Bird Fleming, Director, Traditional Music Society celebtating Music of the Americas

Bird Fleming is a professional percussionist, educator, and performer. He is well versed in many styles of ethnic percussion: West African, South American, and Caribbean. He has studied with Simbo Wushu, Dennis Lee, Bernard Wry, Agustin Romero Diza from Havana Cuba, Cheikh Gueye, Zak Diop, and Abdullah Camara from Senegal, West Africa; El Hajjii Abubakari Lunna-Wombie and Guideon Foli Alorwoyie from Ghana; Moacyr Machinni, and Marcus Santos of Brazil.

Bird has performed with Babatunde Olantunje, Gil Scott Heron, the Temptations, and Larry Harlow. He has recorded with the BCR band, Imam Bilal Hyde, and Gerald Trimble. As founder and Artistic Director of the Traditional Music Society, he is not only an educator and performer, but also a world music liaison for area educational organizations. He has collaborated with many institutions in the Kansas City area such as the Kansas City Missouri School District, St. Vincent’s Operation Breakthrough, the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, Young Audiences, Accessible Arts, the Jackson County Family Courts, the American Jazz Museum, the Kansas City Art Institute, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Additionally, Mr. Fleming had the distinction of assisting with the development of the core music curriculum for the Kansas City School District as ethnic music advisor in 1996.

Mr. Fleming holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Park University of Kansas City Missouri and a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. He currently teaches World Music as an adjunct professor at Longview Community College in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The Traditional Music Society is proud to present its 5th annual World Music and Dance Showcase! This year’s theme is “The Americas.” Through an extravagant multimedia presentation we will explore the music and dances of the Americas. We will be featuring the finest assemblages of folkloric artists in the region: such as Grupo Quimbaya from Colombia South America: the Brazil Academy: Amado Espinoza from Bolivia: Dennis Rogers/Native American Spirit Dancer: the Mid America Nazarene University Marimba Ensemble: Grupo Manos: and Danza Mexhi Calpulli Iskali, performing traditional Aztec music and dance. The event takes place Saturday April 25, 2 pm at Community Christian Church on Plaza, 4601 Main Street KCMO 64112.

Traditional Music Society

816-561-1849

www.traditionalmusicsociety.org


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