Hasan BakrHasan Bakr was born in Savannah, Georgia. He was interested in sound and rhythm from his earliest childhood and was delighted watching his firstborn child take joy in his music, thereby repeating the cycle and developing the art. Hasan Bakr found hisfirst musical expression in the tonal arts of the drum. Later, he expanded this exploration to incorporate voice and the mbira. Bakr has a strong rhythmic approach to sound, blending music from all parts of the world to create his uniquely contemporary sound. Aesthetic principles of clarity and patterns of rhythmic blending grow out of the traditions of African music. This music surges forth to modern times through the influence of the free-spirited avant-garde Jazz movement of the sixties and seventies. It reflects the essence of modern life in New York, where he guards the traditions of his ancestry and allows them to influence his new music. Bakr's musical education was mainly in the traditions of the master and student. He studied with Baba Femi Akinlana on conga and Chief Bey on shekere. In 1984, he did an apprenticeship with Nana Vasconcelos to explore the berimbau and body percussion. Hasan's most recent concentration has been on the timbales with the legendary Little Ray Romero. Over the past five years, Hasan has nurtured and molded a dynamic and unique vocal ability, which is apparent in the recently published videotape of the Kinetic Painting Group. Hasan Bakr is a founding member of the Spirit Ensemble, a group who pioneered the use of the mbira on the East Coast. This association of kindred spirits has become the creative environment for Hasan to mature as a composer. As a result, he has produced some performance works which range from dance to the media arts. The Spirit Ensemble is now known as the Heritage Ensemble. Hasan Bakr has performed for Amsterdam Public Television and widely in the U.S. for educational and entertainment institutions. He has published several tapes and a CD. Read More Read Less