LEWISTON — Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm, a percussion and vocal ensemble that explores the heritage and rhythms of West Africa, will perform in concert at the Franco-American Heritage Center on Saturday, Nov. 26.

The six-piece women’s drum and world music ensemble presents original arrangements and compositions invoking ancient traditions of the drum.

Inanna was originally created 20 years ago by participants of a drum class in Alna, Maine. Since then, the group has recorded and released five, full-length albums and has performed at numerous percussion festivals and community events.

All members — Annegret Baier, Tori Morrill, Lizzy Derector, Andrea Antognoni, Shirsten Lundblad and Anne-Marie D’Amico — play a variety of percussion instruments. They have studied percussion with Karamo Sabally of Gambia, West Africa; John McDowell of the Afro-jazz fusion group Mamma Tongue; Yaya Diallo, master drummer from Mali and author of “The Healing Drum;” Layne Redmond, author of “When the Drummers Were Women;” and Famoudou Konate, one of the world’s best known and recognized djembe players.

Inanna takes its name from an ancient Sumerian goddess, who held reign more than 4,000 years ago during a period when it is believed that drummers and dancers were predominantly women.

Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm, has four albums available through iTunes and CD Baby: “Listen,” “Skin and Bone,” “Beyond Tradition” and “Live, Summer Solstice Celebration 2007.”

The concert will begin at at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for reserved seating are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors. They are available at www.francocenter.org. The Franco center is at 46 Cedar St.

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