Afropop Living Room Session: Kotoko Brass with Mohammed Alidu

<p>Here at last, the second edition of the Afropop Living Room Sessions, where we showcase artists in intimate settings, including our remote studio in Middletown,&nbsp;Connecticut.</p> <p>The featued band here is <a href="https://www.kotokobrass.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kotoko Brass</a>, featuring Mohammed&nbsp;Alidu from&nbsp;Ghana.&nbsp;Afropop first met this Boston Based&nbsp;band when Christiana Athena profiled them in their early days for an Afropop Closeup called <a href="https://afropop.test.ejaedesign.com/audio-programs/ashanti-drum-language">Asante Drum Language</a>. As you will see, the band has come a long way, basing their music in Asante tradition, but filling their sound out with full, highlife-band instrumentation to create expansive original compositions.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kotoko Brass was founded by brothers Ben and Brian Paulding and includes master Ghanaian percussionists Attah Poku and Kwame Ofori alongside a seasoned rhythm and horn section. The collaboration brings together musical traditions from different regions of Ghana in a performance grounded in rhythm, dance, and collective celebration<br></p> <p>Here we get four songs from the band. Crank it up, put on your dancing shoes, and enjoy!</p> <figure><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/X3iyOUYvXC0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure> <p><span dir="auto"><br></span></p> <p><span dir="auto">SET LIST</span><br><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" aria-label="0 seconds" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iyOUYvXC0" target="" force-new-state="true">00:00</a></span><span dir="auto"> Intro</span><br><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" aria-label="1 minute, 16 seconds" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iyOUYvXC0&t=76s" target="" force-new-state="true">01:16</a></span><span dir="auto"> Milkweed</span><br><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" aria-label="6 minutes, 54 seconds" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iyOUYvXC0&t=414s" target="" force-new-state="true">06:54</a></span><span dir="auto"> Keshin Zo</span><br><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" aria-label="11 minutes, 47 seconds" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iyOUYvXC0&t=707s" target="" force-new-state="true">11:47</a></span><span dir="auto"> Kalan Pini</span><br><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" aria-label="17 minutes, 4 seconds" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iyOUYvXC0&t=1024s" target="" force-new-state="true">17:04</a></span><span dir="auto"> Be Brim Nin Yali<br></span></p> <p>MUSICIANS<br>Mohammed Alidu: Lead Vocals & Lunga<br>Mohamed Araki: Keyboards<br>Andy Bergman: Tenor Sax<br>Kwame Ofori: Percussion<br>Ben Paulding: Drum Set<br>Brian Paulding: Trombone<br>Niu Raza: Backing Vocals<br>M'Talewa Thomas: Bass<br>Dillon Zahner: Guitar<br><br></p> <p>AFROPOP TEAM<br>Executive producer: Sean Barlow<br>Produced and recorded by: Banning Eyre<br>Line Producer: Lynn Jones<br>Sound by: David Raymond<br>Editing: Bec Stupak Diop<br><br></p> <p><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/afropop" target="" force-new-state="true">#afropop</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/livemusic" target="" force-new-state="true">#livemusic</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/accoustic" target="" force-new-state="true">#accoustic</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sabar" target="" force-new-state="true">#sabar</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/kora" target="" force-new-state="true">#kora</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/tama" target="" force-new-state="true">#tama</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/talkingdrum" target="" force-new-state="true">#talkingdrum</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/abadiop" target="" force-new-state="true">#abadiop</a></span><span dir="auto"> </span><span dir="auto"><a tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/yermandefamily" target="" force-new-state="true">#yermandefamily</a></span></p>