Saeed Abbas was born into the Hausa tribe in Ghana, a West African country rich in music and dance styles. Saeed showed prodigious musical talent as a very young child learning the talking drum from his grandfather and other tribal elders. He also plays the Atentenden Flute and the African Xylophone. He has had to overcome much to pursue his passion.
He began teaching in Ghana Public Schools at 16. At 19 he auditioned into Ghana's prestigious National Dance Ensemble soon becoming their master drummer. Abbas traveled the world teaching and performing for many dignitaries including President Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II, and Tony Blair before an invitation to teach in a special needs school brought him to the United States. He performs traditional Ghanaian music on authentic hand carved drums. Many are high-energy dances for ceremony and healing from urban and tribal areas. These are rhythms that take so many through the passages of life. Abbas recorded a solo CD, Gye NyamE in 2004 and has recorded his second CD, Kowanaso in 2008.
"Music is my happiness," he says, "it is like food for me."