WoMama, an African fusion dance orchestra, released their first CD on Friday night to great acclaim. With fans ranging from teens to 50-somethings, the party was eclectic. Christmas lights and a disco ball lit the ceiling while projected images of traditional African tribal dances played out on the wall. The small room quickly became crowded with fans dancing with frenzied abandon to hot African beats. The party epitomized WoMama: a band where fusion is everything.

From the music, which combines calypso, samba, bluegrass, reggae and rock ‘n’ roll, to the mix of alcohol and partying combined with the dozens of plants that lined the stage and the hall, the party was about a fusion of ages, cultures and peoples. “Fote Fare” is the band’s first CD, two years in the making. The CD features tracks ranging in style from West African funk to Latin rock ‘n’ roll.

Jesse Jonathan, HSU alum and founding member of WoMama, described the album as going “through a lot of different influences.” “It’s a really interesting fusion,” Jonathan said. The CD features what Jonathan calls an ode to Humboldt County - “Home Sweet Humboldt.” “This place Humboldt County has so much going on, so many different influences, so many different styles of celebrating, so that’s the song ‘Home Sweet Humboldt,’” said Jonathan.

The WoMama concert featured performances from Shoshanna and the Ya Habibi Dance Company, New World Ballet, AkaBella, Quente SambAmore and Music professor Eugene Novotney. WoMama started out right here at HSU in the Kate Buchanan Room. Fostered by Novotney, the students came to love music from around the world. “He really introduced us to calypso and samba and to different rhythmic entities we didn’t even know existed,” said Jonathan.