African rhythms light up London's rainy summer at the African musical
festival.

The London African Music Festival kicks off delighting audiences with a
range of musical styles and rhythms from across the African continent.

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 5, 2008) REUTERS -
An energetic fusion of a Nigerian percussion beat with a Western
jazzy melody lifted audiences out of their seats in a delightful start to the
London African Music Festival (LAMF) on Friday (September 5).
25 year old Nigerian born musician, Tunday Akintan, drew from his
tribal roots in Nigeria to create a unique blend of music he has called
Yorubeat.
"It's from the tribal name called Yoruba. Yoruba is a tribe, it is
one of Nigerian biggest tribes and I am from that tribe. I took the name
Yorubeat from that tribe and invented, kinda that drum pattern in that tribe
and mix it with western music," he said.
Akintan, the son of a prominent accountant in Nigeria, drew his
inspiration from Nigerian artist Fela Kuti and James Brown.
Akintan said music was an international language and he created his
music to bring about peace and unity.
"You can use music to bring the whole world together. You can use
music to Kings and Queens together. You can actually use music where there is
war, you understand, to create peace. So my music Yorubeat is to bring peace
and unity. That is what I want to bring and that is the strongest thing that I
am fighting for in this music," Akintan said.
In its sixth year LAMF, artistic director Biyi Adepegba said the
festival enabled him to bring together the different music styles from across
the African continent.
"African music is different. Every single band is different. Every
single country is different. Within a country you might have five major
musical styles so when you have the opportunity to bring everything together
its like a short holiday without actually leaving Waterloo," Adepegba
said.
Egyptian artist Hossam Ramzy thrilled audiences with his authentic
Egyptian percussion rhythms.
Known world wide for his percussion and string arrangements he has
collaborated with famous artists from Peter Gabriel to the Gypsy Kings.
Ramzy said Adepegba had made him aware, that as a citizen of Egypt, he
was an African.
"Biyi Adepegba said to me you are from Africa you know, you are an
African person. And I thought, yeah, yeah we are. And that opened a whole
continent to me with all its cultural, with all its colour, with all its
food," he said.
Given his first drum, the Egyptian Tabla, at the age of three, Ramzy
combines his music with traditional belly dancing.
Ramzy said many did not understand the subtle art of belly dancing and
the dancers' interpretation of the music.
"It's a great pleasure to present to the people that belly dancing
and Egyptian dancing is not shaking your belly, or being erotic or exotic or
something like this. It is a true art of translating the music," he
added.
Audiences members enjoyed Ramzy's performance finding the combination
of percussion rhythms with belly dancing a pleasure to watch.
"I think was very nice tonight. The pleasure, it gives a sense of
music you can see with your eyes as well. And now especially the dancer, it
was beautiful", Talab, an audience member said.
The festival, which ended on Sunday (September 7) was held at London's
Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank complex and is scheduled to feature
regularly on the arts centre's events calendar.