Baoku Moses Okodoro Oro
The excellent debut CD from Nigerian-born Cincinnati transplant Baoku Moses was inspired by African music icon Fela Kuti and other AfroBeat artists. Fans of Kuti will be magnetically drawn to Moses' similar vibe, as he effortlessly blends traditional African sounds with Western Jazz and Pop influences. The disc is stunningly accomplished, showing Moses to be a master of his craft despite only first journeying into the world of AfroBeat about seven years ago. Okodoro Oro is a truly remarkable achievement that could and should push Baoku Moses to the upper echelon of his field. (MB)
Baoku Moses: Press
Americans often visualize Africa as a poverty-stricken land overrun by jungles, lions, tigers and bears. Oh my, what a misconception, says Baoku Moses. "In reality, Africa is a mighty, diverse land filled with people of great cultures, traditions, history, religions, languages, rituals, literature, myths and music," he says. The African Image Arts Organization, which he helped found, is spreading the word.
Born in Nigeria, Moses studied the African performing arts for 10 years, acting in theater companies and drumming in African rhythm circles. While learning, he decided to advocate African arts to the world. "Through my learning process, I thought, 'This would be great to share African arts with the world's people who might never experience it otherwise,' " he says.
Moses moved to Cincinnati in 2002 to teach African drums with the Bi-Okoto Drum and Dance Theatre. His ambition was to establish his own arts organization to cover all aspects of African culture.
"When working with (Bi-Okoto), I noticed students would forget what they learned after leaving," he says. "So I want to create classes that would be different -- not only to give the experience of the African arts, but to have students learn it and grasp it according to their abilities and what they relate to."
Moses shared his vision with his drum student, Kendra Lary. Together they established the African Image Arts Organization to enlighten the world about the realities of life in Africa and to counter the impoverishing images conjured by Hollywood and the media. The organization uses the arts as an educational tool to preserve, protect and promote African image and heritage.
The arts organization started by delivering lectures and demonstrations at the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University and various grade schools. Students receive hands-on instruction, banging on authentic African drums and shaking to the rhythms in traditional African dance while learning about numerous African cultures.
Moses recently orchestrated a production of The Lion King with Amelia Middle School's chorus and band class, using authentic African music, dance and fashions.
"Our mission is to help people better understand African culture," he says. "We hope to bridge the gap between cultures and make the world a more caring, respectful and understanding place in which to live."
Lary and Moses are renovating a three-story building on State Street in Lower Price Hill to stake a base of operations. The organization will offer educational programs through four departments: African Image Drums, the African Image Gallery, the African Image School of Arts and Culture and the African Image Afro Beat Band.
"We're taking it one floor at a time," Moses says. "We're performing all the renovations and paying for them with our money, so it's a long process. The third floor should be open for business in three months time, sometime by September." The State Street office will host classes and residencies in African drums, dance, language and culinary arts. The format will include study for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.
The African Image Gallery will showcase and sell original art works by various African artists and other artists from around the world.
"The African Image Gallery will mainly showcase African artists' works, but we want to offer art works from more than just African artists so people can experience arts from other cultures," Moses says.
The African Image Afro Beat Band plans to offer free concerts on a patio outside the office. The band celebrated the release of its new CD, Okodoro Oro (The Realistic Reality), with more than 100 people May 29 at the Syrian Shrine (see Spill It, issue of May 26-June 1). Performers entertained the crowd with traditional dance and music while fashioned in African dresses they had sewn themselves. Patrons also enjoyed authentic African foods while vendors sold clothes and art works.
Until the State Street office is up and running, the African Image Arts Organization continues to deliver instructions schools, businesses, groups, festivals -- anyone interested.
"Right now, as we're still setting up, we're open to anything -- weddings, concerts, festivals or end-of-the-year parties," Moses says. "Our drum and dance party fits into any event, and we're open to any service, including workshops for drum and dance, seminars on African culture and our team-building program for companies."
The African Image Drums and Afro Beat Band offer "Rhythms of Life" for groups interested in a unique team-building program. The program is custom designed for ice-breaking, teamwork, diversity appreciation and self-awareness. "Rhythms of Life is a different team-building program where we let the instruments do the talking," Moses says. "With these instruments, like the smaller drums playing and the middle one supports it and the larger drums, they all create different sounds that contribute to the whole. Like these instruments differ, so are the people in a team who play different parts to contribute to the whole."
The African Image Arts Organization presents "Ilu Ayo" (Drums of Joy) summer drum circle at 5 p.m. every Saturday in Lindner Park in Norwood and will offer performances and seminars Friday with the Kenyan Association of Cincinnati and June 26 with the Congolese Association of Cincinnati.
"A lot of people pay thousands of dollars to go to Africa to see these dances and drum circles," Lary says. "What we want to do is bring the dance and culture of Africa to Cincinnati for the children of Africa and people in this city who can't afford that journey."
For more information about the African Image Arts Organization, call 513-257-2922 or write baoku@baokutcr.com or africanimageartsorg@yahoo.com.
Baoku Moses releases debut CD
By Mike Breen
AfroBeat Magnificence
Okodoro Oro, the astounding debut CD from Cincinnati transplant Baoku Moses, will be released this Saturday in conjunction with a concert and cultural event at the Syrian Shrine Temple (217 William Howard Taft Road, Corryville). Besides celebrating the disc's release, Moses' group, African Image Arts Organization, will also be on hand to promote and educate attendees about the many facets of African culture through exhibitions and displays. The Nigerian-born Moses -- also a professional African drummer -- was inspired by African music icon Fela Kuti and other AfroBeat artists. Fans of Kuti will be magnetically drawn to Moses' similar vibe, as he effortlessly blends traditional African sounds with Western Jazz and Pop influences. The disc is stunningly accomplished, showing Moses to be a master of his craft despite only journeying into the world of AfroBeat about seven years ago. The disc was produced by Rob Fetters (Raisins, The Bears, psychodots), who enlisted local musicians like Chris Arduser and Randy Villars (and himself, on guitar and bass) to help bring to life Moses' textural, vibrant and passionate songs. Okodoro Oro is a truly remarkable achievement that could and should push Baoku Moses to the upper echelon of his field. The event kicks off at 5 p.m.
Baoku Moses, "Okodoro Oro" -- Cincinnati could, indeed, use a little more world beat and we got it thanks to this Nigerian who moved to Norwood three years ago. His creative use of native percussion instruments and Afro-Cuban rhythms mixed with strains of American pop and jazz is a masterpiece that deserves recognition way beyond Cincinnati on the world beat scene. Moses utilizes local players ranging from horn men Randy Villars and Gary Winter to psychodot guitarist Rob Fetters, who produced the effort.
BUILDING BRIDGE
...one drumbeat at a time.
This Norwood drumming circle
is bringing neighbors together.
Baoku Moses plays a Nigerian Bata drum as Kendra Lary accompanies him on a set of Djun-Djuns. (Photo by David Sorcher/CiN Weekly)
JUST THE FACTS
WHAT: Drums of Joy African drumming circle
WHEN: Begins between 4 and 5 p.m. every Saturday during the summer and ends around sunset.
WHERE: Lindner Park, Cypress Way, Norwood
PRICE: Free; open to anyone who wants to make music or just listen
PARKING: There is a parking lot located off Cypress Way.
CONTACT: (513)-257-2922
When Kendra Lary and Baoku Moses began a community-wide drumming circle in Norwood last year, they started out with some big goals: bridging cultural differences and bringing their neighbors together. This summer, they're once again achieving their vision one drumbeat at a time every weekend at Lindner Park.
The Ilu Ayo "Drums of Joy" African drumming circles begin about 4 or 5 p.m. every Saturday afternoon and may last a couple of hours or until dark, whatever people feel like. "People come and go the whole time," Lary says.
All are welcome to participate with their own instruments in the jam sessions, where foot tapping, head nodding and knee drumming are equally encouraged. But even spectators often end up sitting at an empty drum or with a shaker in their hands before the sun sets on this motley crew of percussionists.
"We kind of draw them in," Lary says. "People end up playing without intending to."
For would-be rhythm makers, the organizers bring extra instruments, such as wood blocks and hand shakers. Even attendees tend to bring extra drums along with their own music makers. "Pretty much any kind of instrument goes," she says.
"Anything goes" also describes the gatherings at Lindner Park during the drumming circles, which attract people from all over Cincinnati. The crowd may consist of just six onlookers or dozens; they may be teenagers, families or people just passing through to share their talents. Last year a member of a Celtic music group stopped by to perform, as did a group of belly dancers that had another scheduled performance in the area.
"It's just an interesting mix of people," Lary says, and it's a great activity for families, too. Bring some cold drinks and a blanket to sit on, or use the facilities already there at Lindner Park. There are bathrooms, picnic tables, grills, a water fountain and even walking trails.
Whether a person wants to join in the throng or only wants to watch, Lary says she just wants people to "come enjoy themselves and feel good." However, Moses wants onlookers to feel comfortable joining in the music-making, no matter their level of expertise.
"You don't have to be a professional," he says. His primary concern is that people come out to experience "the spirit" of the drumming circle, which represents his African home.
For Moses, a Nigerian who has lived in the United States two years, music is the universal language he uses to teach others about his homeland. He says drumming is an integral part of life in Africa, where it is used in celebration, in mourning, even in ceremonies to name babies. "Everything we do in life, music is involved," he says.
Now, he uses drumming as a way to bridge the gap between the culture he was born into and the one in which he now lives. Not only can the drumming highlight the similarities and differences between the cultures, but it's also a way to create understanding by bringing people together, he says.
According to Lary, it seems to be working. "It's a community builder," she says of the drumming circle. People hear the drumming in their houses and come down to the park to watch. "It's just a good way to bring people together."
Moses says his goal is to create an atmosphere of peace and unity to share with his neighbors. "You need to be part of it from the inside just to realize how good it is - that's why we call it Drums of Joy," he says.
Ilu (pronounced Ee-loo) literally means drum, and Ayo (pronounced Eye-oh) means joy. Both words come from the Yoruba language of western Nigeria, where Moses is from.
Lary says when most people think of Africa, they think of Tarzan, jungles and wild animals. Moses has been asked if people wear clothes in Africa and who the king is there, as if it were a country instead of a continent.
Creating understanding between their two cultures is why Lary and Moses sponsor educational programs through their African Image Arts Organization, founded to promote, protect and preserve African image and heritage. They emphasize the process of working together as one within the drum circle. "The individual is recognized as important," Lary says, "but we come together, and this wonderful music comes out."
In a circle, people become equals; they become a part of something bigger than the individual. "If we have this in our community, we won't have many problems," Moses says.
Biography:
Baoku Moses is a Yoruban native from Nigeria living in Cincinnati, Ohio (United States). He’s a multi talented professional artist.
Baoku started his artistic career in 1994, as an actor at Ajumobi Theater Group (Lagos, Nigeria). He proceeded to Odunfa Theater Organization (Lagos, Nigeria) in 1995, where he continued as an actor and a drummer under the direction of Araosan, Ogogo, Yinka Quadri, Abey Lanre, and Kaka. In 1996 Baoku joined Ivory Ambassadors, (N. A. C. A. C.) National Theater Iganmu Lagos, Nigeria, under the direction of Steve James Eshemokhai. Performing with Ivory Ambassadors exposed Baoku to the unique cultures of numerous Nigerian/African tribes. Baoku has participated in numerous productions locally, nationally and internationally.
Baoku discovered his ability for composition in 1994 after joining Ajumobi Theater Group. He had a talent for Afro beat music, and started composing songs in 1997, immediately after the passing away of Afro beat legend Fela Anikulpo Kuti. Since then Baoku has composed over sixty Afro beat songs.
Afro beat, a musical combination of western jazz with African instrument and languages is a musical expression of peace, love, unity, truth and justice. Baoku uses Afro beat to preach, teach, entertain and educate about the issues facing all of humanity. As an African drummer, Baoku integrates additional African drums into his compositions which makes Baoku’s Afro beat music unique. Baoku uses the power of music "to promote unity helping to make the world a more beautiful, respectful and peaceful place to live."
Baoku’s debut CD is Okodoro Oro[The Realistic Reality]. Currently, Baoku is the Creative Coordinator of African Image Arts Organization (Cincinnati, Ohio), an African arts and culture organization established to “Preserve, Protect and Promote African Image and Heritage”.
Baoku plans to create a 30-person Afro beat band to take Afro beat music around the world.
Official Web Site: www.baokutcr.com & www.africanimagearts.org