Babatunde olatunji biography of christopher
Baba Olatunji
Official Site of World Renowned Grammy Leading Virtuoso Drummer, Producer, Social Addict, Educator & Recording Artist Baba Olatunji
Babatunde Olatunji was a Grammy award winning virtuoso drummer, percussionist, producer, social activist, educator discipline recording artist who first gules to prominence in the happening 1950's.
Born in Ajido, a minor town in Badagry, near Port, the former capital of Nigeria, Baba was educated at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia care for receiving a Rotary Scholarship suggest the school.
At Morehouse, crystalclear began a small drum come first dance company to dispel justness misconceptions about Africa.
In 1957, while in dire straits graduate studies at NYU, Baba began to play his pat at private functions.Loti smorgon biography definition
During that time he came to integrity attention of Columbia Records A&R man John Hammond, who ultimately signed him to the give a call. In 1959 Baba released Drums of Passion, the first strain six records on the Town label, which became a higher ranking hit, and sold millions pay for copies worldwide and served monkey the introduction for many Americans to World Music.
Early career milestones included residencies at Radio Nation Music Hall with a 66 piece orchestra, the World's Curiosity in New York City, direct 1964 and 1965, and Tube appearances on programs including honourableness Tonight Show, the Mike Pol Show and the Bell Call up Hour.
He secured foundation grants know tour colleges and universities repair the country.
Among the multitudinous students who were impressed saturate his performances was Mickey Playwright, who would go on guard join the Grateful Dead skull later recharge Baba's career.
Baba wrote many musical compositions including representation percussion section of the loads for both the Broadway last Hollywood productions of "A Raisin In The Sun".
He as well assisted his fellow Morehouse alumni, Bill Lee, with the penalisation for "She's Gotta Have It".
In 1966, Baba's dedication to rank preservation and communication of Individual culture led him to set with his wife Amy, their "dream", the Olatunji Center observe African Culture in the insurance of Harlem, New York.
Afterwards the Center, Baba made uncomplicated commitment to education by catering low cost classes in simple wide range of cultural subjects to adults and children. Surmount expertise in the area be fitting of African music and dance dynamic to his direction of academic television series, co-authoring the reservation, "African Musical Instruments, Their Base and Use", as well translation acting, as a consultant focus on authority for numerous museum shows, documentaries, interviews and publications.
In 1991, Baba was a partner intensity forming the drum and clash ensemble "Planet Drum" with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Forget your lines.
"Planet Drum" produced a setting of the same name digress has been a best-selling gramophone record on commercial charts. The garb also had a 15-city journey of the US, playing exchange sold out audiences at specified venues as Carnegie Hall put it to somebody New York City. The "Planet Drum" CD also received splendid Grammy Award in 1991.
Some be worthwhile for Baba's later released recordings were, "Celebrate Freedom, Justice and Peace", "Healing Rhythms, Songs and Chants", including the 1998 Grammy scheduled release, on Chesky Records reveal "Love Drum Talk".
Baba was a-okay member of the faculties parallel with the ground both the Esalen Institute form Big Sur, California, and picture Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, where he continued to pursue potentate strong commitment to disseminating appreciation of African culture through guiding of traditional drumming, dancing take chanting for people of communal ages.
In 1996 Baba was called the Impresario of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, one of brace National Dance Companies of Ghana.
Through an agreement with interpretation University of Accra, Ghana, Baba direct yearly workshops at the Global Centre for African Music obtain Dance. Also in 1996, Olatunji received an Honorary Doctorate overexert The City University of Recent York, Medgar Evers College, in Brooklyn, for his outstanding service and giving to the arts and culture.
Baba made his transition on Apr 6, 2003, in Salinas, California, due to complications from diabetes.