Luke Konden is a djembefola and educator with 20 years of experience working and performing with both children and adults. He apprenticed djembe and dundun music in Guinea, West Africa (where he returns on a regular basis) with the foremost exponents of this art, Fadouba Oulare’ and Famodou Konate, as well as with Bayo Kankan; and in New York City with Laurent Camara, M’Bemba Bangoura ...
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Luke Konden is a djembefola and educator with 20 years of experience working and performing with both children and adults. He apprenticed djembe and dundun music in Guinea, West Africa (where he returns on a regular basis) with the foremost exponents of this art, Fadouba Oulare’ and Famodou Konate, as well as with Bayo Kankan; and in New York City with Laurent Camara, M’Bemba Bangoura - and Vado Diomande from the Ivory Coast. He then went through his initiation, and soon developed his own style.
Venues and events where Luke has performed include Aaron Davis Hall with Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Dance School, NY City Center, Wofabe African Dance Festival, Newark, NJ, Maimouna Keita Dance Conference and the New York Fringe Festival among others, as well as internationally in Europe (Spain, Poland, UK, Italy, Russia) and South America (Colombia). As a recording artist, he has been singled out for his exuberant playing in West Africa, and he is the only Westerner appearing on the 2006 BBC West African Music Radio Special, which aired around the world. He was in charge of the scenes featuring drumming for the 2011 Hollywood film The Beaver, where he can be seen teaching Hollywood star Mel Gibson. He is also arranging and recording his first solo CD which hosts some of the top talents of West African music in the United States. His first track was broadcast in West Africa on radio Baobab in 2019. He has recorded African and Latin percussion on numerous albums as a guest artist.
Luke currently resides in Moscow where he heads his association Baarakan, dedicated to the education of the Russian public on West African music through its activities, which aim at introducing the same level of accomplishment and awareness in Russia as seen elsewhere internationally.
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