Directors the the NWMF Drum Orchestra
B. “Wahru” Cleveland is considered an accomplished drummer on the Djembe’, ashiko, bongos, congas, and dunun. She the founder, director and leader of Sistah Ngoma, a professional multicultural women’s drum group, and the Columbus Community Drummers, a multicultural mixture of female and male drummers in Columbus, OH, and surrounding areas. She has presented many workshops and facilitated drum circles for the NWMF and other festivals for many years. Wahru started the National Women Music Festival Drum Chorus in 2003. She, with the assistance of Rani Quimba, continues to be the director.
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Rani Quimba has studied with Wahru for several years. She has also attended workshops presented by Ubaka Hill, Nurudafina Pili Abena, and several others, and is considered an accomplished drummer in the djembe’ and dunun. Rani was a member of the NWMF’s first drum chorus and has participated in this festival as a workshop presenter, assistant facilitator for the late night drum jams, and in performances with Sistah Ngoma. She also has performed with Judy Piazza, the Sirens, Nuru, Wahru and others at the National Women Music Festival, the Ohio Womyn’s Music Festival, and Wimfest.