Babatunde Olatunji

Biography

Babatunde Olatunji was a Nigerian drummer, educator, and social activist who is widely credited with introducing traditional African music to Western audiences. His landmark 1959 album, 'Drums of Passion', released by #Columbia Records#, was a massive success, bringing the polyrhythmic power of Nigerian percussion to the American mainstream. A powerful collaborator, he worked with jazz giants like *John Coltrane* and *Max Roach*, and later won a Grammy for his work with *Mickey Hart* of the Grateful Dead on the 'Planet Drum' album. More than a musician, he was a cultural ambassador who founded the Olatunji Center for African Culture in Harlem to foster understanding through arts education.