Kweku Aacht

Last updated

Kweku Aacht
Also known asAwotwi
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • Producer
  • Composer
  • Musician
  • choreographer
  • Dancer
Instruments
  • Vocals.
  • Piano
  • Pro audio equipment
Years active1998–present

Kweku Aacht, known by his stage name Awotwi, is a British Ghanaian singer-songwriter, composer, musician and dancer. He is known as a vocalist in his collaborations with experimental electronic artistes and for creating cutting edge dance theatre soundtracks and performances. [1] [2]

Contents

Music and performance career

Aacht was influenced in the early 1990s by his time spent on the UK's underground club scene, at outdoor raves and music festivals. During this era, Aacht soaked up the eclectic sounds of the UK underground. [3] He encountered artistes such as the Prodigy, [4] Darren Emerson, Björk [5] and Tricky.[ citation needed ] Aacht began his dance career by the mid 90s as a commercial dancer. He danced in TV advertisements as well as performing in nightclubs such as Deep Funk at Madame JoJo's and The Ministry of Sound.[ citation needed ]

In 1999, Aacht began his work as recording artist, when he co-wrote and performed on two songs on Zan Lyons debut album Desolate [6] and was also featured on Damian Lazarus' Mind Horizon Records compilation Different Noise.

While studying at London College of Fashion, Aacht moved to Hackney, the center of London's vibrant art scene. Here he socialised and collaborated with a range of fine artists from the movement dubbed the Y.B.As (Young British Artists) by the press, creating sound installations and performing music in art spaces and galleries. In 2004 he collaborated with electronica artist Leila Arab in her performance at the V&A museum which was later featured on her album Blood Looms and Blooms. [7]

In 2002, Aacht's dance career came to a crashing halt when he experienced a serious muscular skeletal injury. He was unable to dance for over three years. During this period, he focused on one of his other passions social development, leading on art-based programs, designed and to support the growth, empowerment and transformation of young people and of disadvantaged communities. His work with leading some of the UKs leading community development specialists includes co-designing a national program tackling conflict in community tension areas for The Tutu Foundation UK. [8]

2006 marked Aacht's return to making music. Aacht attended a dance performance at East London's Stratford Circus featuring a performance from now leading contemporary dance company C-12 Dance Theatre. A meeting with C-12 following the performance led to a long-term collaborative relationship and sparked the beginning of his career as composer and musical director for innovative dance theatre productions. [9] [10] Two years later, Aacht himself returned to the stage performing in a series of self-choreographed pieces re-igniting his dance career. Over the next five years Aacht developed his hybrid of music production and dance performance, gaining popularity within the UKs hip-hop and contemporary dance communities. In 2013 Aacht moved to Ghana. [11]

Kindred Tribe

In 2012, Aacht embarked on is first music performance project since mid 2000s. He joined forces with leading African Contemporary dance artist and Vocab Dance Company director Alesandra Seutin and dancer/actress and singer Nandi Bhebhe. Together they formed the dance collective produced by Aacht drawing upon the trio's eclectic influences to create a dynamic and unique dance act. [3] Kindred Tribe wrote a number of songs and traveled to Ghana to perform at the Asa Baako festival. [12] [13]

Productions

ProjectClientDescriptionDate
Condition:HumanoidTwo Son's and a Ton of Man Theatre Company Score composition1999
DesolateZan Lyons/ Foundry RecordsLyricist and vocalist on 2 album tracks2000
A different NoiseMind Horizon RecordingsFeatured compilation track2000
Visions and Aspirations Shoreditch Electricity ShowroomsGloria MuikiraSound installation for photographic exhibition2000
Spring Heeled Jack Sessions at the Strong RoomsSpring Heeled jackSong writing and composition, vocal sessions 2001
PlaygroupOutput RecordsSong writing and composition, vocal sessions2002
One Night Only Islington CollegeC-12 Dance TheatreRemixes, narrator voice-over recordings and special effects for contemporary dance performance2007
Resolution! The PlaceC-12 Dance TheatreRemix for contemporary dance performance2008
Two's a Company Stratford CircusC-12 Dance TheatreRemix for contemporary dance performance2008
Fast 4wrd Hackney MuseumDeep:BlackElectronic sound installation for public exhibition2008
Big Dance Holland Park and Potters Field ParkC-12 Dance Theatre2 musical compositions for outdoor, site specific contemporary dance performance2008
Dance Umbrella Purcell RoomC-12 Dance TheatreRemix for contemporary dance performance2008
R3 City & Islington CollegeC-12 Dance TheatreMusical composition for contemporary dance performance2008
The Chair Edinburg FestivalC-12 Dance TheatreMix for contemporary dance theatre score2009
Skin Deep Space @ Clarence MewsLerato LipereSoundtrack (writing and composition) for contemporary dance performance2009
Synthes:s, London Week of Peace, Hackney Wick FestivalDeep:Black/Arcola TheatreRecording of operatic vocal performance2009
The Last Supper Royal Opera HouseJuwon Ogungbe/Larry CokeRecording of operatic vocal performance (2 solos and chorus)2010
Synthes:s 2 Arcola TheatreDeep:Black/Arcola TheatreElectronic sound installation2010
Live @ Audio UndergroundJuwon Ogungbe TrioLive session recording/Engineer/mix and master2010
Temps Mort Cultural Explosion Rich Mix 2011Vocab Dance CompanyRemix for contemporary dance performance2010
Word! Stratford CircusVocab Dance CompanyComposition and sound editing for dance theatre triple bill, plus ensemble dancer for national tour2011
Loving YouNew World Dance CompanySoundtrack for short film2011
Voices in the Alleyway Cochrane Theatre LondonSpread Expression Dance Company and Faith Drama ProductionsScore for full length hip/hop theatre production2011
Unrecognisable Venus Hates Mars: Stratford Circus LondonVocab Dance CompanySoundtrack for experimental short film2011
Unrecognisable Venus Hates Mars: Stratford Circus LondonNatalie James: Broken Doll Dance CompanyScore Composor2011
Loneliness Venus Hates Mars: Stratford Circus LondonOdilia EgyiawanSound piece for contemporary dance performance2011
Physionix Rich Mix LondonParadigmzScore for contemporary dance theatre performance2012
The Van Man Albany Theatre LondonC-12 Dance TheatreMusical composition for outdoor, site specific contemporary dance performance2012
Let's Dance: Big Dance Canary Wharf LondonC-12 Dance TheatreSound track for large scale, outdoor, participatory dance performance2012
ScornedC-12 Dance TheatreSound track compilation and editing of published recorded music and for contemporary dance performance2012
Kindred Tribe Asabaako Festival Busua BeachAsabaako Festival3-piece dance music group. Music production, song writing, choreography, vocals, live programming, community workshops2012
Our Mighty Groove Version 1 Sadler's Wells LondonUchenna Dance CompanySound track composer. 35min interactive dance theatre production set in a New York House club2013
Our Mighty Groove Version 2 Stratford Theatre Royal LondonUchenna Dance CompanySound track composer. 50min interactive dance theatre production set in a New York House club2015
Afro Dance Promo VideoNoir Dance CompanySound track composer 3min promotional dance video2016
Movement is LifeAwotwi MovementSound track composer, choreographer. Promotional dance video directed by Oskhari2016
Head Wrap Diaries 2016Uchenna Dance CompanySound track composer. Full-length interactive dance theatre production "An insight into the world of the African woman"2016
ObatalaKemi DurosinmiSoundtrack composer Dance short film inspired by Yoruba Orisha Obatala2017
GiantAlesandra SeutinComposer of one track plus one ambient sound piece for a solo dance theatre production staged in Belgium2017
Your Love is EnoughJohn ThomasProducer, songwriter: Creating 2 gospel tracks in collaboration with John Thomas (the artist).2017
Free & Unashamed OctoberEbein StudiosTheme song for a talk show to be featured on GH1 Ghana: Soundtrack composer, engineer and mastering2017
Across the SouvenirAlesandra SeutinSoundtrack composer for 30 min solo dance performance piece2017

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References

  1. ↑ "Kweku Aacht | Breakin' Convention". Breakinconvention.com. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "S1E2: The Brown Englishman – Third Culture". Thirdculturepodcast.org. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Kindred Tribe • Kweku Aacht AKA Obruni AKA The Professor". Kindredtribe.tumblr.com. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "6 Mix Tracklisting". BBC . Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  5. ↑ "Leila – Blood Looms And Blooms (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "Zan Lyons – Desolate (2000) lyrics at The Lyric Archive". Thelyricarchive.com. 19 September 2000. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "Blood, Looms and Blooms by Leila (Album, Electronic): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list". Rate Your Music . Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  8. ↑ "Tutu picks up litter on his birthday". IOL. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  9. ↑ "The Van Man begins!". C-12 Dance Theatre. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "The Van Man C-12 Dance Theatre St Albans 17th June 2012 – Images | Richard Washbrooke Photography". Richardwashbrooke.photoshelter.com. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  11. ↑ "Collabo 2016". East London Dance. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  12. ↑ "One Dance". Asa Baako. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  13. ↑ "Aso Baako Dance Music Festival from March 2016 in Accra". Viewghana.com. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
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