Sidiki

SIDIKI grew up in a household with a deep appreciation of music from various cultures and backgrounds. In his teens he started his musical career playing drums for his elder brothers Blues and Classic Rock cover band. As a drummer he was always drawn to music that was rhythmically rich and complex.His aunt had spent a number of years in Africa and along with her picture with Nelson Mandela, her collection of cassettes were some of her prized possessions. This was his first exposure to some of the great Artists in Africa like Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade. Having access to this treasure trove of music at a time when access to World Musicwas so limited was priceless.  While discovering the roots of classic rock he delved further into the Blues and Jazz. Ultimately he came to focus on Afro Cuban and West African styles of music. Learning Djembe drumming techniques established by the great Babtunde Olatunji and Afro Cuban fundamentals from resources developed by Bobby Sanabria and Poncho Sanchez he expanded his understanding of African and Latin rhythms.   Having had the opportunity to play with some artists from Senegal and Cuba helped to further solidify this understanding. Having watched some of his heroes such as Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, King Sunny Ade, Habib Kote, Paul Simon, Dave Matthews Band and Oliver Mtukudzi live in concert has had a lasting impact on his own music. His single "African Heart" is a tribute to Africa in recognition that the roots of all music, as the roots of all humanity stem from Africa.   Ultimately his desire to create his own particular style of music led him to pick up the Guitar, Bass and Keyboard. All of the music and vocals on his solo projects are written and played by himself. The polyrhythmic sounds of West Africa have heavily influenced his fingerstyle guitar playing and soloing. This coupled with thought provoking song writing creates music which is both aesthetically pleasing and intelligent. SIDIKI now lives in beautiful Vancouver,British Columbia where he continues to play and record.