Foundation
To God, who in His infinite wisdom and grace, gives life and guided my feet for nearly a century.
To all my friends in countries around the world whose well wishes kept me alive, and whose smiles gave me the strength to become an artist, I thank you. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had every step of the way, for all these years. My words will live longer than I will; so my hope is that my work has left behind a legacy for future generations.
I thank anyone whose support helps this humble effort to encourage music education through the young people I work with and hopefully inspire.
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Your palm wine music records an ageless history for the generations makes us high on life. In your tongue what at first seems passing, temporal, ephemeral, accumulates: like individual grains of sand becoming the spectacular architecture of the anthills, slowly, unseen, until the landscape is unimaginable without them.
Professor Abena Busia, New Brunswick, USA
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Agya Koo Nimo has been central to the success of the Brooklyn College Study Abroad to Ghana program and has had a tremendous impact on the Brooklyn College Abroad students and faculty who have been privileged to know him, work with him, and learn from him. I am happy to attest that he is a national and international treasure, and it is a personal joy to have been able to call him a friend and colleague for all these years.
Lynda R. Day, Ph.D., New York, USA
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Koo was not simply a traditional musician, but a worldly and well-versed proponent of Ghanaian traditions and culture who was widely recognized and respected. I am always especially impressed that Koo was such a champion of traditional music while at the same time deeply connected with Ghanaian popular music history.
Chris Lesser, Melbourne, Australia
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His strengths lie in composition and performance in unique contemporary and traditional contexts: understanding the deep structures of traditional African music, Palm Wine guitar and ensemble styles, Highlife/Jazz, and storytelling with guitar and vocals, including spoken word, poetry, and song.
Royal Hartigan Ph.D., Massachusetts, USA
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The personality Koo Nimo is a rare artist, philosopher and teacher. Eloquent in Asante and English, Agya Koo has sung his way across the world and lectured in several universities, where he brings Ghanaian wit and wisdom to life, with words and fingers.
Professor Kwesi Yankah, Accra, Ghana
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“You will be a great musician,†you told me. The words wrapped themselves around something in my heart, and something in my heart wrapped itself around the words. Neither will let go; and the rain still paints perfect squares on the cement, and I think of you still and often, and dance still and often to your music, which flows like water.
Ethan Kogan, Ilinois, USA
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His allowing me to share a little of my gift with him buoyed up my life so much while I was in Ghana. Not only for me and the others who have had the pleasure of hearing and seeing him, but he is a national treasure for Ghanaians. My hope is that they know how fortunate they are to be passing through life while Agya Koo Nimo is in the world.
Quanda Johnson, New York, USA
