News

September 7th, 2010

Mike is currently working with Ousman Jobarteh, Chrise Covert, and Dr. Lisa Feder on developing and organization called Akadiyaa... which means " how sweet it is" in Mandinka Language. The goals of Akadiyaa are to continue to study,document, and share West African music of Senegal and Gambia and to get funding for 2 very important projects. The 1st is to travel to my balafon teacher Keba Mane's village Sanou, Senegal with a camera crew and do a documentary on Keba's family of balafon players. This is a very important project and Mike Bennett has been working on this for 10 years studying with Keba Mane and preparing for this eventful project. Balanta balafon is soon to be lost if Akadiyaa does not act fast and get to Gambia and Senegal in 2011. Members of Akadiyaa have more than 30 years combined study in West Africa.

The 2nd project has been lead by Ousman Jobarteh who is a long time student of the late Jaliba Seikou Jobarteh and has studied with the Jobarteh family in depth for more than 10 years. This project documents the lineage of this very important family of Kora players.

Akadiyaa also offers "West Africa Day", sharing music, language and culture in local schools. Our goal is to continue the cycle of passing on what we have learned from many years in West Africa. We believe this music and culture is very important to diversity and world peace. Our children deserve to be exposed to different music, culture, and ways of thinking in order to give them a better world outlook and see we are all brothers and sisters.

Also Mike is working with his new group Balantama which is Mike on balafon, percussion... Nina Wish vocals and percussion... and Beau Lisy vocals and percussion. The group hopes to do some tours this winter of 2010-2011.

Mike continues to have a busy summer working with many different groups and also recording projects with the great recording engineer John Kurgan.

Mike will be on the road this fall doing some West African music workshops in Maine schools ... as well as some tours to some colleges in New England and beyond.

Mike Bennett hopes to get back to Gambia this winter but funding is certainly an issue. He missed last winter after 10 years of consecutive study... and hopes to get back to Gambia for more documentation and study and continue the long time connection that Akadiyaa has with Gambia and Senegal.

Also this winter Mike may be working with Roberta Demuro's " History of Broadway" show which has become very popular. They have done more than 30 shows this summer on the America Cruise Lines. Look for Mike and Roberta possibly in New York and Florida this winter.