COMING from lineage of drummers, Dabi Debo Ayanlola Kanyinsola, wanted to do something different from his fathers while growing up, but was caught in the web of destiny, which redirected his focus.
The multi linguist artiste did not only return to drumming, even in a foreign land , but ended up establishing an all drummers orchestra that cuts across Nigeria s ethnic groups and, promotes African culture.
He founded the Talking Drums Orchestra of Africa,the first of its own kind in the whole universe.This amazing huge Band consists of 25 members,professional percussionists,dancers,singers.
Dabi is recognized internationally for his work as a Grand Master Drummer,
one of the most respected and sought after drummers of his generation.
He has toured the world, and has appeared on national televisions around
the globe, including a featured spot on Japan NHK/MTV.
His fluency in 7 International languages gives him an iconic status around the world, he never knew he would stick to drumming, a vocation of his ancestors, in fact, he hated it, but has to do it, not only as a pastime job, but to impact lives.
The Iseyin, Oyo State-native, who is based in Canada and Japan where he teaches the whites and Africans in the Diaspora how to beat talking drum says, Iam from a family of drummers. I started drumming right from my childhood days, my father used to use it to speak to us; he calls you with it and you hear your name clearly.
He also used it to pass messages to us, but I never wanted to be a drummer. He fumes, my group is a talking drum orchestra. It s a percussive orchestra group that includes all Nigerian talking drums and, we have just released an album called Ijo Muke, which contains jubilation song.
As a boy, I never liked drums and drumming, but my father, who was also having events would drop a note for me to join him at any event after school, so, I was playing drums almost on daily bases. Though, he knew I never liked it, he would say, no matter what I do in life, I would still come to it.
I realised this, while in the university in France, there you are not allowed to work as a student, so, one has to do some odd jobs to survive; so I started drumming with some Senegalese and other people from Francophone countries in club houses.
It was while doing this that, I realised that the whites attach great importance to percussion, which encouraged me to put in more effort into my drumming, he intones.
The first African drummer to collaborate with a symphonic orchestra The British Embassy Choir ,produced by the renowned British TV composer Howard GoodHall in 2006..We are the burning fire was a successful charitable event in 2006.
Dabi has given workshops on Yoruba traditional dance and drumming styles to audiences in the US,Canada, Europe and Asia during the past 10 years. While he is known for his artistic moves that offer a modernist gloss on traditional themes, he was born, brought up amidst the traditional drums and dances practiced from his roots,Iseyin in Western Nigeria.
His fame as a multi-percussionist, linguist,singer,dancer and teacher has taken him all over the globe.
- By Omiko Awa , The Guardian - Weekend Beats,Saturday, 27 November 2010 .
-By Michelle Langellier, La Gazette de Montreal,
-By Gabriel Oluwadamilare- People s Culture Magazine August 2011
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