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Afö
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Based in:
Melbourne VIC
Line up(s) available: 4 piece (quartet) Afö (Malinke for ‘speak’) is a traditionally based West African drumming ensemble performing high energy rhythms from the region of Guinea in West Africa. Afö draw on the traditional music of the Malinke people and in particular those taught by the highly renowned exponent of the tradition, Mamady Keita. Afö capture the essence of this undeniably powerful and engaging traditional music and present an explosive and mesmerising performance. Afö has presented highly successful concerts and performances to audiences in and around Melbourne. Most recently, the group performed at Montrose Civic Centre as part of the Yarra Ranges Shire Concert Series, the annual Winterfest festival in Warburton, and African Carnifest in Thornbury. Afö is gearing up for many promising events over summer and into the new year, including the Midsumma Carnival and various local festivals. Afö released their debut EP ‘Speak’ early in 2008, recorded with funds awarded under the ‘Victoria Rocks’ funding scheme facilitated by Arts Victoria. BIOGRAPHY Simone Lang is a highly experienced West African percussionist who has travelled to Guinea, Senegal and The Gambia in West Africa to study percussion under some of the finest master drummers of the Malinke tradition. These include Lamine Soumah (Guinea) of Percussion de Guinee and Alagie Malo Sonko (Senegal). Simone has been playing professionally and teaching drumming for over ten years and regularly travels around Melbourne and interstate to perform and teach West African drumming to adults and school children. Simone was a long-standing member of beatwise, a Melbourne-based drumming ensemble led by Guinean master drummer Mohamed Bangoura. Simone is a creative director and founding member of Afö. Federico Martinengo is a passionate Melbourne-based traditional West African percussionist who has been playing percussion for the past six years. In this time Federico has made two study trips to West Africa where he has studied and trained with highly regarded master drummers in Guinea, The Gambia and Senegal. Federico is a member of Asiko led by Lamine Sonko from Senegal and is a creative director and founding member of Afö. Federico currently teaches and performs at various venues throughout Australia and overseas. Jacqueline Gawler is a trained bass (dun-dun) player and has also travelled to The Gambia and Senegal in West Africa to study intensively under master drummer Alagie Malo Sonko. Jacqueline is a singer/percussionist/composer with internationally award-winning vocal/percussion group Coco’s Lunch with whom she has composed and recorded five albums. She has toured around the world for the past ten years with Coco’s Lunch and performs as a freelance jazz vocalist with numerous successful bands including Stoneflower, Ido, Brassiere 66 and The Jacqueline Gawler Band. Peta Minter is one of the few celebrated female professional drummers in Australia and is currently a member of West African Band Ouaga and Irish Band The Molly Maguires, as well as David Jones’ internationally renowned percussion ensemble DRUM! Peta has studied with the country’s top drummers including Darryn Farrugia (Hey Hey It’s Saturday), Dave Beck (In Melbourne Tonight), drum-master David Jones, professional djembe player Simon Fraser and master dun-dun and djembe exponent Mady Keita from Mali. Afö repertoire Additional performers Afö repertoire Afö perform traditional West African rhythms arranged by the group. The versions are mostly sourced from the internationally renowned Master Drummer Mamady Keita. The repertoire is currently a balance of slower, funkier rhythms and plenty of faster, more intense tunes. The repertoire is continually expanding and a performance can be tailored to meet the needs of the booking; from a quieter, more mellow presentation, to a hard, fast and punchy show.
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