Joakim Lartey

joakimlartey.com

Joakim Larkey is a life long musician who grew up in Ghana, a very musical country. He started playing music, mostly imitating drummers, when he was 10 or 11 years old. He came to the US to study Biology (and minor in Ethnomusicology) at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie.

Among his influences, he says,

"I was later and still influenced by the late Ghanaian drummer and composer Kofi Ghanaba aka Guy Warren of Ghana, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, among many others... I would also add some musicians I play with today to the mix - such as Chris Lane, Ted Orr, Thomas Workman, Phoebe Legere and others such as Bob Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, Bjork...."

Joakim was the frontman of  world beat band "Futu Futu". This was a musical highlight in his career, playing for an audience of about 300,000 at Woodstock '94 to major critical acclaim. He described to me some of the discrimination he faced as they toured.

"There were some interesting and scary moments in some venues and towns as we rolled through the countryside... Racism and bigotry was alive and well back then as it is today. I think my bandmates helped mold me into who I am today by giving me the space to express and train myself. I think I also learned how to feel comfortable playing to predominantly white audiences. It reinforced my personal outlook of openness to all..."

Joakim uses his studio to compose new music. "Compositional inspiration sort of just happens but being in nature and among people and tracking contemporary issues in the news adds to inspiration...I tend to lean towards improvisation and so find new unintended compositions after jams and such."

Joakim currently has musical projects with Chris Lane and on occasion plays with (sound healer and musician) Thomas Workman and (Ted Orr's funk band) Blue Food, Joakim works as a counselor to children and a trainer of teachers and school staff as well as a storyteller and drum teacher in schools. 

Check his website out here www.joakimlartey.com