had made him aware, that as a citizen of Egypt, he was an African.
    "Biyi Adepegba said to me you are from Africa you know, you are an African person. And I thought, yeah, yeah we are. And that opened a whole continent to me with all its cultural, with all its colour, with all its food," he said.
    Given his first drum, the Egyptian Tabla, at the age of three, Ramzy combines his music with traditional belly dancing.
    Ramzy said many did not understand the subtle art of belly dancing and the dancers' interpretation of the music.
    "It's a great pleasure to present to the people that belly dancing and Egyptian dancing is not shaking your belly, or being erotic or exotic or something like this. It is a true art of translating the music," he added.
    Audiences members enjoyed Ramzy's performance finding the combination of percussion rhythms with belly dancing a pleasure to watch.

    "I think was very nice tonight. The pleasure, it gives a sense of music you can see with your eyes as well. And now especially the dancer, it was beautiful", Talab, an audience member said.
    The festival, which ended on Sunday (September 7) was held at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank complex and is scheduled to feature regularly on the arts centre's events calendar.
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