Obo Addy

Instructor of Ghanaian Drumming and Dance

specialty: Ghanaian master drummer

email: obo@homowo.org  

obo@lclark.edu

Obo Addy, master drummer, is a repository of Ghanaian music history, a brilliant musician, and an innovative original composer - a man of rhythm, deeply rooted in the musical traditions of Ghana, West Africa where he was born.  

Obo has performed in Europe, Australia, America, Japan, Israel and many other countries. He started his professional career with the Joe Kelly Band in Ghana.  Since coming to the U.S. he has performed with both his traditional music and dance group and his African Jazz ensemble at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Town Hall in New York, Stanford, UCLA, Williams College, NJPAC, Mass MOCA, and the University of Washington.
 
He received a Governors Award for the Arts in Oregon in 1993, a Masters Fellowship from both the Oregon Arts Commission and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.  In 1996, Obo received the National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor given to traditional artists in this country.  He has written for Kronos Quartet, Saxoforte, Chintimini Music Festival, Third Angle New Music Ensemble and Mary Osland- modern dancer. His works have been performed by Chamber Orchestras all over the US.