Denison's Vail Series: Dafra Kura Band

The Vail Series welcomes the Dafra Kura Band, hailing from Burkina Faso and performing world music, traditional and contemporary sounds from Africa, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, at Denison University's Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). Depending upon demand, a limited number of tickets for the Vail Series event may be released at $15 for sale. Visit vailseries.org for details. For more information, contact Michael Morris at 740-587-6539. The music of the Dafra Kura Band is an encounter between the high energy of the Griot ancestral tradition, which is part of West African every day life, and the contemporary sounds of modern African cities sourcing from tradition, blues, reggae or jazz. "The Dafra Kura Band encapsulates the spirit of Africa and all the musical genres that have mixed and metamorphosed in cities throughout the continent," said Michael Morris, director of the Vail Series. "Their joy and energy is infectious. We're glad to be bringing the music of this part of the world to Denison." In addition to the Vail concert, the Dafra Kura Band will work with students and faculty in a weeklong residency program. The group especially will interact with students in Professor Sandra Mathern?s dance classes. In 2014, Mathern was one of a select group of artists who were invited to the Nomad Express International Multi-Arts Festival in Burkina Faso, which was led by Dafra Kura Band?s artistic director, Olivier Tarpaga. Mathern has continued to mentor dance students she met there. Dafra Kura Band is currently working on a collaboration project with Kryasta Guna gamelan ensemble from Bali, Indonesia. The band aims to bring people together to investigate tolerance and diversity and to draw in audiences from diverse communities to celebrate the rich diversity of West African music and dance.