West African Beat in Claremont

More than five decades ago, Kobla Ladzekpo was born in a small island village in the West African country of Ghana. There, surrounded by lagoon waters in the Volta River region, he learned to play the drums--just like his father, his father’s father and a long line of ancestors.

Today, Ladzekpo is a master drummer, accorded respect as a performer both in Ghana and in the U.S., his adopted homeland since 1964.

Five years ago, he formed the Zadonu West African Music and Dance Ensemble, a 16-member troupe that includes many of his relatives who now also live in Southern California.

“There are still a lot of people who don’t know much about Africa, or African culture, so we can educate them through music and dance,” said Ladzekpo, a Mission Hills resident who teaches at UCLA and at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia.

At 8 p.m. Monday, Ladzekpo will bring traditional West African music to Claremont on the stage of the Bridges Hall of Music, 150 E. 4th St. Admission is free. Information: (714) 621-8155.

“It’s a very high-energy performance. It’s moving, active and sensational to watch,” said Pomona College ethnomusicologist Deborah Wong, who is presenting the show as part of a “world music” series this academic year.