Mike Bennett
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Performing on Saturday July 26, 2008 at 10:30 - 11:30 AM on the Grandstand Stage
Mike Bennett has been a professional percussionist for more than 25 years and is known through Maine as one of the most versatile drummers in the state. He’s played drumset or percussion with the Patti Wicks Trio, A-Train, Shane Ellis Bands, Willy Kelly, Ruby Gensheimer, Doug Crate, Tree by Leaf, The Beatroots, Birdhouse, Diane Linscott, Liza Rey, Inanna, and many more. In the 90’s he was the house drummer for the Left Bank Cafe in Blue Hill. In 1999 Mike made his 1st trip to Gambia, West Africa and now has been 9 consecutive years studying djembe with Amadou Joof; sabar with Mamjam Janha; and balafon with Keba Mane. Mike is faculty at College of The Atlantic teaching world percussion and has also taught many years at SFOA. He was co-producer of the compilation CD Gambia…For The People which received critical acclaim in Modern Drummer magazine. Mike produced, narrated, and did the camera work for his documentary movie Gambia… N’Karamoo… a video about his teachers, friends, and family in Serrekunda, Gambia. Mike is considered a formost authority on the Balanta balafon style…. a very rare style of balafon from the Balanta tribe in southern Senegal…. which he will be playing at WERU’s full circle fair. He currently lives in Southwest Harbor and teaches private lessons in his studio and is working on his next documentary focusing on his balafon teacher Keba Mane.
Below is just one sample video from Mike’s library of videos on youtube at http://youtube.com/user/omarmane
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