detail: Swing Mode #2

  • 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

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • Ceremony In Bamako : Seydou Keita

    Ceremony In Bamako : Seydou Keita

    Seydou Keita plays djembe tastefully at this ceremony in Bamako. Do you know the name of this rhythm and dance? We like this video because: Seydou is a younger guy with great energy, but unlike many young djembe players in Bamako, he respects each rhythm’s special flavor. It’s a good study reference. Tisanba doesn’t show up […]

  • Sunu : Kantara Sakho

    Sunu : Kantara Sakho

    Kantara Sakho demonstrates a rootsy rendition of Sunu under a tree with his baye fall apprentice in Malicounda, near Mbour, Senegal. We like this video because: Kantara is originally from Kaarta, and so is this rhythm. He uses a lot of basses in the rhythm. This is typical of oldstyle Sunu. There’s actually a dundun part […]

  • Suku, Madan : Drissa Kone, Sedou Balo

    Suku, Madan : Drissa Kone, Sedou Balo

    Drissa Kone and Sedou Balo have fun warming up before a ceremony in Bamako. What a team! We like this video because: Contrast. These guys have really different styles. In Suku, we can learn a lot from watching them both do it “their way”. We can also learn some good, simple jeli dundun variations from […]

  • Ngri, Suku : Mamadou Sidibe

    Ngri, Suku : Mamadou Sidibe

    Mamadou Sidibe, plays Ngri and Suku (or Maninka Mory Foli, as it’s sometimes called in Tamba) with Samba Traore on Accompaniment. We like this video because: In this video, there are no dunduns, but they play djembe with remarkable melody. Mamadou plays with juicy techniques like the tone roll, and closed slaps. Just like Famoudou […]

  • Dansa : Matche Traore, Souleye Sidibe

    Dansa : Matche Traore, Souleye Sidibe

    Matche and his teacher Souleye Sidibe play djembe solo for Dansa. Matche plays in a very “Bamako” style and Souleye plays in a very “Wassolon” style. We like this video because: We love these videos where two people play djembe solo with quite different styles. The contrast helps us hone in on the rhythm’s essence […]

  • Sunu : Jeremy Chevrier, Sega Cisse

    Sunu : Jeremy Chevrier, Sega Cisse

    Here we see Jeremy and Sega Cisse trading solos for Sunu in a session at the Djembe Hotel in Bamako. Jeremy Chevrier doesn’t often solo on camera, so this is a rare treat indeed! Jeremy’s playing is sweet and juicy, and it’s obvious that Sega is having a good time playing with him.

  • Madan, Wurukutu : Sega Sidibe

    Madan, Wurukutu : Sega Sidibe

  • Dansa Rehearsal : National Ballet of Mali

    Dansa Rehearsal : National Ballet of Mali

  • Sogoninkun : Seydou Balo

    Sogoninkun : Seydou Balo