Hewale SoundsAn enthusiastic crowd at the Centre Culturel Francais in the Malian capital Bamako over the weekend cheered, clapped and danced to refreshing rhythms from Ghana’s ace neo-traditional group, Hewale Sounds.

With huge fontonfrom and assorted Ghanaian indigenous drums, Hewale Sounds transported the multi-racial audience, which included diplomats, musicians, critics and filmmakers, on an exhilarating imaginary journey that terminated in the rain forests of Ghana.

The crowd went into a state of frenzy when the group, led by the flute dynamo Dela Botri, began its exploration of the music of the great Malian musician Salif Keita. They jumped, whistled and whispered to each other as a fine blend of Ghanaian and Malian rhythms filled the air.

“That was my first experience of Ghanaian traditional music. It is rich and deep and I found it close to what we have in Mali. The rendition of Salif Keita’s Madam with Ghanaian instruments was really touching. We are the same people,” said Ibrahim Maiga, a Malian musician based in Europe.

“I was surprised by the quality of music that flowed from the stage. The power of the flute (atenteben) completely overwhelmed me. I’m looking forward to hearing the music of Hewale Sounds incorporated into films by Ghanaian filmmakers,” added Mustapha Diallo, a documentary filmmaker in Bamako.

“I simply could not resist the urge to dance. I jumped onto the stage and joined the group though I was not familiar with the sweet rhythms from those loud Ghanaian drums,” said Awa Troare, a dancer in Bamako.

The concert at Bamako’s Centre Culturel Francais was the first appearance by the Hewale Sounds on its current West African tour which is being sponsored by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with French Cultural Centres in West Africa.

Organized by the Alliance Francaise and the French Embassy in Accra , the group is also scheduled to perform and hold workshops in Niger, Togo, Mauritania and Guinea.

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