A LITTLE piece of Africa will arrive at the GALLIPOLI LEGION CLUB when AFRO MOSES appears there on December 27.
Moses, who was born in Ghana but is based in Australia, is regarded as one of the world's most respected world musicians.
He has twice been named Ghana's international music ambassador and he has toured the globe sharing the stage with the likes of ANGELIQUE KIDJO, ZIGGY MARLEY, YOUSSOU N'DOUR and other fantastic musicians.
Although Australian fans have only recently discovered him, Moses has been a recognised musician in Ghana for many years and is renowned as a master of kora (a 21-stringed African harp) and the talking drum.
Moses formed his first outfit in 1982 with the VAS ANGELIS BAND , followed by the THIRD EYE BAND .
The former was i luenced by BOB MARLEY, while the latter borrowed from the pop funk of KOOL & THE GANG and MICHAEL JACKSON .
After pursuing a solo career, in 1985 Moses caught the attention of a group in Denmark called NGOGO HIGHL E who invited him to join them.
The combination proved a success and the group found fame in Ghana in 1992, becoming the first European band to play African music in an African country.
In 1985 Moses had a hit with the track Hey Police which spoke of young drivers speeding and co ronting police.
``That song made me very popular in Ghana because it was an educational song to make the drivers not drink,'' Moses said.
``It had an effect, because less people got killed.
``They played it before the six o'clock news every night.
'' Moses said that his passion for music had always been a strong part of his l e.
``My father played accordion, my mother sang, and they performed and preached.
``When it was dawn, my parents would sing spirituals in the streets.
'' Playing traditional instruments as well as guitar and bass, Moses writes songs on his laptop computer but takes the basis for his grooves from the more traditional sound of African instruments.
``There was no television when I was a child.
We created our own interests and went into the bush and made guitars and xylophones.
``We put bamboo wood in our xylophones by putting the wood in a hole in the ground and created d ferent tones and sounds from it,'' he said.
Moses is known for getting audiences on their feet with his blend of West African high l e, Jamaican reggae, kwassa-kwassa from Zaire and South African jive.
He unites these elements to create a fresh Afro-reggae fusion with universal appeal.
Solo dancers also add a visual component to his show.
Moses will appear at the Gallipoli Legion Club on December 27 from 7.30pm.
Entry is $17.
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