Frederick Nii Kpakpo Addo
Moments of gripping traditional and contemporary Ghanaian dances fueled by well-executed music are expected to sweep across Australia from early 2025 as One Spirit Africa in collaboration with Mala Majo Entertainment, kick off with their ‘Notsamo’ album launch tour.
‘Notsamo’ (Ga word for continuation) is a collection of songs recorded by Australia-based master drummer, multi-instrumentalist, choreographer and singer, Frederick Nii Kpakpo Addo.
He is the founder of the One Spirit Africa performance outfit and the Mala Majo Entertainment Company based in Australia and Accra respectively.
A greater part of the album was produced in Accra with members from Mala Majo Entertainment.
“We are continuing time-honoured traditions, some of which have been adapted to resonate with contemporary times. The Mala Majo Entertainment folks played roles that gave the album a unique edge, and that is why I want to get some of them over to Australia for the launch tour,” Kpakpo Addo remarked.
According to him, the tour is scheduled to come off from January 2025 through to March 2025, and will give performances in Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.
The Mala Majo Entertainment personnel Kpakpo Addo would love to have for the tour are Joyce Agyei (Dancer/ Lead Singer), Benjamin Tawiah (Dancer/ Backing Vocals/ Percussion), Rita Yirenkyiwaa (Dancer/ Backing Vocals) and Emmanuel Laryea (Acrobat/ Dancer/ Percussion).
The rest are Michael Obodai Laryea (Percussion/ Backing Vocals), Clement Kpakpo Tawiah (Percussion/ Backing Vocals), Richard Jehu Appiah (Bass Guitar/ Percussion/ Backing Vocals) and Theophilus Akpene Tettey (Percussion/ Lead Vocals).
“They are performers that can present the essence of the album to the world. They sang and played instruments on the production. There’s a story behind every song that audiences need to understand, and the Mala Majo Entertainment folks convey those stories very well,” Kpakpo Addo stated.
He pointed out that one of the key targets of the tour would be appearances at the 2025 Adelaide Fringe, a world-renowned annual arts festival in Australia that celebrates culture and artists from across the globe.
“Many people in Australia are keen to learn more about African arts, so we have planned to incorporate workshops and community events into the tour. It should be an enlightening experience for all,” he added.
By George Clifford Owusu