About Us
World of Chibuzo is an interdisciplinary organization with the mission to create healing sound, and imagery by sharing the original works of its founder Akili Jamal Haynes and his team in ways that challenge the current paradigm, and by guiding others towards finding their distinctive voices with unique sounds and imagery in the artistic projects they wish to have curated or produced.
The original works of Akili Jamal Haynes include musical compositions rooted in his personal history that offer life lessons; Films that add to the positive vibrations and perception of peoples of African ancestry; Bands that celebrate the idea of positive African imagery; Entertaining, informational, and educational episodes made to order, with a focus on race based equity and inclusion; Coaching, Consulting, and Lecture demonstrations on your particular artistic topic of interest delivered via the Chibuzo Method.
photo by Jill Goldman
The Chibuzo Method incorporates devices that Akili Jamal Haynes has invented, interpreted, or incorporated in his daily practices while on his journey to building and sustaining his own brand.
World of Chibuzo offers the following services:
1 Music & Film Production
2 Educational Media/Presentations
3 Special Ability Acting
4 Live Entertainment
5 Dance Accompaniment
6 Private Lessons
photo by Akili Jamal Haynes
Services
Music & Film Production For Your Projects:
• Original soundtracks/sound design
•Original performance Live with pre-recorded soundtrack
• Original performance Live
• Video Editing (Have your pre-recorded footage organized into a project made to order)
• Web content
• Commercial
• Indie Film (create a DIY style of your own)
• Social Media
• Music Video
• Documentary
Educational Media/Presentations
Special order episodes focused on equity and inclusion that address the specific needs of your students.
• Mister Akili & the World of Chibuzo featuring JAM-ALL & LATIFAH LADY BUG (Hand puppets performed and voiced by Akili Jamal Haynes)
• How We Do It
(Reality of rarely seen events in an artists’ life explained by artists. Hosted by Akili Jamal Haynes and featuring special guests)
• Cookin’ Wit’ Chibuzo
(Just as it sounds…. Witness Akili Jamal Haynes aka Chibuzo Dunun making delicious and nutritious homemade dishes)
• GetChiBuFit
(a program focused on health & Fitness for artist, dancers, and musicians)
Artistic Coaching/Consultations/Lecture Presentations:
Professional advice for the moderately to extremely advanced multi-instrumentalist in;
• Improvisation (All Instruments & Voice)
• Composition
• Performance
• Talent Referrals
Special Ability Acting
Acting and instrumental performance for movies, commercials, plays, dance films, projection mapping, etc.
Akili Jamal Haynes aka Chibuzo Dunun has experience with multiple instruments (African drums, trumpet, acoustic/electric bass, drum set, vocals, tenor saxophone, among others); sports (kayaking, squash, mountain biking, hiking, weightlifting, track & field), and is a quick study for additional activities as needed.
You may also request for additional talent specializing in African drumming, archery, and dance through a scheduled consultation for referrals.
photo by Alexandria Danielle King
Live Entertainment
CHIBUZO DUNUN
African drum ensemble which features Akili Jamal Haynes on dununs (African drums of a low pitch) performing both traditional drumming, and music featuring a fusion of traditional percussion sounds blended with Loop Station, electronics, acoustic instruments, voice, original or standard repertoire, and original versions of the cultural creations of Mali, Senegal, Haiti, Ghana, Brazil, Brooklyn, New Orleans, and genres like blues, hip-hop, funk, gospel, r & b, rock, pop & black music sometimes referred to as jazz and known to musicians as bebop or bop. This ensemble features Master Drummers such as Sidi Mohamed “Joh” Camara, Sory Diabate, Mohamed Khalifa Kamara, Issa Coulibali, Nko Fallou Smalls, Mamadou “Lynx” Ndiaye, Samba Sisse, Babacar “Moha” Seck, Malick Ngom, Lamine Toure, and more.
photo by Chris Ditunno
Dance Accompaniment
Solo performance featuring Loop Station, electronics, acoustic instruments, voice and percussion, or an ensemble created for your project, class, or film.
• African Drums (Mali, Senegal, Haiti, Brazil, Uganda, Ghana)
• Modern Dance (Horton, Limon, Ailey, Contact Improv, Tap)
A Story of Becoming
click an image to learn more
Testimonials
Taylor Lena McTootle
Akili created an incredible soundscape for a student performance project that Castle of Our Skins commissioned as a part of the lobby installation for the opera Anthony Davis' X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. Using Malcolm X's speeches as primary sources and his own understanding of tonality and mood, his work was the backdrop for so much of our final presentation.
Akili's creative style helped give an added sense of direction to the student project, but he was also so amenable to notes and edits. He was a pleasure to work with. A true collaborator and artist!
Lolita Parker, Jr. & Fulani Haynes
During a series of text messages after the Harvard University Law School event where Lolita Parker, Jr. donated 5,000 photos and video files highlighting the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Lolita says:
(Akili) You were Everything last night. The perfect tempos, vibe, and energy. Live, unscripted and filled with love. We were attuned. Will definitely call on you in the future. It would have been just another dry night in greater Boston without your ancestor inspired heartbeats. Thanks again. Wouldn't have been right without you.
Lolita shared the picture above with me by text and I told Fulani about it by text and Fulani confirmed:
Really (Akili). She loved your work.
Marie Ghitman & Mindy Fried
We recently had the privilege, and joy of working with Akili on two arts productions, and will be working together once again this fall. Akili brings his whole heart - and immense talent - to everything he does. He is an incredibly versatile musician whose exceptional musicianship is evident with any and all of the instruments he plays. Akili is also an excellent collaborator, deftly working with other musicians and artists to capture the tone and mood of a performance.
For our event, Finding Home: Immigrant Stories and Music from Boston and Beyond, Akili easily adapted to an unusual outdoor venue, playing music both on a boat and on land. For a recent concert that was part of the Eliot Schoolyard series in Jamaica Plain, a 99-degree weather forecast didn’t deter him. In spite of the sweltering heat, he and his group brought incredible talent, energy and a special spirit to the occasion, managing to inspire the audience to dance and sing along! We look forward to continued collaborations with this fine artist.