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| Babatunde Lea Plays San Francisco's Jazz at Pearl's  Babatunde Lea will be bringing his propulsive energy and high-flying rhythms to Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco's North Beach District for three nights, Friday through Sunday, January 26 thourgh 28. Performing with Babatunde will be an excellent band featuring saxophonist Richard Howell, pianist Glen Pearson and bassist Geoff Brennan. Babatunde Lea has been a San Francisco Bay Area treasure since his arrival in San Francisco in 1977 after a half-decade stay in New York City. In his fiery, spiritual percussion playing and composing, audiences can easily discern the flowing, beating influences of African, Latin, Caribbean and North American rhythms and cultures.The famed percussionist explains his musical philosophy thusly: "[T]hrough many of the African cultures lies the understanding that there is no separation between mind, body and spirit ... Polyrhythms are a metaphor for universal culture. Polyrhythms are connected. So are we as human beings." That spirit shines through his performances. Babatunde Lea is an inspiring percussionist, both an established session musician and an accomplished bandleader and teacher. He has worked alongside Pharaoh Sanders, Van Morrison, McCoy Tyner, Leon Thomas, Joe Henderson, John Tchicai, and Bobby Hutcherson. Babatunde was born in Danville, Virginia. His family moved northward up the Eastern Seaboard when he was only six months old and came to settle in Englewood, New Jersey. It was there that he was first inspired by his aunts and cousins and by stories of his drum playing Aunt Gloria (first woman in Virginia playing drums in a marching band) to begin playing drums himself. In 1959, at age 11, he attended a concert of African drumming and dance performed by Babatunde Olatunji and his Drums of Passion which left an indelible impression on this young drummer and permanently set his direction in life. In the ninth grade he began playing conga drums and was playing on a professional level by his junior year in high school when, at 16, he played on his first professional recording session for producer Ed Townsend. In the early 1970s Babatunde hit his stride in New York City, performing regularly with such high profile artists as Leon Thomas, Oscar Brown Jr., Lonnie Liston Smith, Kenny Kirkland, John Purcell, Buddy Williams and Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera. It was in 1977 that Babatunde migrated to the West Coast where he settled in the culturally fertile San Francisco Bay Area. It was not long before Babatunde became a vital figure in the Bay Area's music scene as well, becoming known for his versatility and ability to fit into several music genres. Since then, Babatunde has been the first call drummer for musicians seeking a dynamic and spirited drumming that he brings to the music. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |