Djembe and dundun rhythms for West African drumming and dance
Drum Study in Guinea, West Africa
The best way to learn West African drumming is . . . (surprise) to go to West Africa. In my experience the best teacher to learn from is Famoudou Konate. Mamady Keita is also an excellent teacher with a more standardized approach. Famoudou's knowledge of the traditional Malinke rhythms is unmatched, and his instruction covers djembe and dunun parts with equal emphasis.
In December-January of 2003-04, I spent a month of study with Famoudou in a group workshop setting; with three weeks at his compound in a neighborhood of Guinea's capital, Conakry, and a week in the rural village, Sangbarala, where Famoudou grew up amid the rich tradition of drum, dance and song.
The following slide shows present images of this unique learning experience of drum culture in Guinea.
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