Concert: Obroni Ensamble

The shout “Obroni, obroni!” was something drummer Antonín Procházka heard on every corner while in Ghana. “Obroni” is the local word for anything “white” and foreign. From his studies in Accra, Antonín brought back a rich collection of songs and dance rhythms, which he learned while working with the internationally acclaimed Ghana Dance Ensemble as well as from musicians in local communities. These, along with his own compositions inspired by his time in Africa, will be performed by the “Obroni Ensemble,” made up of his Czech (and Brazilian) friends. No African dance band is complete without a powerful percussion section—Matěj Diviš and Vít Rafael Matyska provide the group’s unstoppable engine. Antonín himself plays the gyil, a traditional xylophone of the Dagaaba people, which he fell in love with in Ghana. But the evening won’t be purely African in sound. The trio of drummers is joined by three top improvisers: Luan Gonçalves on bass, Jan Bára on electric guitar, and Martin Debřička on saxophones. With their unique approach, they expand the musical material and push it into new territories. Obroni Ensemble is a playful, experimental lab of African dance music.