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The six member Bakra
Bata Steel Drums Band began providing entertainment services in the Seattle
area in 1984, under the leadership of Michael Shantz. They have created a
highly original and distinctly American style entertainment that draws
primarily from the root traditions of trans-Atlantic cultures as they have
developed in Caribbean music. The principal instruments featured are the
steel drums (also known as "steel pan drums"), played in combination with a
fascinating variety of other Caribbean musical instruments. The unusual
instrumentation is a visual and aural delight for audiences, and the
repertoire, rich with original material emphasizing rhythmic modes and dance
beats, creates and upbeat joyous ambience. Bakra Bata has appeared
at theaters, universities, children's events, and over 200 art fairs and
indoor and outdoor festivals across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and
Brazil. Attendance at these events has ranged from 10,000 to over a million.
Wherever they play, there is a spontaneous connection with the audience that
creates an exiting atmosphere perfectly suited to high density indoor and
outdoor events. The group has a long
association with professional dancers, and is thus able to present full or
abbreviated entertainment programs of Caribbean music, theater, masquerade,
and dance utilizing up to six dancers. The dance repertoire consists of
traditional and contemporary works and, of special relevance to open air
events, processional pieces featuring colorful costumes, beautiful masks,
steel drums, and other enchanting instruments. With such an extensive
repertoire, event organizers can select different combinations of programs
to suit their specific entertainment needs.
"Their
music is a participatory celebration of African-American culture in sight,
sound, and movement. They have an audience rapport that most bands only give
lip-service to." -- Jon Kertzer, Rocket Music Magazine
"They [Bakra Bata'] epitomize the synthesis of cultures that is ongoing
throughout the world. We [art presenters] have a responsibility to present
art that speaks out not only to what is unique about other cultures, but
also how differing cultures impact each other in positive ways. This group
celebrates the idea of global community." --Bob Slater Programming Director,
San Juan Capistrano Multicultural Arts Series
"During my tenure as Vice President of Performing Arts at the Houston
International Festival, an annual art and cultural celebration that attracts
an audience of more than one million, I presented Bakra Bata' for two
consecutive years, 1991 and 1992. Not only is the group comprised of
talented artists, but also they are very adept at working in a variety of
settings. They are able to arouse an audience with spontaneous street
performance or to play a formal music set, as they did when I asked them to
open for Brazilian musician and vocalist Milton Nascimento." -- Ms. Baraka
Sele, Performing Arts Consultant, Brooklyn Center for the Arts
"Bakra Bata' was a hit with the festival patrons! Even our Artist Market
artists, who are normally leery of large music groups because of their
potentially loud volume, were pleased with Bakra Bata'. Your consideration
in working with the artists in order to complement, but not overpower them,
was noted and appreciated." -- Ardath L. Pendergast, Arts Manager, Art
Festival of Atlanta
"Speaking as a native Seattleite, I was especially proud of the fine show
you put on." -- Jenneth Webster
Producer, Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors
"The sheer artistry and exuberance of the group, coupled with its exacting
professionalism, created and evening of theatre that held our audience
entranced within the first five minutes, kept them there, and earned a
prolonged standing ovation." -- Virginia Pulis, Executive Director, Columbia
Basin Allied Arts
"It is a rare treat to have a performance by a group that works so
energetically and as skillfully as Bakra Bata'. Their enthusiasm for their
music is contagious." -- Serni Solidarios, Director of College Activities,
University of the Puget Sound
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