Nansady & Geraldine

Nansady is a Guinean djembé-fola and nephew of internationally renowned djembé-master Famoudou Konaté.  Nansady is considered a successor of Famoudou as a traditional village drummer.  Nansady has performed and taught around the world (America, Holland, UK, France, Germany, Japan) and toured with Famoudou Konaté's ensembles to Japan and Europe.  Nansady features on five of the CD's Famoudou has released including most recently Hamana Namun (released in 2008). Nansady formed his own performance ensemble in 2009, Nansady Keita's Ensemble, consisting of Guinean musicians resident in the UK.  He leads and directs the group, and they will be on tour in the Summer of 2009.  He also has two other performance groups based in the UK Sodeya and Meereeya Bedeh who play traditional rhythms of Guinea.  

                
           

Geraldine is a tutor of West African percussion in the north-east of England and southern Scotland.  Geraldine has been studying traditional West African rhythms since 2000.  From 2002 Geraldine performed with The Rhythm of Life Drummers led by Kumi Masunaga in Hong Kong.  Geraldine travels to Africa regularly to study with Famoudou Konaté and Nansady in Guinea.  From 2005 to 2007 she performed with Manding Kaira, a group led by Guinean djembé-fola Nansady. Since 2007 she has been performing with Sodeya, a percussion ensemble founded, led and directed by Nansady who play traditional rhythms of Guinea.



           
Geraldine, Mamady Keita & Nansady           Mamady Keita, Geraldine and Famoudou Konate in Conakry, Guinea in
in Conakry, Guinea in December 2006         December 2004