SLYKUMU - New Sounds for the Global Village

A Feature Length Documentary

An inspiring documentary, written by Griffin Brady, and Directed by Jordan Inglee, is about breaking social and racial barriers and uniting people with music.  This film will bring together people of all walks of life to collaborate and create a truly unique project; one of the first feature films on the Dagara Xylophone- the Gyil-- a revolutionary approach to Ethnomusicology-- and a stunningly beautiful artistic collaboration that has the power to bring deeper understanding and awareness to all people in our global village.

The film explores the true story of a musician from Upstate New York, Griffin Brady, and his mentor, Bernard Woma, a world renowned master musician and “national treasure” of Ghana as they work together to bring positive social change to communities around the world through cultural arts education and creative collaboration on tour over the past 10 years. 

Having performed for Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth and shared the stage with the New York Philharmonic, Yo Yo Ma and many more, Bernard is regarded as a "Cultural Ambassador of Ghana".  His school in Ghana, The Dagara Music Center, was the inspiration for Brady's Slyboots School of Music and Art in Buffalo, NY and with their efforts combined, have been doing amazing work, bringing musicians and dancers (The SAAKUMU Dance Troupe) from Ghana to teach and perform for Colleges, Universities, Schools and clubs on tour across the US every year since 2008.

The tale of this remarkable journey and collaboration will be told through an artistic combination of interviews, narrations, tour footage and photographs, juxtaposed a feature film shot over 6 weeks in Ghana, West Africa, as directed by Jordan Inglee and written by Griffin Brady; a long awaited collaboration.

SLYKUMU - New Sounds for a Global Village The Album and Live Performance DVD

SLYKUMU, is a cross cultural offspring featuring members of the SAAKUMU Dance Troupe of Ghana, West Africa and members of the Buffalo based jazz fusion group, On the Sly.  This is the featured collaboration for the Soundtrack/Album, New Sounds for the Global Village during the Slyboots School’s bi-annual trip to study traditional culture, music, dance and art in Ghana, West Africa in June of 2012.

As you learn how they have worked together to promote world music education as a means to unite people, you get to witness the cultural collaboration first hand as SLYKUMU works together to compose, record and perform original material in a series of Live Concerts across Ghana and the US.  

SLYKUMU - CAST & CREW
The Multicultural Cast of Characters who will make this film happen

1. Bernard Woma - Master Musician & Director of Dagara Music Center www.BernardWoma.com
2. Griffin Brady- Director of the Slyboots School of Music and Art www.OnTheSly.org
3. Edward Green- Master Drummer for SAAKUMU
4. Jerome Balsab- Master Gyil player for SAAKUMU
5. Naibi Buhari- Master Drummer for SAAKUMU
6. Andrew Moore- Bass player for On The Sly
7. Brian DeAngelo- Drummer with On The Sly
8. Tad Dziekonski- Trumpet player with On the Sly
9. Scotty Bye- Director of Arts at Slyboots www.sculpturebyescott.com
10. Joyce Bekyore - Dancer/Teacher 
11. Yaa Bekyore - Dancer/Teacher
12. Hellen Derry - Dancer/Teacher
13. Gorge Kuubet- Dancer/Teacher
14. Edmund Tijon- Gyil Maker
15. Doug Feig- Professor of Music at Akron University in Akron, OH- Slyboots Trip Patron
16. Jordan Inglee - Film Director www.Audioglobe.com
17. Jordan Lema - Director of Photography www.lemurstudios.com
18. **Slyboots School of Music and Art students from Buffalo, NY**

HOW YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL BE USED:
Production Cost:  $8,000
Filming equipment & transport and insurance of equipment
(incl. power generator on set, extra wet weather protection): $5,000
Post-Production & Festival Prep: minimum $7,000
Incidentals: $2,500

Total: $22,500

Photo credits to Amy Miller & Scotty Bye-- Thank you!!

Audio Clip for the Kickstarter video by SLYKUMU