Music
Press
Watching Agindotan and a trio of drummers improvise around a beat, passing the cadences back and forth like a blazing fire-stick, or bringing the volume down to suggest the murmur of a babbling brook before exploding into white-water torrents of sound, is like watching an all-percussion version of Miles Davis and his bandmates in one of their transcendent moments of seemingly telepathic musical empathy.
Later, Agindotan brought on the young virtuoso and adopted Angeleno Kahlil Cummings, completing the virtuous circle of artistic mentorship that began with Kuti.
- LA Times
"Balandugu Kan took our stage last weekend and stole our hearts. Enchanting and highly entertaining this group will take you on a journey from America to West Africa. With vocals as beautiful as the dancers, this 12 piece percussion ensemble is sure to leave an impression. From the moment they began to their last note the entire club was dancing. Balandugu Kan reminds us all of how important music really is."
Melanie Robbins
Entertainment Director
The Blue Cafe HB & LB - None
Discography
Balandugu Kan-EP (2002)
Photos
Bio
Kahlil Cummings was born in Los Angeles, California. At a very young age world music captured his interested. Thus, growing up around Afro-Brazilian, Cuban, and West African music through his father, naturally he began to study intensively percussive music’s of the world. Kahlil has traveled to Brazil, Cuba, Mali and Guinea West Africa to broaden his knowledge and musical strength. He has also studied with many Master Drummers, and Musicians, such as Mamady Keita: World famous African Master Drummer, Amen Santo, Felipe Garcia, Motown-signed Artist Munyungo Jackson and many others.
As Mamady's protégé he has become well versed in various styles, and techniques of the traditional Malinke rhythms, on the dunu and djembe. Kahlil also studied concert percussion at Millikan Middle School, and is a music graduate at Hamilton High school, He has become a very highly demanded Musician and Percussionist. Kahlil has performed in Guinea, West Africa with Balandugu Kan, where he is Musical Director. He was also the Musical Director for the opening dance pieces for both the NAACP Image Awards and the Choreographers’ Awards in 2004. He continues to perform locally with different groups including at the Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood Bowl, and many universities around California.
His focus is to compose, and teach not only the Malinke rhythms, but even such techniques, and percussion with African influence from around the world. His compositions can be heard on Balandugu Kan’s upcoming CD Djembe Foli Kan. Kahlil is now a TAM TAM Mandingue Certified Professor teaching on-going classes at Motherland Music here in Los Angeles, CA.
Come to Kahlil's Djembe/Dunun Classes in Los Angeles!!!
Sundays @ 5:30-7pm!!!
Motherland Music
2921 La Cienega Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Balandugu Kan Los Angeles Bio
Balandugu Kan is a 12 peace ensemble which consist of Beautiful elaborate colors of Dance, and music. Very energetic. Balandugu Kan is full of amazing performances, presenting stories, and touching songs.WE ARE DISCIPLES OF CHANGE...
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