Saragua - by Salem

Saragua was recorded by Geoff Gray at Far n Away Studios in August 2007. Todd composed Saragua around the poem titled "Saragua" written by Ken Saro-Wiwa. The song features performances by Nigeria's Bola Abimbola joining Todd on vocals, Ghana's Mohammad Alidu and Guinea's, Fara Tolno joining Todd's drumming on djembe, dun dun, talking drum and bell. Matt Wasowski plays acoustic and electric guitars with Todd on acoustic guitar as well. Rob Garland plays electric bass and Christopher Campbell plays Rhodes piano. Todd Anders Johnson had productive meetings in Washington D.C. in September 2007 with Bono's One Campaign, Friends of the Earth, Jubilee Coalition and Sierra Club regarding the international promotion of the song Saragua. Ken Saro Wiwa's lyrics personalize the social struggle of the Ogoni people living within challenging conditions from oil exploitation in Nigeria's Niger River Delta and resultant environmental and human rights abuses.

Saragua

We are a non-profit organization with a vision to create global peace and to elevate the vibrational levels of life, one community at a time, through music. But, what is real peace? Is real peace just the absence of war and crime? Can real peace exist without proper education in a community? Can real peace exist without proper nutrition and food in a community? Can real peace exist without proper housing in a community? Can real peace exist without proper health care in a community? And, can real peace exist without a proper economy in a community? We think not!

So, our mission is to create music programs in communities across the globe, and worldwide music events, concerts, festivals, and conferences in order to create funds for the five factors of peace mentioned above. Our Weapon of Mass Destruction, to destroy ignorance, tyranny, injustice, hunger, poverty… is WORLD MUSIC DEVELOPMENT.

World Music Development