Tobago Muhtadi Int’l Drumming Festival

The Muhtadi International Drumming Festival started in Canada by Trinidad-born Muhtadi Thomas, and it highlights different cultures around the call of the drums (Tobago). Founder/artistic Director Muhtadi has been performing professionally for over 30 years, and is one of Canada’s premier percussionists. Muhtadi plays djembe, bongos, congas, timbales, steel pan, and a wide assortment of other percussion instruments.

He will lead the Muhtadi World Drummers this weekend in Tobago.

Other foreign acts include Prince Bamidele Bajawa (Nigeria), Njacko Backo & Kalimba (Cameroon), Amadou Kienou (Burkina Faso), Samulnori (Korea), Dhal Foundation (India) and a Cuban Percussion Ensemble.

Prince Bamidele’s traditional rhythms are set to sacred songs and chants in praises of the Orishas (Orunmila, Ogun, Oya, Egungun, Yemoja and other Yoruba deities), playing Bata, Sakara, Gangan (Yoruba talking drums), kpalongo and djembe drums.

Njacko Backo is an entertainer, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, author and educator.

He and his group share his uplifting music, energising dance, and hope-filled stories with audiences of all ages and all walks of life.

Amadou Kienou, percussionist and master drummer from the Griot-family of Baba Kienou in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso strives to increase the significance of the djembe by revealing its sacred aspects, and therefore, he introduces the instrument into all his musical compositions.

For him, the djembe is not only an instrument of accompaniment but is also an instrument which is to be accompanied by additional instruments. And like no one else, he can play both the djembe and the tama simultaneously, a technique that makes it a marvel to watch.

His music is known for its peculiar musical variations, its vibrating sounds and resonances, all of which is a product of several cultures.

Samulnori is a genre of traditional percussion music originating in Korea.

The word samul means “four objects” and nori means “play”.

SamulNori has performed all over the world and has collaborated with many highly acclaimed musicians from around the world from a variety of styles of music ranging from jazz to pop.

The four musicians in the Korean ensemble known as SamulNori are all virtuoso percussionists, their drumming, comprising Buk (barrel drum), Ching (large gong), JangGo (hourglass drum) and K'kwaenggwari (small gong) modulates into sounds of any nuance, which leads to total astonishment.

Trinidadians sharing the stage include Jah Jah Onilu, Mawasi Experience and Malick Tassa Drummers, and from Tobago, Drummers of Tomorrow, Mt Cullane Tambrin Band, Heartbeat Drummers, panist Gerard Balfour and Pembroke Folk Performers.

There will also be drumming workshops throughout the day at Speyside in the event that is hosted by the Tobago House of Assembly in collaboration with Muhtadi Productions.

Tickets for the Signal Hill concert are $50. at all Penny Savers Supermarkets and Pablo's Supermarket at Argyle.