Andra Kouyate is happy to present his brand new group : with a funk and groove move, this band also keeps a powerful African touch through complex rhythms, a modern urban feel and all the warm spirit and energy of the Mandingo tradition.
Andra Kouyate composes, writes, arranges and performs: this is for him the way to revisit all his jazz, blues, reggae and funk inspirations on traditional instruments and invent a new language for new instruments. 
He quickly made a name for himself next to the greatest World Music artists thanks to his impeccable technique and his own very particular artistic identity. 
Andra Kouyate’s joy is to show how traditional instruments can be used without any limitation in the most various music styles. 
contact : 
info@andrakouyate.com

François ESSINDI  is an artist and a musician from Cameroon.
He plays traditional wind, skin-stretched, stringed and body-activated instruments such as :
Stringed  :Mvet, Ngomo (traditional harps)
Wind : Pygmy flute, leaves, mouth –activated bow
Drums : Nkul ( calling drum), Ngom (long drum), Djembe, Cajon, …
Body percussion : snail-shell and hazelnut, body drumming
Educated at the National Orchestra of Cameroon and thanks to many trainings and cultural meetings, François is also an actor and followed many educational sessions via the Goethe Institut in Yaoundé and the French Culture Centre in Yaoundé.
A professional actor, François played with several theatre companies in Cameroon.  Among others he shared a long adventure along with the Eyala Pena company, a road theatre company. He also shared a project together with the Un-Excursus theatre company, from Montrouge, France.
François ESSINDI is a current member of the ALEPH theatre company in Ivry-sur-Seine, France.
François as a  musician :
François music- wise works with different artists from various backgrounds, works with dance and theatre companies as an actor or music composer.
Composes or co-operates on movies as an actor, composer or co-author. He works with and upon traditional music instruments, that are on the verge of extinction, and which he handcrafts himself in Paris, sometimes modifying their original shape. He defines his music as ”The Tag Ekang Music Experience” … : bring together on stage instruments, sounds, machines and musicians from all backgrounds.
François performs in schools, penitentiaries, on concert  in cultural places for festivals and in the corridors of the Parisian metro, as a certified artist of the Parisian metro since 2009.

François as an artist :
Author and composer, his prime music project Otoulbaka : http://www.myspace.com/otoulbaka representing Cameroon in various places and festivals between 1980 and 2001.
In 2003 François signs a professional contact in France that takes him to Paris where he is currently living.
A former actor with the Compagnie du Théâtre Inutile in Amiens, François keeps alive his dream to promote his culture throughout traditional instruments, tales, stories and rituals of his native Ekang culture.
In 2005 he designs the musical project Abakuya thanks to meeting in Switzerland with an Australian bass player (Jimi SOFO) : http://www.myspace.com/abakuya
This project will breed two records :
. Primitive love in 2008.
. Abakuya Ep in 2010
François works on different projects with many artists ( Painters, Musicians, Performers, ..)
Such as Brice WASSY (Cameroon), MADESHEERKAHN (France), Caroline CHIVE (France), Hilaire PENDA (Cameroon), Riad ABDELGAWAD (Egypt), Florence SOISSONG … and many more.
François also directs workshops on rhythm, for the ALEPH theatre since 2016, on African story-telling, and on Drama Teaching.
François as an author :
Having authored four bilingual, illustrated books of African tales, published by L’HARMATTAN, François works on collecting tales, rituals, songs and stories of his native eking culture in southern Cameroon.
He considers building there a cultural place thanks to the support of the AKIBA association, www.association-akiba.fr

François as an instrument maker : 
Concerned about the survival of instruments from his native Ekang culture, François handcrafts in Paris their instruments (Mvet, Ngomo, Mouth-bow).  He repairs as well skin-stretched instruments ( changing skins, maintenance of all these instruments such as Djembé and others).

Vertiginous percussionist and prolific composer, François Essindi Abakuya invents a personal musical universe (the "Tag Ekang Music Experiences ...") and vibrant which, both in substance and in form, gives new meaning to two words: Freedom and Ancestors. Commitment by and in music: this is the guideline of his creations which never cease to be a call to Artists, non-artists and all those who work around and in the World of Entertainment (Mixers; arrangers, programmers, musicians , remix; instrumentalists ...) François Essindi surprises with his originality and the authenticity of his call for contributions ...
François Essindi was rewarded by his Ancestors ... The artist empties his repertoire and officially invites other artists to intervene in this Repertory for a more elaborate production. Like a bottle to the sea; the CD "Tag Ekang Music Experience ..." is an official call for participation to the greatest number. Without waiting for the Coups de cœur, the nominations, the Victories and the Music Awards of the Music Awards ... François Essindi Abakuya believes in work, faith and collaboration, because "Another World is possible"
The artist says he remains in tune for a favorable follow-up to his call ...
The link to listen to the CD "Tag Ekang Music Experience ...":
- Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/fr/album/tag-ekang-music-exp%C3%A9riences-instrumental/1577945872
- https://music.apple.com/fr/album/tag-ekang-music-experience/1580553281
- Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/fr/album/246759962
- https://www.deezer.com/fr/album/250776012
- Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2coMfalu4boVrR5FdjN8Zi
- https://open.spotify.com/album/2q7Va6vBJG0c7Kx3pa8fKC
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.fr/albums/B09B418311
- https://music.amazon.fr/albums/B09C9F1NMT
Thank you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx6knpRJodw&feature=AutoShare

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