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  dadanii@damushi.com
  Phone 0414 825 326

Dada Nii Okwabi has been a musician since the age of eight. He is a professional drummer, singer, dancer and teacher and is well-known in his native country of Ghana, West Africa and his new home, Australia. During his career Dada Nii has worked with the Mantse Mei Cultural Group and some of Ghana's top musicians including Okyrema Asante, Pat Thomas and the late John K. In 1978 he joined Ebaahi Sounds as their lead singer and recorded five albums with the group over twelve years. During this time he performed with Fleetwood Mac in the 1981 film The Visitor. In 1985 Dada Nii worked with the internationally acclaimed group Wulomei and continues to perform with them as a guest artist when he is in Ghana. In 2000 he joined Nii Tettey Tetteh and his Kusun Ensemble as a singer, drummer, dancer and instructor. During his time with Kusun he performed at local events and conducted drumming and singing workshops for overseas students at Kusun's month-long residential workshops in Accra, Ghana's capital. In 2002 he worked in the UK with the London-based groups Abladei UK, Kakatsitsi and Agido, performing at festivals around the UK and conducting workshops in schools. He also performed with the well-known Congolese singer Koffi Olomide at the Brixton Academy. He returned to Ghana late in 2002 and formed The Damushi Ensemble, a group of professional musicians and dancers who perform traditional and contemporary Ghanaian music. Since 2003 he had divided his time between Australia and Ghana, before becoming a proud Australian resident in 2007. In 2005, Dada Nii formed the Australian version of The Damushi Ensemble, and concentrated on bringing West African percussion to appreciative audiences.  He has continued to develop the ensemble, utilising his production skills to bring together the current exciting line-up of African percussionists and Latin/jazz musicians. Both Dada Nii and The Damushi Ensemble have been performing regularly at dozens of festivals, corporate events and private functions across the country, and are looking forward to being joined by their Ghanaian counterparts in 2010 for a number of events across the country. Dada Nii has a passion for bringing his music to the wider audience and has taught drumming and dancing to hundreds of children and adults, through workshops in schools, kindergartens and community groups. He has run workshops for new migrants, disadvantaged and special needs students, and young offenders in residential care. He has conducted week-long dance, drumming, singing and cooking classes at annual textile forums in NSW and VIC, run by the Australia Forum for Textile Arts, and has been an accredited performer with Carclew Arts in the Playfull Program in schools. Dada Nii is currently accredited with Cultural Infusion Multicultural Arts Program, as part of their school program Australia wide. In addition to his work as a musician Dada Nii has introduced many people to the joys of West African cooking through cooking classes and workshops, and loves nothing more than being in the kitchen cooking for his many Australian friends. Although he misses Ghana, Dada Nii has made Australia his home, and gains great satisfaction from his work and the pleasure of bringing his music to his new homeland. He enjoys telling his audience  "I am Australian...and my band members...they are the Africans!"  Dada Nii has released five solo albums: Moko Bi Nu (1993), Sophie (1995), Anukwale (1997), Kaawie (2001) and Sea Never Dry (2006).