Original Story Published by: Esther Wang for Bowdoin Orient
Photo Source: ©Mindy Leder/Bowdoin Orient
(Above) Led by Adjunct Lecturer in Music Jordan Benissan, the West African Music Ensemble champions a non-Western perspective.
Hip-Hop, rhythm and blues, jazz, reggae—many kinds of popular music have roots in Africa. Last night, the West African Music Ensemble brought to life the connection between drumming, dancing and singing during their performance “The Path and the River.”
Distinct at Bowdoin in its non-Western approach to music, the ensemble is directed by Adjunct Lecturer in Music Jordan Benissan—a master drummer of Ewe people of West Africa, esteemed for complex cross-rhythms. The unique aspect of this ensemble lies in the method of learning music via the truthful method of West African musicians.
“Inherently, West African music is the experience and not necessarily the sound,” says Nick Cattaneo ’21, a drummer in the class this semester.
Although some students have previous experiences with drumming, most students come into the class as novices. This may seem intimidating at first, but Benissan’s method of teaching allows students to form deeper connections with their instruments.
“If you want to learn to understand and play, it’s like [trying] to find your way into a relationship with somebody. It is hard to find your way at first, but after you find your way in, you still have to work hard or it will fail,” Benissan said.
