Songhai Djeli

Songhai Djeli, founded in 1985, is a folkloric ensemble whose repertoire is based upon traditional continental Afrikan approaches to music, poetry and storytelling. Its members are professionals who have traveled throughout Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Europe and the United States. Some of the publicly acclaimed artists they have worked with include Babatunde Olatunji, Charlie Persip, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Chuck Davis (former director of Brooklyn Academy of Music Dance Africa Festival), Abdel Salaam, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, the Dinizulu Dance Company and the Grammy award winning hip-hop group Arrested Development.