VoyeuRhythmic Teacher Profiles
Simon Fraser - Director / Principal Teacher
Simon has drummed his heart out for three decades. Starting at plastic drum-kits
and pots n pans, he's traversed myriad styles and found his passion in West
African rhythms. 8 African musical Odysseys have seen him collaborate with
some of the regions' great percussionists — from The Senegalese and
Malian Ballets to Les Visages des Guinea, Soulamane Kouly's Koteban from Ivory
Coast and Ghana's "Wala". Simon travels annually to satisfy his
thirst for new music and culture and takes students to his second home in
Ghana every January for a 4 week intensive.
His love and knowledge of rhythm translates to his teaching where he focuses on rapid improvement, honoring tradition and having fun. Check out his band "Ouaga" when in Melbourne — They Rock!
See Simon's Full Bio at bottom
Matt Young
Matt's
interest in percussion was inspired by the alluring sounds of the North Indian
tabla, however, his interests soon turned to the djembe, and the more community
oriented spirit embodied in West African music. He traveled to Ghana in 2001
and has been teaching at VoyeuRhythmic since 2004. When he's not drumming
Matt teaches meditation, and this is evident in his calm and patient approach
to teaching djembe. Matt is an enthusiastic and encouraging teacher and his
classes are light-hearted and fun. Under his gentle guidance you'll find yourself
playing comfortably and competently in no time at all.
Ben Coleman
Ben
fell head first into West African drumming several years ago and has kept
up his passion whilst living in Melbourne by playing and studying with the
likes of Master Guinean Djembefola Aliou Sylla, and Simon Fraser and Simon
Lewis. Ben's
spirit is uplifting and infectious and his classes are always packed with
good vibes.
Mady Keita
Mady Keita began his drumming tutelage under the guidance of the legendary
Mouriba Keita. From the age of fourteen, Mady studied the traditional rhythms
of his people - The Bambara tribe from Mali. Steeped in a heritage of djembe,
dun, calabash and song, Mady soon became an active member of local Bamako
outfits Ballet Bimba and The Ballet National. He graduated to chief percussionist
of "Shemin de Fer" and starred in "Troupe Saura" - a music
and theatre production in Bamako. Later Mady began his own Ensemble, "Manding
percussion" and continued to work as a renowned freelance percussionist
with the likes of Rokia Traore. Mady is a patient and dedicated teacher with
a wealth of knowledge of authentic Manding rhythms.
Alena Schneider
Alena is currently studying music improvisation at the Victorian College
of the Arts. Since starting on drumkit at the age of 10, she has fuelled her
instrument ADD by branching out into all sorts of classical, mallet and African
percussion. Alena has taken two extended tours to Ghana where she has played
and studied with renowned members of cultural group "Salaka" ....Alena
hopes to one day own a two storey house where the top floor is completely
dedicated to drums.
Boubacar Gaye
Born in the culturally and musically rich city of Dakar in Senegal, Boubacar gaye, for as long as he can remember, has been surrounded by the rhythmic joie de vivre of music. At the budding age of 14, inspired by the musical mentors around him, Bouba laid his hand to the skin of the drum. As a member of the infamous Mama Afrika and under the guidance of ballet professor Joseph-Raphael Bouschanzl, Bouba's skills and passion grew quickly and earnestly and soon he was also a member of the renowned Foret Sacre Ballet at Dakar's most famous cultural centre - Blaisse Senghor - where he further immersed himself in music. In 1997 Bouba ventured across the West African borders - into Europe - where he took his dexterity, energy and musical talent and turned them into firey performances. In 1999, Boubacar took a plane to the oriental island of Japan - a place where he has since inhabited and is now one of the most garnered and respected African percussionists in and around Japan. As a result of his persistence, talent and travail Bouba has formed and partaken in a number of ensembles that have reached international audiences and destinations including Kaze (a collaborative project with Finnish contemporary dance company) and his very own Darl Salaam. With an energy and peace of mind that resonates from deep within - Boubacar Gaye speaks 1000 words with his drum.
Claire Toohill
As
a vibrant performer, Claire Toohill has lit upstages across Australia and
performed with many respected artists.
Gracing the stages at major music festivals such as Woodford, Merideth and
Folk Rhythm & Life, Claire is also at the forefront of Melbourne’s
Hip hop and African Dance scene. Performing at hot music venues like the Spiegel
tent, Night Cat, Spanish club and Arts Centre, to name a few.
In her 20 years of dancing Claire has explored many dance styles, her favorites being: contemporary, funk, hip hop, tap and West African. It was in 2003 Claire fell in love with West African rhythm, training with master dancers Lamine Sonko, Mohamad Bangoura and Nabe Bangoura. Going on to perform with acclaimed groups ‘Asiko’, ‘Za Zu’, ‘Shekere’ and more recently ‘Le Phat’.
As a teacher Claire creates a lively and inclusive space in her classes, allowing participants to break free from nerves and dance like no ones watching!
Joseph Appiah Kojo Annan
Ghanaian born drummer and dancer, Appiah, has mastered the diverse culture of Africa and represents
the beauty of Ghana with his telling dance style. He performs with precision,
skill and high energy which creates a joyful and exciting experience within
his classroom. He has newly arrived in Melbourne after travelling to London
to perform in a new West End show, ‘Stormforce’ African beat Irish
feet. While abroad he has continued to maintain his 15 piece drum and dance
company, Asanti Dance Theatre, based in Cape Coast, Ghana. With a strong history
of teaching African drum and dance, afro hip hop, freestyle, afro contemporary
and afro aerobics to all ages and abilities he is now sharing his skills,
culture and passion with the Australian community and is in very high demand.
Nicole Lewis
Nicole
started classical training in music early, playing flute in concert bands
and later for the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra. The switch to percussion began
slowly with the purchase of the first djembe at Bondi Beach in the early nineties
and from there the addiction took hold.
Back in Bendigo now with her husband and two children Nicole travels to visiting teachers workshops, such as Paa Brown, King Marong, Lamine Sonko and currently studies djembe weekly with Simon Fraser.
Andrea Makris
Andrea, the co-director of Underbelly dance studio in Fitzroy, has been performing
and teaching various styles of Belly dance since 1999. With a strong foundation
in Greek music and dance, Andrea is experienced in folkloric and modern styles
from Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and beyond and has been a popular choice for performances
at festivals and special occasions. She has also toured in the USA with fellow
Underbelly dancers and has studied in Egypt and London with master choreographers.
Bruno De Moura Floriano — Treinel Of Capoeira Angola
Bruno - ‘Gingadinha’ as he is known in
the world of Capoeira – began Capoeira in 1990 with Mestre Celso da
Rainha (a disciple of Mestre Artur Emidio, Traditional Capoeira Baiana e Carioca)
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After completing 10 years of training, Bruno was
assessed by Mestre Artur Emidio and graduated as a Teacher of Capoeira with
a blue level cord through F.C.E.R.J. (Federation of Capoeira, Rio de Janeiro).
In 2003 Gingadinha entered the ‘School of Capoeira Angola, Flor da Gente’
under the tutelage of Mestre Mano (a disciple of Mestre Moraes, Group of Capoeira
Pelourinho, Bahia,). In 2007 he received the title of Treinel from Mestre
Mano.
Over many years Gingadinha has taught Capoeira to people of various ages and
abilities, at institutes for the mentally and physically handicapped, at local
and international schools, gyms, theatres and in public squares.
Gingadinha’s methodology of teaching Capoeira is through Capoeria Angola.
Recently arrived in Melbourne, Gingadinha brings not only a highly energetic
and dedicated approach to Capoeria, but the positive vibe of the Brazilian
people; specifically the Afro-Brazilian culture.
Gingadinha also performs various music and dances related to Capoeira, such
as Maculele and Samba de Roda, and is a creative artisan of all things Capoeira,
for example, making and painting Berimbaus.
‘Capoeira da vida!’
Simon Fraser - The full story
( well almost)
My percussive inspiration first came from my ex DJ Mum's penchant for tapping
rhythms on the steering wheel of her yellow Mazda 323. From there a plastic
drum kit appeared and at the age of 2, Mum and I had a tambourine and drum
ensemble firing.
At 15 I decided to upgrade the kit and began lessons. A journey through Rock,
Jazz and Funk studies followed. Many rudiments and dodgy pub and club gigs
later later I found myself interested in hand percussion and started a residency
at Redhead Nightclub playing a darabuka.
In 1998 my interest in hand percussion and a desire for something different,
took me on a four-month study tour to Ghana, West Africa where I met members
of touring groups Kusun Ensemble and Wala. I was pretty blown away by the
role music plays in everyday life there. It is intertwined into all kinds
of cultural ceremonies including weddings, funerals, circumcisions, and harvests.
I found the music challenging to understand, hard to play, energising to listen
to soothing to be surrounded by. It was weird getting back to Melbourne afterwards
and I felt slightly detached from society here for a while.
Whilst I kept busy freelancing as a drummer and percussionist back in Melbourne
on return, and did a series of festivals and shows with Archie Roach and Ruby
Hunter playing kit and hand drums, I was desperate to get back to West Africa.
At the start of 2000, I returned to continue my studies of traditional music. I spent 7 months studying in Ghana and Burkina Faso with Master Drummers from Ga, Ewe, Dagomba, Diola and Malinke tribes and began performing at ceremonies and festivals with Drum and Dance Ensembles. I returned again late 2001 for a 4-month tour of the region and performed in Mali and Guinea for the first time. This trip was full of interesting experiences as I drove my small Opell - modified with extra rear suspension - across 5 countries. I bribed my way across the region with broken French, pleading poverty as a musician. They didn't buy it!This journey was special for other reasons too as i was traveling with Abou "Kora" Keita. Kora played with Soulaman Coli's reknowned theatre - Koteban in Abidjian for over 7 years . I continued my studies with him whilst in Burkina and Mali . During our 4 week stint in Bamako i also took classes with lead drummer and dancer from the Malian Ballet , Mamadou Kante. Mamadou and i had a "love hate" relationship but i learnt alot from him!
Early 2003 Africa drew me back again where I studied with the Senegalese Ballet
specializing in Talking Drum (Tama) and Sabar. Living with Bouly and Oumi
Sonko and their family was an experience to be cherished. Bouly is the director
of Les Ballet National de Senegal and Oumi , his wife was the first lead dancer
with ballet many years ago. They introduced my to many amazing and generous
people, of note , Medoun Houly, lead djembe drummer with the ballet who i
played with every morning and arvo for 3 months. What a character and very
passionate man. His roots come from the Senegalese, Malian border so my insight
into Bambara music deepened over this period.
I also focused heavily on Sabaar and talking drum , both intrinsic parts of
Wolof culture. They have languages of their own and require different approaches
to learn .
It's important to note that each ethnique has its cultural and musical roots that differ from the next . The musical landscape change as you move from Senegal across and down to Ghana. All are proud of their music and will often tell you it's the best in Africa. It's hard to deny any of them.
It's fair to say, I'm addicted to the music of these African ethnicities. The cultural significance of the rhythms enhances the attachment one has to the music, as does the communal bond that comes with playing polyrhythmic rhythms. It's a wonderful feeling to "lose control" inside a song but still be an integral part of it.
In 2004 i returned for my 4th tour and commenced building a guesthouse in Accra, Ghana. My partner Tuza and i have always talked about sharing this culture with others and giving students access to great teachers and a beautiful community .
Tuza is lead percussionist with international touring group Wala. We want to provide an authentic African experience for those coming to his community.
My Melbourne based business, " VoyeuRhythmic - Center for West African Culture" is still focusing on tuition in traditional Drum and Dance. Regular workshops at the St Kilda studio location are punctuated with classes by visiting touring groups such as Wala from Ghana, and Sydney based Mohata that includes the Bangoura brothers Mohamed and Sibu from Guinea.
It feels different playing traditional music here as the context is not as fully understood, however when I play with my ensemble Zazu we respect the songs and rhythms we sing and acknowledge their heritage, whether we play them in strictly a traditional sense or draw from them to create something new.
In Jan 2005 , 13 drummers and dancers from Australia and the UK had an absolute ball , "going off" to the Ghanain music and culture on Ekome Tour's inaugral "Rhythm Power". Most will return , no-one will forget .The second Rhythm Power tour was fantastic with 22 wonderful people blending in with the locals . WE had two Irish and two Americans on board also !
Throughout this period i've stayed in touch with the developing contemporary
music scene and worked on some exciting Dance, Hip Hop, and Folk Fusion projects.
In the middle of 2006 i spent two months in Paris hooking up with members
of Nick Rowe Band - a French/Oz collaboration. Great jams , a few gigs and
lots of creative head-space . A springboard for a new traditional Ensemble
back in Melbourne was formed off the back of 6 weeks of writing.
"Ouaga" is an exciting new project that brings together years of indulgence in W.African musical styles. A mix of Ghanaian Highlife, Manding Djembe, and Funked up HipHop .
Current Projects
"Ouaga" - 5 piece Melb based Ensemble - Congas, Djembe, Talking
Drum, Duns, Balaphon, Bell
Nick Rowe Band - French/Oz Afro Roots Dance Hop - Guitar, Vocals, Base, Keys,
Kit, Percussion
Collaborative Past Projects and Shows -
Archy Roach and Ruby Hunter
Avalanches - Belle and Sebastian Rix Mix "I'm a Cookoo"
Nfa (1200 Techniques) - Solo Album
Zazu
Alive and Kicking Ch 7