UNITED ONE. RECORDS Ashitey Nsotste & Kassoum Traoré

Ashitey Nsotste & Kassoum Traoré - Bushtaxi From Bamako To Accra - Argile 0926-2 For the very first time, an entire CD devoted to DJEMBE and KPANLOGO drums! Explore a completely new percussion soundscape of pure pan-african fusion performed by two master drummers from Ghana andMali... Imagine being on a bus for two days traveling between the African capitals of Bamako, Mali and Accra, Ghana. To pass the time and withstand the discomforts of the trip, you observe your fellow travelers closely and engage in sporadic conversations with them. At separate stops on your journey, two people get on the bus, each carrying an African drum over their shoulders. You see that they're curious about each other, but you can't imagine them conversing as one is Malian and speaks French and Bambara, while the other is Ghanean and speaks Ga, English, and German. You note with surprise after only a short time though that the two people who shouldn't be able to communicate with each other at all are actually engaged in a spirited conversation that has captured the attention of everyone on the bus! How can this be? Find out the answer to this question for yourself on the BUSH TAXI FROM BAMAKO TO ACCRA CD. Listen in on the discussion between West African drum masters Ashitey Nsotse from Ghana and Kassoum Traore from Mali as they communicate in the language understood by drummers all over the world -- the language of rhythm! Hear the Ghanean kpanlogo talk to the Malian djembe. Listen to the intermingling of musical styles, sounds, and  traditions "spoken" by these fine master drummers. Take a seat on the BUSH TAXI BROM BAMAKO TO  ACCRA with Ashitey Nsoste and Kassoum Traore and have some fun. "Learners, teachers, lovers as well as dancers of African drum-based music have in this CD a treasure of expert drum creativity that should be listened to again and again." Professor Meki Nzewi (Professor of African Music - University of Pretoria South Africa) This album had a great start in Europe! Since it's release In 21st january 2002, it had to be reprinted 3 times, started in Holland at rang No.3 of Afro-Charts, got great reviews in Italy and seems to become the new favorite CD in the German hobby-drummmers-scene. The concerts of this programme are regularly sold out! Malian musician Kassoum Traore was born on August 14, 1979 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He grew up in a large family of traditional drummers and began learning to play the djembe at the age of five with his uncle Dougoutigi Keita. Dougoutigi was a professional djembe master who had performed not only all over West Africa, but also in Europe. In 1994 Kassoum joined the famous group Yelemba. He began to take solo drumming more seriously at this time and received his master soloist degree from his uncle when he played the djembe solo for seven days straight during a traditional festival. After this event he was frequently asked to perform solo with bands in Abidjan and other parts of the Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali. Since 1998 he is working in Europe and did several recordings and concerts with Intercultural project Argile, singer/guitarist Haja Madagascar, Guinean singer Sona Diabate, Malian singer Mahawa Traore, djembe legend Famoudou Konate, just to mention a few. Nii Ashitey Nsotse, a Ghanean musician was born on April 19, 1955 in a village called Avenor, nearby Accra. Since very young he started to come into contact with music due to his family. His father started to teach him traditional african rhythms at the age of ten years. Nii Ashitey decided to be a professional musician and at the age of 18 he joined the National Folkloric Company Arts Councel of Ghana to develop his ideas on different traditional music, which gave him the special training needed to work on international level. At the Arts Councel of Ghana, an Academy for Art and Culture, he completed his drumming and dancing studies and received the title of a "National Drummer" (which includes drumming, building of drums, building of percussion instruments, dancing etc.). He was one of the participants of the National Folkloric Company who represented Ghana in the Commonwealth Games in Canada. Nii Ashitey entered the group Nokokoyé, one of the first bands that started to use traditional instruments like drums, xylophone, fruits, bells and african chorus singing in a modern context with guitars, bass and drumset. The group left Ghana for a tour in Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Then, in 1985, the group made a tour all over Europe and this led to 3 CD-releases on the European market. Coming back to his african roots, now he offers a new album on pure percussion music together with Kassoum Traoré from Mali. African Courier February/March 2002 - No.24 If you're searching for a very fine African-Drumming CD, well - here is one of the best! Master-Drummer Ashitey Nsotse from Ghana and Percussionist Kassoum traore fron the Ivory Coast have created a real drumming sound, full of power, energy and a special feeling for new rhythm-ideas. Ashitey Nsotse, normally head of the Afro-Reggae-Band Nokokoye, is working on the kpanlogo-drum, and Kassoum Traore, who played before with bands like Aicha Kouyate or Sona Diabate & Argile, suck the rhythms from his Djembe-drums. Listening to this record brings you really, like the title promises, on a rough ride by Bush Taxi from the roots of kassoum to the Ga-Coast of Ashitey's home in Accra area. And the best thing is, this music, made only by drums, gives you never, like most of the drumming CDs do, a boring feeling because these two African drummers did a very perfect job. (Bugs Steffen) Internet: www.bibiafrica.de