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Bernard Woma Trio Headlines Third Annual
NMU Festival Event!

On March 24th, 2006, starting at 7pm, Northern Michigan University will host its third annual OneWorld Beat concert to benefit programs helping children affected by HIV/AIDS. This year's proceeds will go to the Tumaini Children's Home, an orphanage for Kenyan children. "Tumaini" means hope in Swahili, and the Tumaini home--located about 45 minutes from the Nairobi city center--was one of the first sites in Kenya to provide antiretroviral treatment in Kenya. Tumaini is supported by the First Presbyerian Church, Front Street, Marquette, Michigan.

The musical line-up for the NMU OneWorld Beat Concert includes the Bernard Woma Trio, a Ghanaian percussion group who play xylophones found in Northern Ghana, called gyils, and drums (see www.jumbierecords.com and www.sunkwamusic.com for more about the trio).

Another act, Combo Caliente, is a local salsa band which now includes Nick Young, who played in OWB Festival 2004 as part of the group, Ignorant Mob, and in 2005 as part of "Nick and Chris." Nick is an NMU media-production student. Combo Caliente also includes Associate Professor of Art, Steve Leuthold, on sax, and NMU music student, Dave Zeigner.

The Volcy Brothers, from Montreal, Canada, will do an original AIDS rap (in French). Jean-Richard ("Ricky") Volcy and Marco Volcy are members of the NMU varsity basketball team. Ricky is an Entertainment and Sports Promotion major and Marco is a student in Media Production/New Technology.

The concert will take place in the Great Lakes Rooms at the school, with suggested donations of $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for students and children. Supporters include the departments of Academic Affairs, History, Philosophy, English, and Criminal Justice; College of Professional Studies; Diversity Student Services; Performing Arts Series; and the Health Promotion Office.

Besides the concert, there are a number of lectures and educational activities connected with the visit of the Bernard Woma trio to NMU.
For more information, contact Dr. Louise Bourgault, OWB Project Producer, lbourgau@nmu.edu, #906-227-1645 or 906-249-3436.

Other Related Activities:

Mr. Stone and Mr. Ameyaw of the Bernard Woma Trio have agreed to arrive at NMU on Wed. March 22, and will be available for lectures and student meetings on the 24th and 25th of March. Other events include lectures ("Preparing for the CJ Safari: Openness to New Experiences", "Music of Ghana/African Music in the Diaspora", "Music and Social Action"), and a special recording of NMU's One World Beat Concert by Standing O, a student-produced music program, which will be aired on NMU Cable Channel 20.

There will also be a special music-video production featuring the The Bernard Woma Trio, and an interactive presentation of a short performance by the Bernard Woma Trio and the Volcy Brothers at the Conference on African Media and Social Change, University of Westminster. London, Harrow Campus.