What style drumming best sums you up?

[James]

So what style are you most into?

[rachelnguyen]

Hi James,

I can't seem to register my vote... but since my teacher is from Bamako, I assume that is the style I am learning. I might be too new to this to answer accurately, though, as I don't really know the differences yet.

Rachel

[KEANIEirishdjembe]

yo i have my own style to some degree as i played a good few years before going to west Africa
This includes improvising and trying to make nice and hard music

i take some inspiration from 10 years of dj,ing parties with hard experimental and industrial dance music, boomboomboom boomaaaaagggghexplosisions etc crash bang bop til ya drop

so i play a mix this with a bit of senegalise twist on guinean style and guinean style i think if i have to name them, read on for experiences

I trained 5 months in gambia with abubacar jatta, senegalise solist
he,s very fast aggressive and powerful so i tryed to keep up with him and developed some good power and speed and good enough definition between tone and slap(ya can hear ny tones good nuff).
we done a lot of work with rhythym especially dundunbas dank n dank and da.... da du du da...in 6_8 for 2hours a day with another 2 on kassa, six days a week --rhythyms__lekule, como danu, liberte, donnadon, ballaculina, not enough solo do, (mabye i wasn,t ready!!!)

so then i splitt for him and found koto bangoura in gambia and spent 5 weeks with him learning some traditional,guinean stylie,
great teacher, we covered 7 rhythyms with intermediate solo and accelerations, Yankadee, Soko, Rumba, Liberte, Lamba, dunumbe, Soli
This was fun and hard work and as it turned out i was ready, just...

so i play these solos every day and i love them. nice music great calls and responces with dunduns and some simply enough breaks, we only had 5 weeks, so i recon we fit a lot in, this is my style if i can claim to have a style. mixed up i like to play hard and soft, fast and slow__ with a dash of toubab spontinaity and daring expression

[jteskie]

Keanieirishdjembe - how did you connect with these teachers and how much did it cost to study with them for that time?

[KEANIEirishdjembe]

hi man, i know people who went to west africa over the years and got a contact from them

i met other drummers and bands over in gambia
i haven't been to guinea or mali where i think you can meet lots of teachers, higher standard too

in gambia there are some good guinean teachers and plenty of senegalise and other teachers.and loads of teachers for sabar, mandinka, boogerabu, kora, balafon etc

i'd recomend finding some one who can tell you all about what you are learning. good communication is very important with teacher. and trust and respect. you must get on well if you are to spent a lot of time togerther too. they must be able to explain the culture this drumming is coming from and what all ther songs and dances are about. they should have studied their culture to become good teachers

cost is negiatable, it's between you and teacher sometimes depending on the circumstances too
maybe you have a lot or a little, maybe there busy or maybe they will dedicate 5 hours a day 6 days a week to you so you must decide what level you want to learn at and be realistic. cost of living going up in west africa especially gambia with high aliens tax for guineans!!

also it depends have you a band training or dancers or are you on your own

i now train with koto bangoura from guinea national ballet. i can send you his number if you like

i had little money left when i met him last year, so he taught me for free for 5 weeks
he said open your heart and your mind to recieve gift from his people and family
i've repaid him by helping him register his band and paying aliens tax and rent.

i'm going there on sunday so i can get all the info from him, and mail it to you too
i'll be back in june with recordings and video

mail me at freedrum@gmail.com

check out rootsy records for drumming in mali, they put a 2 hour class at approx 10- 15 dollors
you can probably get cheaper and more expensive teachers depending on the situation.

if you like to go, save up and go. is a good place with cool people and great culture
rent, food and travel is cheap for euros or americans flight there is biggest cost

and post question into forum to get info from people with more experience
i think there are plenty of people who trained with many good teachers in guinea, mali,.. america,..

lots of workshops on offer on the net to travel to west africa up to a month to train in group.
good luck