CRM in Higher Education
Crocodile River Music (CRM) is a non-profit organization based in Worcester, MA whose mission is to connect audiences with African artists and cultures through performance and education. Since its founding in 2011, CRM has proudly brought African arts to 330,000 people through over 1,250 performances and over 3,250 workshops.
At the core of CRM is the Crocodile River Music ensemble, which brings together exceptional musicians from Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, and the United States for high-energy, interactive performances of West African music.
Meet CRM’s Core Musicians
Issa Coulibaly
Artistic Director and Master Drummer Issa Coulibaly leads the CRM band from the djembe. Issa studied djembe and dundun in his native Mali and toured Africa and Europe extensively before emigrating to the U.S. Issa is a featured artist on two GRAMMY-winning albums. He has been on faculty at Brown University and Connecticut College.
Thierno Camara
Seven-string Bass guitarist Thierno Camara hails from Senegal and has toured the world with some of Africa’s best-known artists, including Moussa Ngom, Cheick Lo, Kine Lam, and Thione Seck. Since emigrating to the U.S., Thierno has performed and recorded with noted jazz artists Ornette Coleman, Greg Osby, and Cornelius Kreusch.
Abou Sylla
Born into a family of traditional musicians in Guinea, as a child, Abou lived and studied with his balafon teacher before joining his family ensemble. Abou also regularly performed with Les Ballets Africains, the national dance company of Guinea. Abou has served on the faculty of UF Gainesville. His performance and teaching work take him around the world.
Yacouba Diabate
Yacouba is from Burkina Faso, where his family members are well known griots and musicians. His performance career has taken him throughout Africa, Europe, and the U.S. In addition to performing, and teaching, Yacouba makes and sells traditional African string and percussion instruments. He performs as a solo artist and with his group, the Dounouya Band.
CRM in Concert
Members of the CRM band include masters of their craft who have performed in dozens of cities throughout Africa, Europe, and the United States. Drawing heavily from the living Griot tradition of musical story-telling, CRM’s concert programs celebrate West African cultural heritage spanning from court music of 13th-century Mail to new, original compositions and feature traditional instruments like djembe, dundun, kora, n’goni, and balafon. CRM concerts are highly interactive and encourage audience participation through group dancing and call and response.
“Yiriba”
A song from Mali in the Bambara language that encourages respect for one’s elders. In this folk song, Elders are compared to trees and are revered for the important role they play as knowledge-keepers and transmitters of oral histories.
“Bani”
A traditional Malian song that teaches the importance of saying no to present situations that could disrupt peace later and have negative implications for others.
West African Drum & Dance Workshops
Crocodile River Music has given over 3,250 West African drumming and dance workshops since its founding in 2011. Led by African musicians and dancers, workshops offer fun, low-barrier, hands-on engagement with African arts and culture. No musical or dance experience necessary.
Student Takeaways Include
Hands-on introduction to some of the foundational rhythms in West African drumming and/or foundational steps in West African dance
Hands-on introduction to several traditional West-African instruments and their functions in social music-making
Introduction to the important role that the arts play in West African in the keeping and inter-generational transmission of cultural knowledge
Plan Your Experience
info@crocodilerivermusic.org
508.792.2787
44 Portland Street, 7th Floor
Worcester, MA 01608