What an incredible Black History Month it’s been! October has been packed with music, energy and celebration for Drumroots and Tanante.
We’ve travelled across Greater Manchester and beyond, sharing African rhythms, music and culture with people of all ages.
From school assemblies and nursery classrooms to care homes and corporate events, it’s been a busy month. Along the way, we’ve enjoyed some fantastic experiences and memorable performances.
Here are some of our highlights!
We spent three brilliant days at Abraham Moss High School, delivering performances and African drumming workshops.
Rome and I performed at the beginning and end of school assemblies. During the assemblies, pupils gave talks about what Black History Month meant to them.
It was great to hear young people sharing their own thoughts on Black history, identity and culture. Meanwhile, our drumming provided an energetic opening and finale to their presentations.
Afterwards, we delivered hands-on African drumming workshops. Students had the chance to learn rhythms, play together and experience the excitement of African percussion.
Overall, it was a fantastic three days combining music, education and student voices.
One of the biggest highlights of the month was our visit to Sharples High School.
Rome and I were joined by two fantastic guest artists: Jokeh Sillah and Guinean master drummer Iya Sako.
Together, we delivered an exciting day of African drumming, music and dance.
Our workshop explored traditional Guinean djembe rhythms in greater depth. Students learned how different drum patterns fit together to create powerful, interlocking rhythms.
The performance was also a real highlight, with plenty of audience participation.
Several students volunteered to try different African instruments. These included the Krin (log drum) and the Tama (talking drum).
Jokeh then brought even more energy to the performance by leading some interactive African dancing. Students joined in enthusiastically, creating a fantastic atmosphere.
It was one of those events where everything came together. Great music, enthusiastic students and brilliant guest artists made it a day to remember!
Our Black History Month celebrations also took us to Whalley Range Squirrel Scouts and Gatley Brownies.
Both groups enjoyed fun, interactive African drumming workshops.
Through rhythm games and group activities, the children explored African percussion while developing listening skills and teamwork.
Most importantly, everyone had the opportunity to join in and enjoy making music together!
Drumroots also visited Southway Housing care homes in Burnage and Gorton.
These workshops provided an opportunity to share African music with older members of the community.
Residents were encouraged to explore rhythms, play drums and enjoy a shared musical experience.
African drumming is wonderfully inclusive. Furthermore, music has a special ability to connect people across generations.
It’s always rewarding to see the smiles and enjoyment these sessions can bring.
Another major highlight was our Tanante performance at Amazon’s Wakefield Distribution Centre.
For this event, we brought together an exciting line-up of musicians and dancers.
Alongside the Tanante drummers, we welcomed some brilliant guest artists:
Together, we created a vibrant celebration of West African music and dance.
The powerful drumming was complemented by the beautiful melodic sounds of Sefo’s balafon. Meanwhile, Jokeh and Amie brought fantastic energy through their dancing.
The atmosphere was brilliant! In fact, some audience members even joined our dancers, adding to the excitement.
Performances like this are what Tanante is all about. We love bringing musicians and dancers together to create uplifting, energetic live experiences.
It was definitely one of the standout events of our Black History Month celebrations.
Our next highlight took Drumroots to Future Skills at Salford College.
For this performance, it was just Rome, master drummer Iya Sako and myself.
Although we had a smaller line-up, there was certainly no shortage of musical energy!
We explored some powerful African rhythms alongside quieter, more relaxed musical jams.
As a result, the performance showcased the different moods and dynamics that African percussion can create.
It was another enjoyable opportunity to share African musical traditions with a young audience.
.We also had a lovely visit to Martenscroft Nursery.
Rome and I introduced the young children to a variety of African drums. First, we demonstrated the different instruments and their sounds.
Then, the children had the opportunity to try the drums themselves.
Rome also brought along his kora, a beautiful West African stringed instrument. This added a completely different sound to the session.
It’s always a joy introducing very young children to live music. Their curiosity and enthusiasm make these visits particularly rewarding.
Above all, it’s a wonderful way to introduce African music and culture from an early age.
Tanante also performed at a business networking event at the Lowry Hotel.
This was another great opportunity to share our full-band sound with a different audience.
Our live African music brought rhythm, energy and atmosphere to the occasion.
From school halls to corporate venues, we love sharing African music in so many different settings.
Black History Month is always a special time for us.
It’s an opportunity to celebrate African heritage, share musical traditions and connect with people from different backgrounds.
Through Drumroots, we bring African drumming workshops and performances into schools, nurseries, colleges, care homes and community groups.
These sessions give people the chance to learn, participate and experience the joy of rhythm firsthand.
Meanwhile, Tanante brings musicians and dancers together for larger live performances. These events showcase the energy, creativity and diversity of African music.
This month, we’ve also introduced audiences to a wide variety of West African instruments.
From the powerful djembe and expressive talking drum to the Krin, balafon and kora, each instrument has its own unique character.
For us, it’s about much more than entertainment.
We want to share musical traditions, encourage cultural understanding and create experiences that bring people together.
Although Black History Month provides a special focus, our passion for African music continues throughout the year.
A massive thank you to everyone who invited Drumroots and Tanante to be part of their Black History Month celebrations.
Thank you to Abraham Moss High School, Sharples High School, Whalley Range Squirrel Scouts, Gatley Brownies, Southway Housing, Future Skills at Salford College, Martenscroft Nursery, Amazon Wakefield, and the organisers of the Lowry Hotel business networking event.
Special thanks to Rome Mosabbir, Iya Sako, Jokeh Sillah, Amie Jarju and Sefo Kanute, and all the Tanante musicians who helped make this such a fantastic month of music.
It’s been brilliant sharing these experiences with so many different audiences, and we’re looking forward to plenty more drumming, music and dancing in the months ahead!
Black History Month may be over, but the rhythms keep going!
Whether you’re looking for an interactive African drumming workshop for a school or community group, or an exciting full-band performance for a festival, corporate event or celebration, we’d love to hear from you.
Drumroots offers engaging African drumming workshops and performances for all ages, while Tanante brings the full energy of live African music and dance to larger events.
Get in touch to find out more!
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