Posts by Category: Music
World Drum Club Interview
Kalani Das and Dave Kobrenski
This past month, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kalani Das for his World Drum Club channel. We chatted about music and drums (of course!) but also about social and cultural issues, the challenges and benefits of learning the djembé, and lots more. Check out the full interview here.
Behind the Music
Sorsornet and Faama Denké
Music, Anthropology Jun 20 2022
A detailed look at the classic Mande song Faama Denké and the Baga rhythm, Sorsornet. Includes drum notation, sheet music, lyrics and translations.
Kedjula Kanin
A melodic tribute and study guide
Music Feb 18 2022
The song “Kedjula Kanin” appears on Mamady Keïta’s album, Mandeng Djara, and features an exquisite arrangement and performance. Here is my own recording and study guide to the accompanying song, featuring flute, ngoni, and calabash. Includes Malinké lyrics and English translation.
Behind the Music
Soli de Daouda Condé
Music Feb 7 2022
A breakdown of the creative process behind the rhythm and song Soli de Daouda Condé, which appears on the Afroflute EP. Includes djembé and dunun phrases, balafon, Fula flute, and more.
Dununba
Dance of the Strong Men
Music, Anthropology Feb 2 2022
The dununba is an event that belongs to a family of about thirty rhythms and dances, aptly referred to as “the dance of the strong men.” These are day-long feats of endurance by the strongest men of the village.
Fadama
Original Song by Afroflute
Music, Inspiration, Africa Jan 26 2022
In the village of Fadama, the ancient traditions of the Malinke People dance among the living and breathe fresh air each day. Here, stories and songs take the place of textbooks for passing down a rich oral history that spans centuries. It is the griots who keep this living history alive, and Fadama’s population is comprised largely of griot families. As such, this unassuming little village has long been renowned as a place of knowledge, and dedicated to the dissemination of oral histories through the collective work of countless generations of griots.