Prayers For Mama Africa – Mohammed Alidu ft. Pato Banton

Mohammed Alidu joins forces with reggae legend Pato Banton to create this beautiful song in his native tongue. Video concept by Antoinette Rootsdawtah who also adds her beauty and feminine touch to complete this visual presentation. Mohammed Alidu has toured the world playing on stages at major festivals like Glastonbury and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, iconic venues like the Beacon Theater and recorded with Peter Gabriel. He has also returned every year to his village in Tamale, Ghana to celebrate the traditional festivals that showcase his birthright as a talking drum player in Northern Ghana, a legacy that dates back almost a thousand years to the very first talking drum player, the Bizung, during the time of the Manden Empire. While his musical foundation is steeped in ancient rhythms with an instrument created in the 15th century and learned from his father born in the 19th century, Alidu has guided his talking drum into the contemporary where he currently stands as a powerful bridge between the historic origins of rhythm and syncopation and practically any style of music played today. Alidu’s musicality has allowed him to move seamlessly from the villages of West Africa to some of the biggest stages in the world whether performing with the Playing For Change Band, Michael Franti, Tinariwen or Baaba Maal and his playing isn’t confined to one style or genre and neither are his original compositions. As such his performances take the audience on a journey through time and music, weaving West African traditional drumming and dance with his own personal 21st century story to tell the tale of a modern day griot and the Bizung spirit.

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