From the recording Azaa Loo (Celebration!)
Every year the University of Pittsburgh African Music and Dance Ensemble sponsors a wonderful spring show and one of my favorite was titled ”Azaa Loo!”, a West African greeting that means "celebration" in the native Ewe language of then directorJ. S. Kofi Gbolonyo.
Otherwise known as Steven to his friends, his infectious smile exudes warmth and he personifies the awe-inspiring power of music to transcend regional, cultural and ethnic distinctions in this increasingly interconnected, globalized and digitally wired world we now live in.
His conciliatory overture to the audience was "Yell anytime you feel; scream when your spirit calls for it; never restrict your body; move if the rhythm heats you. This is Azaa Loo! It is a communal festival celebration. Have fun!"
Kevin Kornicki, who employed multiple instruments as we recorded the tracks for Right Place, Right Time, was recently featured in Florida Today for his percussion expertise and adept use of the cajon, a drum that was refined in 19th century Peru but originally migrated from West and Central Africa.
Amazingly, Kevin played a plethora of exotic and traditional hand-held instruments to create multiple levels of percussive textures: shaker, tambourine, cabasa, triangle, quiro, African talking drum, African djembe, udu, congas, bongos, doumbek, cowbell, timbales, chimes and cajon.
Maybe Nietzsche conveys the universal value and worth of music most strikingly in Twilight of the Idols when he proclaims, “Without music, life would be a mistake."
Heat up your body
Energize your soul
Elevate your spirit
Let the music roll
Heat up your body
Energize your soul
Elevate your spirit
Let the rhythm of the drumbeat take control
Azaa loo
The human tribe is one tribe
It isn’t two or three
Black and white and yellow shirts conceal us
Underneath it’s only you and me
Whenever we have questions
About our love today
The answer’s only one drum beat away
Repeat chorus
Rhythms migrate cross the ocean
Keep you ears close to the ground
The eternal drum beat is always ringing
Listen we’re all wired to the lovin’ sound
Satellite communications
Send sweet songs through the air
They’re all part of the good vibrations everywhere
Repeat chorus
Music is a world-wide power
And a blessing never cursed
It’s the language of my ancestors
It’s the rhythm of the universe
Repeat chorus
Azaa loo dance like the devil
Azaa loo heal your worried mind
Azaa loo sing like a gypsy communicate with life
Azaa loo love like a virgin
Azaa loo love me long and love me slow
Azaa loo let the rhythm of the cosmic river flow
heat up your body energize your soul
elevate your spirit let the music roll
heat up your body energize your soul
elevate your spirit let the rhythm of the drumbeat take control
azaa loo!
The human tribe is one tribe it isn’t two or three
Black and white and yellow shirts conceal us
Underneath it’s only you and me
Whenever we have questions about our love today
The answer’s only one drum beat away
repeat chorus
Rhythms migrate cross the ocean keep you ears close to the ground
The eternal drum beat is always ringing listen we’re all wired to the lovin’ sound
Satellite communications send sweet songs through the air
They’re all part of the good vibrations everywhere
repeat chorus
Music is a world-wide power and a blessing never cursed
It’s the language of my ancestors it’s the rhythm of the universe
repeat chorus
Azaa loo! Dance like the devil
Azaa loo! Heal your worried mind
Azaa loo! Sing like a gypsy communicate with life
Azaa loo! Love like a virgin
Azaa loo! Love me long and love me slow
Azaa loo! Let the steady rhythm of the cosmic river flow
repeat chorus
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