During the 25 years he lived in Canada, while still touring internationally, drummer Shamakah Ali regularly drew on the deep soul and funk of his Memphis roots to create a signature groove that made even the creakiest of legs want to dance. Famous artists such as Al Green, Lionel Richie and Isaac Hayes all called upon him because his laid-back, feel-good groove made them sound better.
Life in the sweltering city, steeped in economic struggle, segregation and music, awoke in him dreams of escape. With his innate sense of rhythm, he saw drumming as a way out. Never having taken a lesson, the preteen would listen to songs until he knew them by heart. The first time he played publicly was as a volunteer outside W.C.
“He told me he wanted to adopt an African-American name that had a special meaning to it. We settled on Shamakah because it means a person of determination who spreads goodness, and he always brought goodness to all the spaces he occupied,” Ms. Danquah said. Owing to his versatility and prowess in a range of genres – including funk, country, gospel, disco, soul, hip-hop, house and rock – he was in demand to work with a variety of artists. “The list of headliners that he played and toured with is impressive,” said esteemed Toronto composer and producer Lance Anderson, who hired Mr. Ali for several musical productions and festivals across Canada.starring Angela Bassett. He was much more than a regular ‘gigging’ or jobbing’ musician,” Mr.
Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)
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