Category: Teachers

  • Ngri : Papus Zani

    Ngri : Papus Zani

  • Komo : Daouda Doumbia

    Komo : Daouda Doumbia

  • Sunu : Lamine Traore

    Sunu : Lamine Traore

  • Ngri : Rainer Polak, Gerhard Kero

    Ngri : Rainer Polak, Gerhard Kero

  • Mendiani Dance : Mariam Diakite

    Mendiani Dance : Mariam Diakite

  • Madan Dance : Mariam Diakite

    Madan Dance : Mariam Diakite

  • Ngri : Mady Keita

    Ngri : Mady Keita

    Mady Keita plays Ngri for his drum students in Australia.

  • Maraka : Matche Traore

    Maraka : Matche Traore

    Matche Traore demonstrates the rhythm Maraka accompanied by Jesse Servin, and Aaron in Bamako. January 2016.

  • Sogoninkun, Ngri : Seydou Balo

    Sogoninkun, Ngri : Seydou Balo

    Seydou Balo plays two rhythms from his home region of Wassoulou. First Sogoninkun and then Ngri. We like this video because: Seydou and konkoni player Madou Diakite take us through different movements of these rhythms with the ups and downs typical of Wassoulou drumming.

  • Sungurubani, Fura : Souleymane Sidibe, Matche Traore

    Sungurubani, Fura : Souleymane Sidibe, Matche Traore

    Matche Traore and his teacher Souleymane Sidibe play two rhythms in this video shot in Bamako at The Djembe Hotel. They are joined by Sidi Jan Traore, a djembe player visiting from Kayes. The first is a rhythm with many versions from Wassoulou known as Sungurubani. The second is called Fura in Bamako (aka Kita […]

  • Suku : Issou Keita

    Suku : Issou Keita

    This is a clean Bamako version of Suku (Soli Rapide) with clear language and minimal embellishments. Issou (Student of Matche Traore, and son to Michael Tivier of Wassoulou Percussions) plays through a sequence twice – the second time is faster with more force. We like this video because: This video is good for studying. The […]

  • Sunu : Karim Coulibaly

    Sunu : Karim Coulibaly

    Karim Coulibaly (Featured as a guest soloist on Sega Sidibe’s most recent release) and another guy (possibly Sheik Oumar Traore) play Sunu in Bamako.  The first guy plays his solo mostly with tones and closed slaps, just like they do in Kaarta, the area Sunu comes from. We like this video because: There are no dununs […]

  • Farabakan : Sega Sidibe

    Farabakan : Sega Sidibe

    This is a fantastic rendition of Farabakan, or “Kalabanka”, as Sega says it was originally called. According to a thread on djembefola.com, Sega has been known to say that this rhythm was played without dundun until more recently. So in this video, he gets to show the older version of the rhythm.

  • Mendiani : Drissa Kone

    Mendiani : Drissa Kone

    For this rendition of Mendiani, Drissa Kone is accompanied by Jeremy Chevrier on djembe and Banou Sidibe on dunduns. Mendiani is one of Drissa’s strongest rhythms. He was fortunate enough to have learned much from Fasiriman Keita, the former drummer for Daba Keita. Daba is the Malian drummer and dancer credited with creating the Malinke group “Troupe Mendiani.” in the […]

  • Mendiani : Madou Sako

    Mendiani : Madou Sako

    This is a clean, solid rendition of Mendiani by Madou Sako and one dundun player on ballet style dunduns. Madou’s playing is really tasty. In this video, he plays pure, no-frills Mendiani without making it dry and boring. It’s very interesting to watch his basses in this video. Some cool stuff going on there. He […]

  • Maraka : Mady Keita

    Maraka : Mady Keita

    Mady Keita goes through many root solo phrases for Maraka in this demonstration with Matche Traore playing konkoni. It’s a great video to study because the phrasing is very clear, even if it is somewhat dry.

  • Maraka : Khalifa “Mao” Berthe

    Maraka : Khalifa “Mao” Berthe

    This video is from the Kangaba area south of Bamako. The guy’s name is Khalifa Berthe, but he is known as “Mao.” Before his death, Mao was one of the main drummers from Kangaba., He sure can play! This video demonstrates how with good timing and phrasing, and active accompaniment, an ensemble can play high-energy […]

  • Ngri : Seydou Balo

    Ngri : Seydou Balo

    Seydou Balo (deceased) plays a great demonstration of Ngri during a class held at the Djembe Hotel in Bamako, Mali. Seydou is from the Wassoulou region of Mali, and so is this rhythm, Ngri. He plays Ngri with a flavor that’s different from the way Bamako musicians play it today. Only Seydou plays djembe in this […]

  • Village Djembe Documentary

    Village Djembe Documentary

    The short documentary by Jeremy Chevrier of Rootsyrecords features Sega Cisse and other villagers from the area of Fuladugu, west of Bamako. There are a lot of familiar rhythms and dances featured in this video, and it’s nice to see footage of them from Fuladugu in contrast to Bamako. Key Moments: 0:00 Jeremy Chevrier Plays the intro […]

  • Madan : Adama Coulibaly

    Madan : Adama Coulibaly

    Exceptionally melodic playing in this video by djembefola Adama Coulibaly in Kangaba, Mali, south of Bamako. Adama leaves a good amount of space in his soloing to let the simple accompaniment and dundun playing come through. Toward the end of the video, the dance starts to heat up, leading into what’s called “Mana Mani” in […]

  • Festival : Segou, Mali

    Festival : Segou, Mali

    Malik Drame plays Bara music on bonkolo at a Bamana festival in Segou Mali. Funky! Bonkolo predates Djembe for the Bamana people. Today, in Mali, ancient rhythms like Bara get played on djembe, too. It’s good to get an idea of the origional instrumentation for these rhythms. The ergonomics of bonkolo tend to result in […]

  • Mendiani, Tansole, Maraka + More : Daouda Doumbia

    Mendiani, Tansole, Maraka + More : Daouda Doumbia

    Daouda Doumbiya sings songs and plays some very nice phrasing for a handful of djembe rhythms in Segou, Mali. We Like this Video Because: Daouda sings some songs that are easy to hear. He plays phrases that mark the dance. He uses some closed and muted slaps for melody. Daouda is a great player, and […]

  • N’Gri : Seydou Balo, Drissa Kone

    N’Gri : Seydou Balo, Drissa Kone

    Seydou Balo and Drissa Kone play Ngri in Bamako. They each solo with their own unique style. We like this video because: Seydou and Drissa both play with their own unique style. It’s nice to see the contrast. Seydou plays Ngri with a more Wassolon playing style, which is where this rhythm is from. They […]

  • Sumalen : Drissa Kone

    Sumalen : Drissa Kone

    Drissa Kone and his chums play a rhythm called Sumalen – and man, is it ever groovy! We like this video because: This is a very musical rendition of Sumalen. It’s a pleasure to watch. There are very few videos of this rhythm on the web. It’s also one of the few examples of using […]