Kenny, I thought you might like this.

Simply awesome!

That may be one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

Asaph, was that wicked or what?!

Thanks Don, that video is really sweet. Alot of work goes into making those drums! makes me glad for chainsaws and power tools! they don't even show the intricate hand carving they have to do on every drum to get the proper shape.That rhythm they play, Kassa. is used to work the fields to. If the crops fail the drummers get the blame! I know a Guinean drummer with the same name as the lead drummer Mohammed Camara. This is a different guy probably a common name, the guy i know is so powerful on djembe. i gave him some cloth bandaids once as he had a split on his index finger an inch long he just played with it like nothing was wrong! i was like dude wrap that up and gave him a bundle to take with him!. if you get a chance sit in on some classes at malonga center in Oakland. You won't believe sitting next to them and absorbing 3000 years of musical heritage dropped in your lap. Seriously take advantage of that if you can. It's an amazing experience. They are very forthcoming with their knowledge as trained teachers. Even just to observe a class is worth it. http://mccatheater.com/?page_id=85 I see they have 4:30 guinea dance class on sundays. the drumming will blow u away!
if you get a chance check out the movie djembefola about the life of Mamady Keita, it's extraordinary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RMQOXOesnk

I've just started going to batucada ensemble/samba parade band it's really fun and complex. How they get 35 people in sync on these complicated long breaks is really mind boggling. It's alot of memorization.l

Hey, Kenny,

Thanks for the Information. I get LOTS of invite emails to
participate in these kinds of classes. Haven't done it yet.
I'm very interested in studying drumming from a more ethnic
approach and with the hands, learning different melodic,
repeating patterns. I will do this.... Any study clips you could
send my way would be much appreciated...

Thanks, Kenny.

Here's a couple of choice clips of the real deal. There are a lot of lame so called instructional videos out there so i prefer to go straight to the source. It's really the classic thing where there really is no substitute for a good teacher. So my advice is forget about youtube and get down to one of these caliber classes. because they know how to get you to pick it up as in tone production and rhythms, that a video cannot do for you. But you certainly can surf around the videos just to get an idea of different styles and diverse types of drumming in west Africa alone. such as djembe, sabar, tama etc.. once you have some technique then, sure videos can be the next best thing.


Just the tone production these guys get gives me chills not to mention the physical control they possess. Keep in mind this is something they've been doing since they could barely walk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMQhNZdbvbs&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5C266wI0Iw&feature=related

Ibrahima was really pulling off some 'rudiments' there.

Are the 2 extruding things filled with beads/seeds or something? They didn't look like pouches, but the sound is obviously there.

Good stuff.... Thanks for all the info, Kenny.

Asaph those extruding "ears" off the top of the drum are called nyangama or ksing ksing. because they sound like"ksing ksing" and they are made out of some ghetto ass pieces of galvanized metal.
http://www.amazon.com/Ksink-Set-Djembe-Drum-Resonators/dp/B007ZS0HAS