PUTNEY — The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents a performance of pan-African roots music with Ugandan musician, educator, and creative arts producer Chinobay on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m. at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Road in Putney.
“The music of Uganda is robust and unique, and Chinobay serves as the region's finest example of educator and musician,” Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts, said in a news release. “We look for artists from around the world to be a part of the Bandwagon series, and we jumped at the opportunity to work with this rising star from Africa. I know the community will feel the power and energy from his ensemble.”
Chinobay's quartet brings together Cameroonian producer and bassist Jonas Yologaza, Nigerian drummer Olaolu Ajibade, and keyboardist William Pefok from Cameroon and Nigeria. Led by Chinobay's voice and African traditional instruments - namely the kora, kalimba, endongo and tama - this band has created a sound of their own, tapping in to various global influences with a strong foundation in African roots. The musicians' work has been described as “some of the most exquisite music coming out of Africa today.”
Since his youth, Chinobay has captivated audiences with world-roots rhythms and melodies that emanate from the diversity of the many traditional instruments he customized to develop his sound. “The diverse textures of Chinobay's music make it soothing, pulsing, meditative, invigorating, and intimate - much of it a mix of original and traditional with global influences - but the sounds are uniquely his.”
Chinobay's education and outreach programs provide global audiences with a knowledge gateway into Africa through cross-cultural experiences and learning journeys that introduce Africa's cultural arts, social studies, and stories rarely covered by mainstream media, which in turn lead to a distinct understanding of how we connect as humans across cultural and national lines, organizers say.
Chinobay uses his music and voice to empower children and youth living in underserved communities to find purpose, restore dignity, develop talent, and build transformation. He founded Dance of Hope, an initiative that uses the transforming power of music, dance, and storytelling to educate and empower young people to become independent global citizens.