REVIEW FROM AFRICAN STARS:
BY OMAR DU BOIS
SINGER Atongo Zimba, the Pan African Orchestra and the
African Sound Project together with drummer, Kofi Ghanaba
exposed the beauty, variety and authenticity of African
music last week at the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre in
Accra.
It was Atongo Zimba who drew near
capacity crowd. With his natural powerful African rhythms
that constantly shifted in pulse and intensity and the
knowledge that this was his last concert before an
extensive European tour..
But before Atongo there was Kofi
Ghanaba, whose album Africa Speaks, America Answers, sold
over a million copies in the 1950s. He surprised the
audience with an amazing set of African drums during his
jazz pieces.
The Pan African Orchestra enchanted
the audience with a medley of recomposed and re-arranged
pieces Dagara, Akan and Mmenson style and tunes from the
late Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Nana Danso Abiam, the world
acclaimed musician and musicologist, was the conductor of
the Pan African Orchestra.
Led by Nii Noi Nortey, the African
Sound Project in collaboration with Kofi Ghanaba
made up a giant Fontomfrom/Atumpan drums and assortment
African wind instruments.
The final started with Atongo Zimba
as solo artist. Atongo received a standing ovation before
he had played a single note! Mr. Zimba just returned from
the Standard Bank Arts Festival (Port Elizabeth, Republic
of South Africa). With his voice "that cleaves
through the air like a sparrow" Atongo drew constant
cheers from the crowd during his 45 minutes performance,
which was sponsored by the Bank for Housing and
Construction, Ideal Real Estates, Alliance Francaise
and Groove FM. A sort performance, because Atongo had to
catch a plain to London that same night.
PROMOTERS
 At the moment Atongo is touring
in Europe, but worldwide contacts can always be easily
made by email at: atongo@go.to
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