Description: Francis is a traditional drummer and teacher from Ghana, West Africa with over 20 years of performing and teaching experience. He is currently based in Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area and available for classes, private and group lessons, school assemblies, workshops, and events.
Francis is a traditional drummer and teacher from Accra, Ghana. Born and raised in the melting pot neighborhood of New Town, Francis grew up in an environment bursting with the sights and sounds of Ghana's many ethnic groups.
From a young age, Francis was enthralled with the music he heard at traditional gatherings near his home. As a teen, he joined the Brotherhood Cultural Troupe, lead by Professor Johnson Kemeh, in the adjacent suburb of Alajo. He initially started as a dancer and support drummer but was quickly promoted to lead drummer of the group.
In 1996, at the young age of 18, Francis earned a position in the Ghana Dance Ensemble at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana. In 1997, he transitioned to the university's School of Performing Arts to become a drumming instructor and dance accompanist, where he remained until he relocated abroad in 2015. During his almost two decades at the University of Ghana School of Performing Arts, Francis taught Ghanaian drumming to hundreds of students from around the world and mentored many