Jabali Afrika of Kenya will perform at
Hope College on Sunday, March 4, at 8 p.m. in the
Knickerbocker Theatre, located at 86 E. 8th St.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The four-member Jabali Afrika presents original
compositions and traditional African melodies on a wide
variety of instruments in combination with vocal harmonies.
The musical presentation is complemented by dancing and
traditional African tribal costumes.
The band traces its origins to the Kenya National
Theater Dance Troupe. Five members of the troupe broke away
in 1993 and formed what is now known as Jabali Afrika.
"Jabali" is Kiswahili, Kenya's national language,
for "Rock." The group's original members used to meet on a
large rock to discuss how to advance their musical careers.
Three of the five founding members remain with
Jabali Afrika. Today, the group is comprised of Joseck
Asikoye, Victor Elolo, Justo Asikoye and Bernard Kapima.
The band won the Best Traditional Adaptation award
in Kenya in 1994, and has since toured extensively in
Europe, Japan and the United States. In the spring of 1995,
the band was invited to headline the African Heritage
Festival tour of Germany and Austria, which stopped at more
than 40 cities.
Among other domestic and international television
and radio appearances, the group has been on "Mister Rogers'
Neighborhood" and "Good Morning America," in addition to
being featured on the British Broadcasting Corporation and
Radio France. The band has released two compact discs in
Europe and, most recently, a third, titled "Journey," in the
United States.
The concert is co-sponsored by the college's
Hispanic Student Organization, Hope's Asian Perspective
Association and Black Coalition.