Kofi Mawuko plays African drums as he leads his band, Ogya, in a set at the Bessie Smith Strut in this file photo.Lumbar Five and Ogya, two local bands featuring percussionist Kofi Mawuko, will perform Saturday at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave., in a benefit for Mawuko.
For 13 years, Mawuko has performed and taught music in Chattanooga, and friends and colleagues want to help defray the costs of his return trip to his native Ghana, West Africa, following the death of his father there.
Lumbar Five is a roots-rock band with a world beat that has performed for a decade.
Ogya plays high-energy world music that blends jazz and soul-soothing reggae rhythms.
Tickets ($10) are available at www.barkinglegs.org or at the door. If you want to donate but can't attend, you can do so by buying tickets online.