A very different drummer
Bonga brings his highly honed Haitian sound to Levitt Pavilion
By John Sollenberger 08/05/2010
As Levitt Pavilion’s free summer music series rolls on, Friday night is a great time to catch world music at its best, as Haitian percussionist Bonga and the Vodou Drums roll into town.
Born Gaston Jean-Baptiste, Bonga is a virtuoso drummer who has studied Haitian drumming, dance and song since the age of 7, first performing in his home town of Croix-des-Mission, an area known as a cultural hot spot. Bonga has grown to be recognized in the world percussion community as a master of the Afro-Haitian drum, widely sought for his vast repertoire of pan-African rhythms. He’s been a core member of Haitian roots bands Boukman Eksperyans and Foula, and first came to the US in the 1990s. Since then, he’s performed solo and with numerous ensembles at major venues worldwide.
He’s been a featured performer with popular music stars including Grace Jones, Peter Yarrow, Dan Zanes and many others.
His latest CD is “Ayiti Afrika,” available at bongamusic.org.
Music starts at 8 p.m. Friday at Levitt Pavilion in Memorial Park, corner of Walnut Street and North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena. Admission is free. Call (626) 683-3230 or visit levittpavilionpasadena.org.
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