17/12/2021 - EL Horses, Nowra
Event Details
Join us for a unique opportunity to learn Kora from master instrument maker, musician, drummer and dancer Epizo Bangoura.
Epizo Bangoura is one of Africa’s leading percussionists. A former member of the famous ‘Ensemble Koteba’ of Ivory Coast was born into a family of Griots, highly respected and honored members of this community of musicians and storytellers, keepers of their ancestral traditions and customs, a truth living memory of Africa, Epizo immortalize his culture through his songs , music , dance and legends.
His father start to teach him how to play instruments at the age of 3, a few years later he start to going to school where he became a member of school bands soon after their was doing a performance in front of Guinea ex President, Ahamed Sekou Toure. He then began his first tour in Europe of music and dance belong to Andre Toure the wife of President.
As a griot he is respected historian, and considers it his responsibility to transmit his oral ancestral traditions through music: the drum, dance and chants. Epizo has toured world-wide, bringing his inspiration teachings to many culture through master classes.
To chronicle the musical story of Epizo, we must start in 80s when he moved from Guinea to Ivory Coast than Paris, working with various bands such as Mory Kante, Salif Keita, Doudou N`diaye Rose, Kassamady Diabate, Sekouba Babino Diabate and etc, as well as teaching dance and percussion classes.
He formed the first version of ‘African Express’, a band combining elements of traditional and contemporary styles of music. In his songs Epizo mixes the past with the present-the lends of the old empire with today`s social realities. His music shows remarkable use of fable and allegory, as well as refence to the old values of country to the old values: family, wife, child, work etc. Many of his texts talk of very concrete and current problem with an awareness that African is short on today.
In the early 90s, Epizo moved to the United State to perform with several Jazz musicians and groups such as Don Pollen, Abdoulaye Ibrahim ( Dollar Brand ), Ed Blakwell, Mark Helias, Jane Cortez, Papa Ladji Camara and Regina Carter. He performed regularly with African Express in New York City where he founded the ‘Fareta Drum and Dance School.’
