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Coming full circle: A Return to Africa
It’s been almost three years since the release of Finding the Source, which, among other things, chronicled my adventures in West Africa with two musical masters, Lanciné Conde and Famoudou Konaté.
Sadly, the first of those two, the talented fuléfola Lanciné Conde, is no longer with us. It pulls at my heart every day that he never knew about the book that immortalized not only our wild and sometimes mystical exploits but our friendship, too.
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Lanciné Conde and Dave, circa 2016
Debt of Gratitude
I’m pleased to report, however, that the second of those masters, Famoudou Konaté, is alive and well at eighty-five.
After Finding the Source came out, life brought me to fresh places, and as the years piled up behind me with no new visits to the African continent, I wondered if my twenty-year African run with Africa had concluded. After Lanciné’s untimely passing in 2021, the question that haunted me was: Would I ever see Famoudou again?
Famoudou played a big part in the Source too, and I owed him a debt of gratitude for all he did to help me through some difficult times. I knew I would have regrets if I didn’t return to Africa and tell him in person how much his mentorship and friendship meant to me over the years.
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An Opportunity
In 2023, an opportunity arose for me to at least begin the process of repaying that debt of gratitude. After years of work, Famoudou had finally published his memoir in German and French. The expenses related to doing so had tapped him, and negotiating the complexities of book publishing had burned him out. Getting his book into the hands of English-speaking readers had always been a primary goal, though, so that summer, he and his co-author, Professor Thomas Ott from Germany, reached out to me to see if I would be interested in helping translate and eventually publish Famoudou’s book in English. Of course, I agreed.
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Famoudou with Thomas Ott after the release of the German and French editions
The Work Begins
Over the year-and-a-half that followed, translating and publishing Famoudou’s book was a labor of love that, among other things, helped me better understand the intricacies of the culture I had already been navigating for the better part of my adult life. The English version of Famoudou’s book, Memoirs of an African Musician: My Life, My Djembé, My Culture, came out in January 2025 through my imprint, Artemisia Books. We’re all immensely proud of the result, and the response thus far has been overwhelmingly positive.
Working on Famoudou’s book was satisfying for many reasons: first, I knew that this was an important book. Famoudou’s unique combination of wisdom, knowledge, and experience is rare. His lifetime spans the colonial era, Guinean independence, and the modern age, and his travels have taken him around the world more times and to more countries than most people can dream of.
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Add to this his rich cultural and musical heritage, and Famoudou is a treasure trove of information. His stories, anecdotes, and knowledge are worth preserving for future generations of Africans and non-Africans alike, and his memoir is a worthy tribute to a life well-lived.
On a more personal level, Memoirs of an African Musician gave me an opportunity to work with Famoudou in a way that ultimately deepened our friendship. And I knew it was the perfect excuse to return to West Africa at long last to see the friend who had so profoundly affected my life’s trajectory. So in February 2025, with the book freshly published and the first orders making their way to readers around the world, I filled my suitcase with books, grabbed a couple of flutes, and boarded a plane bound for Guinea one more time.
A Reunion in Africa
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From left: Billy Konaté, Famoudou, Dave in Conakry
What I found in Guinea was a Famoudou as vibrant and passionate as ever and one who had risen to the status of legend in Guinea. On our daily excursions together, people greeted Famoudou like a national hero. On the streets of Conakry, young musicians bowed before him and often took the opportunity to kiss the hands that had helped transform the djembé from a little-known percussion instrument into a worldwide phenomenon. In the evenings, Guinea’s rising stars of the djembé organized concerts in Famoudou’s honor. Famoudou, even at eighty-five, attended them all enthusiastically.
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Famoudou and young musicians before a concert in his honor.
“Papa” Famoudou
Despite the praise lavished on him, when visitors came to the house, Famoudou, like a proud father, spoke not about himself or his formidable achievements but instead would proudly show off my books! Djoliba Crossing and Drawing on Culture, being illustrated, were his favorites, and he would often take the time to go through them page by page, treating his visitors to a discourse on the cultural significance of each drawing or painting within them. My books took on a whole new life in the hands of Famoudou, who, unable to read the words in English, told his own stories about the people, places, and traditions portrayed.
Connecting with the Community
During my time in Guinea, Famoudou and I had the great fortune to meet or reconnect with some amazing people in the community. Some notable visitors included none other than flute virtuoso Mamady Mansaré, djembéfolas Sayon Camara and Namory Keita, rising star on the flute Lava “le sorcier” Abdoulaye, and esteemed Malinké language scholar Mamoudou Condé.
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With Mamady Mansaré
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With Malinké scholar Mamadou Condé
Amidst all this activity, Famoudou and I spent some quality downtime together. We talked about music, changing traditions, and the state of the world today. He was endlessly curious and always wanted to know about my life in America. During slow walks through the neighborhood—Famoudou mostly walks with a cane now and always needed my arm for support—Famoudou would confide in me his feelings on topics as widely varied as politics, marriage, traditional medicine, his secret longing for beer (forbidden by Islam), or the role religion has played in redefining his traditional culture. I never knew quite what to expect, and surprises and laughter were a constant.
Future Projects
The highlights of our three weeks together are too many to recount here, but I’m sure that as time allows, some of them will find their way into ink. One morning, Famoudou was gracious enough to conduct a three-hour interview to assist me with my upcoming book, tentatively titled Dokaran: The Secrets of the Mande Flute. The many stories he recounted about each of the twenty songs I’m writing about will surely provide some engaging and enlightening material for students of African music.
In the meantime, I’m left with some wonderful memories and a renewed connection to my friends and “family” in Guinea, West Africa. Thank you, Famoudou and the whole Konaté family.
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Famoudou at home in Conakry
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Harvesting the moringa plant together
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From left: Damas Camara, Famoudou Konaté, Namory Keita, Sayon Camara, Dave Kobrenski
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Two of my favorite humans: Siré and Nagnouma Konaté!
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[longDesc] => #### The master djembéfola—in his own words. Discover the magic and intrigue of West Africa in the long-awaited English version of Famoudou Konaté’s book.
_Written by Famoudou Konaté, with Thomas Ott_
_translated by Dave Kobrenski_
Memoirs of an African Musician tells the remarkable life story of Famoudou Konaté, a master of the djembé from Guinea, West Africa. Rooted in the traditions of his Malinké homeland, where music and rhythm are woven into the fabric of life, Konaté takes the reader on a journey deep into African traditions, across continents during a groundbreaking international career, and back again to where it started, to the heart of a culture that has endured through centuries of trials and hardships.
Along the way, Konaté unveils the mysteries of the djembé and its accompanying instruments, revealing rare insights into rhythms, techniques, and the cultural meanings behind the music. Beyond the drum, he offers a portrait of life in Malinké society—its traditions, struggles, and values—while reflecting on his experiences of bridging worlds, from remote Guinean villages to stages around the globe. His story is a testament to resilience, cultural pride, and the universal language of music, inviting readers to experience the rhythms of West Africa in an entirely new way.
Introduction by Professor Thomas Ott.
Translated by Dave Kobrenski, with cultural and historical footnotes.
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— Dave Kobrenski, author of _Finding the Source_ and _Djoliba Crossing_
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**_The master djembéfola—in his own words._ Discover the magic and intrigue of West Africa in the long-awaited English version of Famoudou Konaté’s book.**
The grand master shares his musical journey from West Africa to the world stage and back again, to where it all began. Along the way, he unveils the mysteries of the djembé and its accompanying instruments, revealing rare insights into rhythms, techniques, and the cultural meanings behind the music.
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Memoirs of an African Musician
The master djembéfola shares his musical journey from West Africa to the world stage and back again.
Softcover: $24.95
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[longDesc] => #### Somewhere in Africa, the blacksmith’s widow is rumored to still be alive. And her dark magic is Dave’s last hope of ending a twenty-year curse. If only he can find her.
Somewhere in Africa, the blacksmith’s widow is rumored to still be alive. And her dark magic is Dave’s last hope of ending a twenty-year curse. If only he can find her.
Deep in the heart of West Africa, there is a power as old as the Earth. This is a land where ancestors walk among the living and impish spirits dwell in the forest. Occult knowledge is guarded by secret societies, and blacksmith artists carve sacred masks that invoke deities. Here, art is magic…and it is not for the uninitiated.
An ocean away, Dave is a struggling artist who longs for adventure in distant places. When fate brings him to West Africa, his dream becomes a reality, and he’s drawn into a world of ritual drumming, ancient traditions, and vodoun magic. But the dream soon turns into a nightmare.
The mysterious illness comes on violently. As Dave convulses with pain, the villagers call it a curse, suspecting sorcery or ancestor spirits. At first, Dave’s not so sure. Back in America, his doctors lead him down a dangerous road of pharmaceuticals and opioid painkillers, but the condition only worsens. As the years go by, Dave’s suspicions deepen, and he must decide. Was it really a curse that beset him all those years ago?
Facing a life of disability and heartbreak, Dave’s final desperate quest for healing brings him back to West Africa to answer that question. To find the source, he must question everything he thinks he knows, and put his trust in the words of a shaman and in spiritual forces he’s not sure exist. But in the end, it’s his own demons he must confront, before the curse finally destroys him.
_A spellbinding account of an artist’s unconventional journey through West Africa to overcome a debilitating illness—and to find the true source of his pain._
***
“Compelling reading...a work that often has a captivating sense of immediacy.”
-- _Kirkus Reviews_
“Kobrenski writes with great charm and is an enlightening guide to aspects of African life with particularly fascinating investigations into the history of voudoun and ritual magic.”
-- _IndieReader_
“A book that will inspire seekers whose lives are touched by chronic illness.”
-- _Publishers Weekly_
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A touching and profound real-life adventure story that spans continents--and worlds.
“Compelling reading...a work that often has a captivating sense of immediacy.”
-- _Kirkus Reviews_
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Finding the Source
A profound real-life adventure story that spans continents—and worlds.
Softcover: $17.95
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[longDesc] => **In _Drawing on Culture_, artist and ethnomusicologist Dave Kobrenski takes readers on an artistic journey of cultural discovery into the heart of West Africa.**
For two decades, Kobrenski studied music with master _djembé_ players in Guinea, returning year after year to the historical homeland of the Mali Empire, carrying only a sketchbook and his curiosity. Living in a small village along the Niger River, he eventually turned his attention—and his art—to topics that concern us all: Why is culture important? What can we in the West learn from a village in West Africa? And why are so many cultures disappearing from the face of the Earth?
In _Drawing on Culture_, Kobrenski shares his artwork, stories, and insights about culture and worldviews with the keen eye of an anthropologist so that we might, in turn, see our own cultural worldview with new eyes. More than thirty new artworks from his time in Guinea are compiled here alongside his own field notes and essays. His portrait drawings inspire conversations about diversity, tradition, and why ancient ways of knowing are now more relevant than ever.
Both a visually rich travelogue and insightful ethnography, _Drawing on Culture_ invites us to listen to our planet’s oldest cultures so that we might come to understand how to regain ecological balance on a planet spinning out of control with human activity.
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[reviews] => “This evocative account of one person's travels in Guinea, West Africa, along with delightful drawings and perceptive observations of village life as well as of our current world dilemmas, is a pleasure. As a respectful and alert sojourner, Dave Kobrenski manages to navigate between worlds in a sensitive and sensible fashion. Writing as a musician, he provides sounds and sights of the people.”
— *Philip M. Peek, Ph.D,* editor of _African Divination Systems: Ways of Knowing_
***
“Dave Kobrenski is a gifted artist and musician, and a better anthropologist than many of the PhDs I know. Here is a fine text that depicts people as they are, illustrates their essence, and demonstrates the importance of appreciating, without appropriating, their lives and ways of being.”
— *Katherine Donahue, Ph.D,* Professor Emerita, Anthropology
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Drawing on Culture
More than 30 new artworks and travel writings from West Africa.
Softcover: $24.00
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Dave is also is the author of _[Drawing on Culture](/drawing-on-culture)_ and _Finding the Source_ (coming soon).
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[longDesc] => ★★★★★ *“Djoliba Crossing is an excellent and beautifully-crafted introduction to the world of Malinké music and dance.”*
-- Indie Reader
***
**Discover the music and culture of West Africa in this beautifully illustrated account of an artist’s adventures in the Niger River valley.**
When artist and musician Dave Kobrenski first set out for Guinea, West Africa, it was simply to learn the _djembé_ music of the Malinké people. What he found instead was a land of ancient traditions where spirits mingle with the living and the souls of ancestors reside in sacred groves of trees. He soon learns that intense poverty and rampant political corruption are a mixture with explosive potential in Conakry’s inner-city. When bloody clashes erupt, no traveler is safe. For Kobrenski, the result was a two decade musical adventure that would test his resolve and draw him into a quest of cultural understanding.
_Djoliba Crossing_ is Kobrenski’s travel-worn collection of stories, paintings, drawings, and rhythm notations. On the surface, it is a travelogue, adventure story, and a celebration of Mandé music and culture. Looking deeper, _Djoliba Crossing_ is about glimpsing in the everyday dust of existence the potential for diverse ways of being. It is an invitation into ancient traditions still guarded by a culture dancing on the edge of modernity, a culture which understands that who we _are_ is who we _were._
_Djoliba Crossing_ is both an adventure memoir and a guidebook for the music traditions of West Africa. Descriptions of ancient music and festivals are enriched by original artwork, historical research, and rhythm notations for the _djembé_, _dununba_, _sangban_, and _kenkeni_ drums. Together, they offer a glimpse into a world hidden off the beaten path, and chronicle an artist’s journey deep into realms of the unexpected.
**Features:**
Djoliba Crossing is a premium quality, full color book with 192 pages of stories, historical and cultural information, rhythm transcriptions, maps, and more. The book contains over 70 full color illustrations.
- 192 pages
- large format, 8.5x11, full-color
- 70 full-color illustrations
- hand-drawn maps
- complete rhythm transcriptions for djembe + dunun drums
[name] => Djoliba Crossing
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[publisher] => Artemisia Books
[reviews] => "Djoliba Crossing is an excellent and beautifully-crafted introduction to the world of Malinké music and dance, explaining its relationship to daily life and to ritual activity."
― _Indie Reader_
***
"This book is key if you are studying the music, culture and/or dance of this region of the world. The drawings are exquisite. The notes are inspiring, and the writing is a true representation of what it is like to travel and experience the culture of Guinea, West Africa. I have several students who study this region and I request that any serious students purchase this book. I believe that you will not be disappointed. The graphics are stunning. This book is a work of art, IMO.”
— David M. Smith
***
"I just received a copy of this book in the mail, and am so excited to explore it more. My first impression, is that it is beautiful. The book is filled with original artwork, and even the page with just text is visually appealing. I have the paperback copy, and the paper is a much finer, thicker quality than what you would expect from a paper back. What I am most excited about is that in the back, Kobrenski included a ton of original drum transcriptions he collected himself on his visits to West Africa. He also talks about in what context he heard the drumming. Highly recommended for drummers, music teachers, or people interested in West Africa.”
— Apple Scruff (Amazon review)
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[shortDesc] => When artist and musician Dave Kobrenski first set out for Guinea, West Africa, it was simply to learn the _djembé_ music of the Malinké people. What he found was a land of ancient traditions where spirits mingle with the living—and where extreme poverty and rampant political corruption are an explosive mixture. When bloody clashes erupt, no traveler is safe. For Kobrenski, the result was a two decade musical adventure that would test his resolve and draw him into a quest of cultural understanding.
[slug] => djoliba-crossing
[subtitle] => Journeys into West African Music and Culture
[title] => Djoliba Crossing
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Djoliba Crossing
Updated 2nd Edition, with 50+ pages of illustrations and rhythm notations.
Softcover: $29.95
About the Author
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