WONGAI AFRICA, LLC
Mandjou Mara, Djembefola & Griot
"There are no boundaries in the language of music." Mandjou Mara
Madison, WI
ph: 608 609 2014
alt: 608 216 5332
mandjouj
Kikeh
Mato
Mandjou Mara brings his experience and expertise as a griot (praise singer) and djembefola (master drummer) to contemporary music with his Afro-pop group Kikeh Mato. Noting the power of the moon to provide solace, inspiration, and hope, the traditional role of the griot, Mandjou named his group Kikeh Mato meaning "look at the moon." Continuing his role as a griot through preforming his original music, Mandjou offers the world comfort, joy, and encouragement. Kikeh Mato's funky African grooves will make you dance all night long.
Upcoming SHOWS--
Contact us to be put on an email list for upcoming shows!
- Sunday, March 18, 2012
- African Youth Outreach's Annual Fundraiser to Help Educate Youth in South Africa about AIDS/HIV
- Goodman Communtiy Center, 2 Waubesea St. Madison, WI
- Music all day! Kikeh Mato on at about 3:3o.
These are teasers from our new album.
Feh Tohmou Coloh Mah- We don’t know what tomorrow will bring
- Singuenue Menifan
- First time is good, second time is not good
- Wey Lungah Falah
- Let us speak
Musician Biographies
Tim Gruber started playing percussion as a child. The interesting rhythms of West African drumming attracted Tim to playing hand drums. He studied drumming in Ghana and in the U.S., with teachers including Stephan Collins, Habib Iddrisu, Emmanual Eku, and Edi Gbordzi. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Master's Degree in Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied percussion with James Latimer and jazz with Richard Davis. He has played Afro-pop music with Shekere and Kweku Ananse and the Sweet Vibrations. In addition to playing with Kikeh Mato, Tim currently plays with Atimevu Drum and Dance Ensemble, the Madison Marimba Quartet, and Tani Diakite.
Richard Hildner began learning Peruvian folk guitar as a boy with his grandfather Nicolas Armacanqui, and his two uncles Jose and Numa Armacanqui. He went on to study Jazz in the Duke University Jazz ensemble under the direction of Theloneous Monk's saxaphonist Paul Jeffrey. He also learned in the Black Music Ensemble under the direction of the legendary bassist Richard Davis. Richard now resides in Madison, WI where he plays in groups of many different genres such as Afro-beat, soul/R&B, Peruvian folk music, or straight-ahead Jazz.
website: http://www.myspace.com/guitarrichi
Ben Hoffman is a keyboard player originally from Manitowoc, WI. Now a student at the UW, he studies jazz with Richard Davis and plays around Madison with groups of varying styles.
Maya Kadakia has studied Guinean dance and music for close to 15 years. Read more about her.
Mandjou Mara is a talented singer, songwriter, composer, and drummer from Guinea, West Africa. Read more about him.
Francisco Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1966. He started playing drums and singing at nine years of age. Francisco joined his mentors Gumbi Ortiz and Freddie Montes to form the Latino Projekt, an Afro-Cuban timba band,which won the Best Latin Band award in Weekly Planet’s 2001 Best of the Bay. In 2002, Francisco won the Weekly Planet’s Best of the Bay award in the Best Instrumentalist category. Francisco has performed with several luminaries of the jazz and Afro-Cuban music world, including Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Bill Summers and Los Hombres Calientes, Larry Coryell, and Al Dimeola. He’s been the featured drummer in the Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Sextet, as well as salsa band Que Flavor. Francisco is also a skilled producer of digital and electronic music, with several high-profile remixes for Ben Sidran’s Nardis record label under his belt. He is currently composing and performing original material with the Madison-based Afro-Cuban groove ensemble, El Clan Destino.
Matt Rodgers performs and teaches electric and double bass. He has recorded and/or performed with Harmonious Wail, Lucas Cates, Mark Croft, Mambo Blue, The Madison Jazz Orchestra, and now, Kikeh Mato. He directs the jazz band at Madison West High School. His passion for the groove permeates everything he does--acoustic or electric, big stages or intimate, pop/rock/jazz/latin/afro--He loves to make it swing!
Band Members:
Photos by (except F. Martinez & T. Gruber).
Ben Hoffman - keyboard
Francisco Martinez- drum set
Mandjou Mara - vocals, djembe
Maya Kadakia - vocals, dance
Matt Rodgers - bass
Richard Hildner - guitar
Tim Gruber - balafon, drum set
Madison, WI
ph: 608 609 2014
alt: 608 216 5332
mandjouj
