About The Artists
Anokye Agofomma is a Ghanaian Royal Court traditional music group founded by Master Drummer Yaw Amponsah in Seattle, Washington. Anokye’s mission is to continue the Royal Court legacy of the traditional drumming and dance of the Asante people. Over the years, Anokye has expanded its repertoire by drawing inspiration from and including other west African drumming and dance traditions. Operating with respect, versatility and pure musicianship, Anokye is a multi-cultural group dedicated to promoting world music at its best. The group has performed in the Seattle area on many festive occasions such as Folklife, Spirit of Africa and World Rhythm Festival as well as many events in the broader community.
Eugene Yaw Asare Amponsah
Yaw began studying music and percussion as a small child in Ghana. Under the guidance of his father Koo Nimo, he spent hours immersed in the study of his craft. Growing up he founded a student percussion group in his primary school and performed with his father’s group, Addadam Agofomma.
Yaw records and performs frequently in the Pacific Northwest with many artists and organizations including Anokye Agofomma, Gansango, and Seattle Theatre Group. He is a percussion accompanist for the University of Washington dance department. In service of his vision of cultural preservation, he teaches students of all ages from 4 years old through 70 years old.
Greg Campbell
Based in Seattle, Greg Campbell plays drums, percussion, and French horn. He has performed with artists such as clarinetist Bill Smith, saxophonist Don Menza, Wayne Horvitz’s Electric Circus, the Jim Knapp Orchestra, steel guitarist Alvino Rey, Quincy Jones, guitarist Nels Cline, drummer Stewart Copeland, pan player and arranger Ray Holman, and many others. He has studied with Dave Holland, Cecil McBee, Bob Moses, and Ghanaian palm wine guitarist Koo Nimo. He teaches at the Cornish College of the Arts.
Kokou Al’nuzan Gbakénou
Originally from Togo, West Africa, Kokou has toured as a professional dancer in Senegal, Benin, France, Belgium, Germany and Togo. He was in residency three times at Ecole des Sables in Senegal (of Germaine Acogny) for Traditional and Contemporary African choreographers and dancers Masterclasses, and has collaborated extensively with the French Cultural Center of Lomé, the Goethe Institute, and dance companies such as Woenyo, Aske and Brin de Chocolat. Kokou taught dance for 6 years in Lycée Français de Lomé, for one year in Ecole Arc-en-Ciel, and several workshops in the British School and the University of Lomé.
In 2010, he developed an original movement technique called “Magan: I will be healed”, which integrates the 4 essential elements of life (water, earth, fire, air), martial arts skills, Pan-African contemporary dance styles, and his mastery of the traditional dances of Togo. In 2012 he led Circuit Cinéma et Arts Vivants (CCAV), an artistic association, which participated in the Francophonie Festival in Lyon, France. In 2013 in Seattle, he began collaborating with Gansango Music and Dance, participating in numerous festivals. In August 2014 he attended OMI International Dance Residency in Ghent (New York).
He currently collaborates with multiple dance and music programs and companies in Seattle such as Velocity Studio, Seattle Guinean Companies, Anokye Agofomma, Dance with Dora, and Bahia Motion. As Alnuu, Kokou produces music and owns a Videography and Music Production Label named Alnuzan Productions.
Ohemaa Maame Yaa
A passionate educator with a degree in Basic Education, Maame Yaa is a preschool teacher dedicated to nurturing young minds. Currently pursuing a degree in Nursing, she blends her love for health and education seamlessly.
As an interior designer and artist, she expresses creativity in various forms, while her talents as a cultural dancer and spirit-filled gospel musician enrich her life and the lives of others.
Maame Yaa cherishes the connections she makes with families and friends. Above all, she has a big heart and a deep love for God and the things that concern Him.
Abbas Saeed
Born in Accra, Ghana, Abbas began drumming on homemade drums made of tin cans, clay rocks, and paper at 5 years old. As a teenager he became a music teacher for Ghana's Public Schools.
Abbas taught and performed internationally for five years with Ghana National Dance Ensemble. While living in London, he performed and recorded with Brekete, a Ghanaian traditional group. He moved to Portland, Oregon and performed with musicians such as Obo Addy and White Rhino, taught privately and in schools, and recorded and produced his album Gye Nyame, meaning “Only God” in Hausa, his native language.
He currently teaches and performs frequently throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Edmond Hyde
Hyde graduated from the University of Ghana specializing in Theater Management, Dance and Music. He is a multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of Dzeŋ Nako. Before attending the University of Ghana, Hyde played with Indigen Africa at the National Theatre.
He joined Ayekoo Drummers of Ghana and toured with them to many international events including the Verona Jazz Festival in Italy, the Rivertone Donau Festival in Germany, and the Osangol Music and Heritage of Africa Festivals in Ghana. The group also played in Switzerland at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, the Afro-Pfingsten Festival, the Sedartis Forum ft. Alina Amuri, and the Glarus Nord Festival.
Hyde is passionate about empowering youth and is driven to positively impact socio-psychological challenges people face through experiences of African music and culture.
Michelle Doiron
Born in a small town in Connecticut, Michelle began playing piano and singing at a young age. She moved to Seattle in 1991 and earned a Bachelor of Music in Classical Piano Performance from Cornish College of the Arts in 1998. She has been teaching private piano lessons to students of all ages since that time. At Cornish, she also studied traditional Indonesian Gamelan music and was a member of Gamelan Pacifica for many years. She dedicated herself to studying, performing, recording and teaching Gamelan music for more than a decade.
Michelle began her study of hand drumming in 2013. As a member of Anokye Agofomma for almost 10 years, she has been immersed in the culture and traditional music of Ghana. She continues to teach piano and percussion, and manages an enrichment program for K-8 students.
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