Petaluma Argus-Courier from Petaluma, California • Page 8

8 ARGUS-COURIER, Pttoiuwo. CA, Frldoy. Novmbtr29, 1991 Kwaku Daddy fetes life's rhythms I I i pit. I Si jJT XjT iul t. i Petaluma resident Kwaku Daddy By RICHARD BAMMER Argus-Courier Staff Petaluma resident and master drummer S.

Kwaku Daddy been making news in Petaluma lately, perhaps more so than many other musicians. If the 44-year-old Ghanaian native isn't doing this, he's doing that, forcing people to pay attention to him and his polyrhythmic percussion. If he isn't, say, teaching a drumming class in the basement of Tall Toad Music, or instructing at San Francisco colleges or Sonoma State University, he's making records and performing concerts. It's the latter two things that Daddy has completed recently or has pending. Specifically, the album's called "Celebration of Life's Rhythms," and a concert of the same name will be at 8 p.m.

Saturday in the concert chamber of the Luther Burbank Center-for the Arts in Santa Rosa. (Tickets are $10 advance, $12 at the door, and available through BASS or by calling the center box office, telephone 546-3600.) During a telephone interview Tuesday, Daddy was quick to draw a difference between his solo drumming style and that of a well-known ensemble, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart's Planet Drum. "What they're doing is fusion, I'm more into the Dhilosophical Laura Glose is Russian Doll, Nathan Kelly is Toy Soldier and Regina Bernardini is Ballerina Doll Petaluma Ballet presents fifth 'Nutcracker' African-born drummer and concept of music," he said. Well, what do you mean by that? "To me, the philosophy of music and dance are inseparable," he replied. "Life has meaning beyond human imagination.

The purpose of life is to respect and maintain the life force." Music, he added, helps humanity become more stable, mentally and spiritually. These thoughts come from a teacher who, over his 20-plus-year career on the West Coast, has spent hours passing down similar ideas to thousands of young students, some of them in Bay Area public schools. He draws on his growing-up experiences in Ghana to convey his ideas. Daddy makes his points sometimes through folk tales. "In our (West African) communities, we use this music to play a large role in healing the sick, paying respect to ancestors, asking for blessings and guidance," he said.

His musical tradition is nearly as old as recorded history, celebrating everyday things like achievement, the forest, gratitude, children, and tranquility. His latest album, his eighth, does all those things, too, he said. Petaluma School of Ballet and Petaluma City Ballet will celebrate the fifth anniversary of their full-length "Nutcracker" ballet on Dec. 6, 7 and 8. This annual holiday treat features a cast of 115 dancers from Petaluma, Sonoma, Rohnert Park, Bodega, Sebastopol and Marin County.

The show is designed to offer something for the whole family, from pre-professional ballerinas on pointe, to Mother Ginger and her bevy of tiny clowns. The role of Clara is shared by Kathleen Laubert and Jenna Kantor. Amanda McGovern and Heidi Everson exchange the part of the Snow Queen, while Amanda Kelly and Samantha McCall take turns as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Performances will be at the Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building, 1094 Petaluma Blvd. South, on Friday, Dec.

6 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 and 7 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are available by calling 762-3972.

They are $9 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. Tickets are also available at the door during each performance at $10 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. i lb I I i pjf I i i if 5 ii I 1 I Argui-Couriar lil photo has just released his 8th LP Asked what rhythm is, Daddy relates an illustrative story: "There was once an old man who lived in the forest, who was always surrounded by children. One day he decided to go on the road to infinity, not telling the children. He left a path for the children to follow, but at first they couldn't find him.

Finally, they did. He said to them, 'I'm going to pick a bunch of He peeled them and gave them to the children, telling them to break them in two. 'Now eat the he ordered, then asked, 'Are you all full? The children burped. That's rhythm. You got it?" iiOOOl -4 i Petaluma 778-1231 From left, Kathleen Laubert (Clara), Jennifer Gardiner (Fritz), Naren Larson (Nephew), Michelle Ward (Fritz) and Jsnna Kantor (Clara) Alan Deo The Schola Cantorum of St.

Vincent de Paul Church rehearses for its Dec. 6 Ceremony of Lessons and Carols in the English tradition, to be held at the 35 Liberty St. church at 8 p.m., following the Hospice tree lighting at Center Park. The choir of men and women will perform works by Poulenc and Howells. Concertgoers will be invited to join in singing traditional carols.

The concert Is a fund-raiser for the1 restoration of St. Vincent's 1927 Estey pipe organ. A donation of $5 will be requested. Children will be admitted free. COUCGRTS NUISANCE, Monsula, One Man Running and Wrong Sausages, Friday at 8 p.m., Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington Petaluma.

762-3566. U. UTAH PHILLIPS, folksinger and storyteller, Saturday at 8 p.m. Dance Palace Community Center, Point Reyes Station (415) 663-1075; 52nd "'STREET REVIVAL.Dixieland concert, Sunday at 1:30 to 6 p.m.. El Rancho Tropicana Hotel, Rainbow Room, 2200 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa.

578-0952. THE ROHNERT PARK COMMUNITY CHORALE AND BAND presents Joyous Sounds of Christmas, Sunday at 3 p.m. Dorothy Rohnert Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Rohnert Park. 792-7276. THE DOVER SPRING QUARTET, Monday at 8 p.m.

at the First Methodist Church of Santa Rosa, Montgomery Drive in Santa Rosa. SONOMA UNIVERSITY CHAMBER MUSIC WORKSHOP, Tuesday at noon, Ives Concert Theatre 119, 1801 E. Cotati Rohnert Park. 664-2353. SSU CHORUS and Rohnert Park Symphony, "Requiem in minor," by W.A.

Mozart conducted by Karla Lemon, Dec. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m., Dorothy Rohnert Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Rohnert Park. 664-2353. MARILYN THOMPSON and Schola Cantorum, Ceremony of Lessons and Carols in the English tradition. Dec.

6 at 8 p.m., St. Vincent' de Paul Church, 35 Liberty Petaluma. SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY WIND PLAYERS, Friday at 8 p.m., Newman Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College, 1501 Mendocino Santa Rosa. 527-4371. SRJC THEATRE ARTS AND Physical Education Department perform a fall dance "A Movement in Time," Dec.

7 at 8:15 p.m., Burbank Auditorium, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa. 527-4696. CRAZY EIGHTS, Subject to Change, Toast. Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.

Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington Petaluma. 762-3566. CHAMBER ENSEMBLE, directed by Tara Flandreau," Thursday, Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.

Fine Arts Theater, College of Marin, Kentfield. 485-9385. ALICE DI M1CELE, Thursday at 8 p.m.. Unitarian Church of Santa Rosa, 3641 Stony Point Santa Rosa. 874T 2120.

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