Habib Iddrisu, Ethnographer/Historian and master drummer and dancer from Ghana and a Ph.D Candidate in Performance Studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois will this on Friday join the OU African Ensemble to present Aza - A Celebration of Traditional and Contemporary African Culture through the Arts.

The concert will feature Azaguno, a multi-ethnic African drumming and dance ensemble based in Athens. The OU Singers, the Singing Men of Ohio, the OU Women’s Chorale and the OU Symphony Orchestra also will take part in this event.

The finale of the event will culminate in the world premiere of “Africa Meets Asia,” a multi-cultural dance and music event with music composed by Younge and choreography and a performance by Badu-Younge and Yuju Wei, Younge said.

Habib Iddrisu was born into the Dagomba/Dagbamba family of court historians and musicians in Gukpegu/Tamale of Northern Ghana.

He received his M.A. and B.A. degrees in African History and Africana Studies from Bowling Green State University in Ohio respectively.

His grandfather Manguli-lana Adam Alhassan was a chief drummer. Growing up in the drummer’s home, Habib was inspired by his grandfather and great uncles, many of whom were famous Dagbon musicians.

Like many of his cousins, Habib started playing both the lung-a (talking drum) and gungong (supporting drum) at age six.

A child prodigy, by age eight Habib was renowned throughout the region for his dancing and drumming in styles such as Takai, Bamaya, and Atikatika.