The University YMCA was filled with music from exotic beats and soulful singing on Friday night. Bolokada Conde, a master drummer and one of the world’s best djembe players, shared his talents with the audience.

Bolokada Conde paired with his band Rhythm Manding “for Friday’s show”:https://www.dailyillini.com/index.php/article/2009/05/moving_to_the_beat_of_west_africa, which was a pilot for the YMCA’s Friday Night Art/Concert series. Ann Rasmus, YMCA Program Director, invited him to come perform at the YMCA to showcase local talent and expose the community to new art.

“Bolokada Conde is a treasure in the community, and having him perform pairs perfectly with our art and international programs,” Rasmus said.

Having only lived in the United States for three years, Bolokada Conde has been a full-time visiting artist at the University and taught drumming classes for University students and community members.

Bolokada Conde, native to Guinea, South Africa, has been drumming since the age of two. He said his mother tells the story of carrying him on her back and he would be pounding on her back like it was a drum.

“I would hit everything in the house and pound on anything I could find,” Bolokada Conde said.

He moved to Champaign in 2008 to teach for the “Center of World Music”:https://www.dailyillini.com/index.php/article/2010/12/program_introduces_new_music_to_students, which is affiliated with the School of Music at the University. Bolokada Conde is no longer on faculty at the University due to lack of funds.

“I was hired to teach here and have been for three years, but now there is no money for the Center of World Music which deeply saddens me,” Bolokada Conde said.

Cody Jensen, who is a student of Bolokada’s and a member of Rhythm Manding for three years, loves every minute of his experience with Bolokada Conde and wants to continue to support the arts with the group’s performances.

“It’s really important to support the live arts and especially support artists like Bolokada because whoever comes to see him live can’t help but dance and have a great time,” Jensen said.

The event featuring Bolokada Conde drew over 60 people to the YMCA to sing, dance and enjoy the music. This event was the first of many for the YMCA arts productions that will cater to the center’s values of social justice, environmental work, international understanding and interfaith work, Rasmus said.

“Having these events brings people together, and this event helps us experience a fantastic cultural resource in the community,” Rasmus said.