Gameli and I had breakfast at Jangles. Scrambled egg with bread moulded into fan shapes and tea or cofee. A nice clean place that has a small conference room in front that seem to be busy every day with lessons on accounting and other subjects.
Went to the Internet Cafe that Salihou did the networking for. About three hours there. Got some A4 paper across the street at the copy center associated with the cafe. The Internet Cafe is also the DHL agent for the area. Salihou and I went to change money at a shoe seller. 9200 ceidis per dollar this time.
We stopped in at a park just off the beach with a few octagonagal buildings and shelters. Ashanti Dance Theatre was rehersing, and they sounded wonderful.
Kofi is one of the drum masters, who Salihou has arranged for me to take classes from. There are pictures on the wall of their performances, including some inside Cape Coast Castle. They also travel to New York for a cultural performance with other groups. Panafest is big here in June they also participate in.
Pictures of the Ashanti Dance Theatre's performances
Pictures of the Ashanti Dance Theatre performing at Cape Coast Castle
Pictures of the Ashanti Dance Theatre's performances
Salihou took us to Cape Coast university for lunch. Upstairs in a 3 story building where many students are taking their exams there is a cafe. Chicken & fried rice. Salihou was saying hi to several people he knows there because he worked there too installing computers.
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing (my drum on the right)
Salihou's friend Kofi out in front
Next we head back to the park. Two American girls are there, one with a big camera. The drum & dance group moves outside so better pictures can be taken. They perform for about 1/2 hour while the girl takes pictures. One of the drummers used the drum Salihou & Kofi got for me and the strap I put on it.
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing music
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing music
Ashanti Dance Theatre practicing music
Making a deal
Kofi teaching me some of thier music
Salihou, Gameli, Kofi and I go inside while I have the first class. Kofi and I jam for a while so he can see where I am. He then taught me a break and rhythm that they don't have a name for. Just "something from Guinea they play all the time". The basic rhythm is B-B-O-O-B-B-F.
He started by showing me the break. It starts with a simple roll, that I had difficulty with at first (since it's new to me). By the end of the hour we were playing the break, and taking turns with the rhythm and soloing. But that first roll part was still messing with me. Practice that in the car afterward, finally getting that down better.
Kofi
Salihou on djembe
We headed back to Salihou's house. His wife Hawa had Fufu prepared for us. She asked me if I wanted to taste what she was drinking - African gin that had a slight licorace flavor. She was excited that I went for it, and she brought out a bottle. Fufu with fish & beef was delicious. Salihou's son, Shabazz was quite awake this time, and quite a character.
Some of the art on the dance company walls
Back to the hotel, and a call home to check on things. Air conditioner was going clang clunk... It seems there was a problem with the fan. After the staff worked on it the next day, they said it was the fan blade.
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