Michael Pluznick » Africa

There are many kinds and types of djembe and African drum rhythms

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 17:20:42 +0000

Let’s face the facts. Until Mamady Keita arrived in the USA we were playing djembe ass backwards. For example, Mandiani was more often then not being played backwards as Soli, (Donba in Senegal) or visa versa. We were doing the best we could at the time as there was very limited resources available in the late 70′s and very few instructors as well. It was prior to the internet and consumer cmcorders were still [...]

Studying West African drumming in Mali part one

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:27:47 +0000

My first trip to Africa was to Mali ,West Africa. I was always scared to go to Africa even though all my friends and students had already gone and the reports were always very positive. I was scared of getting sick. I heard the horror stories of people getting sick there, the poor hospitals, bad conditions and everything else. But in the back of my mind since I first started playing in the 70's I knew I would go, I knew I had to go. I was just waiting for the right timing, [...]

Studying in Guinee Part 1

admin — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:01:28 +0000

Many people often ask me "what was it like to study and travel in Guinee"? And "where did you like better Guinee or Mali"? I love both places to study and live but for different reasons. In Guinee I stayed with the late great Kemoko Sano and his family at his compound in Merveilles. I went to Guinea with an old friend who was traveling with me in Mali. But my friend did not like it there so he left after a few days to another compound. It was very interesting for me to stay in a place where no one spoke english except my teacher whose english was barely understandable at best. [...]

Amazing and athletic dancers solo and perform at traditional “Dununba” drum and dance party @Kemoko Sano’s

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 03:13:23 +0000

Very athletic and amazing dancers solo and perform at a “dununba” community drum and dance celebration. Dununba refers to “strong mans dance” as it was originaly called and used as. This djembe drum and west african dance party takes place at my friend and teachers house, the late, great and legendary Konoko Sano of Ballettes Africans fame.

“Mali Grand Master” djembe class with Brulye and Aruna: Mendiani

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:41:23 +0000

http://www.earthcds.com/africa/west/m…

Aruna and Brulye teach Michael P Mendiani solo technique at a djembe class at Centre Togola in the Sabalibougou district of Bamako Mali. Music, song, djembe and dunun class and djembe lessons are held here every day of the week. If you want to study djembe in Mali, this is the place to go for a djembe lesson or african dance class. These guys and their students really play djembe well! Very [...]

Mali Young Masters: Mali Djembe Drum Music Recording Session

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:36:25 +0000

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

The Young Guns album was recorded at the community center directly outside the huge bustling market place in Sabalibougou, a small local district of Bamako. Siaka is the leader and premier soloist of this smaller group. He goes through a variety of popular yet traditional peices of djembe music as it is played by his age group in Bamako at weddings, ceremonies and group dance performances. This recording session is for the [...]

Super hot Mali djembe and drums, live recording and video!

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:07:42 +0000

“Young Guns” #2 recording session. Some of Bamako , Mali’s finest young musicians perform live djembe music. This piece is “Danza” (Mali) also known as Diansa in Guinee. This group is led by Siaka Doumbia on lead with Sekou on 2nd djembe , “MC” on konkoni and Morike on dunun.

Grand Master Drummer M’Bemba Bangoura “Djembekan” (solo)

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:46:45 +0000

Master djembe drummer, master of ceremonies and all around fun and good guy M’Bemba Bangoura in a rare performance in his home town and country in Conakry, Guinee, West Africa at a large community drumming event welcoming home many of Guinea West Africa’s wonderful djembe masters and drummers of all ages!

Amazing! Dazling Young child djembe SUPER STAR player solos at show : AMAZING!

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:13:54 +0000

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

An amazing 6 year old child djembe drummer solos at Guinee, West African “Spectac” (big show in Conakry, Guinea). Music similar to this and other similar high quality digitaly recorded audio recordings I did in Mali are now available for sale:

http://www.earthcds.com/africa/west/mali

Masters of Djembe#4: Dancer, Jaques Pt.2 &Dunun solo!! In “HD”!

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:34:45 +0000

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

Jaques comes back for his second solo in this all star djembe fola-young masters video form Conakry Guinee West Africa. Please check out part two of the traditional male african dancer and the remarkable dunun solo as well!! I made this durring my 2nd study tour of West Africa where I met and played with several master djembe drummers and djembe folas in Guinea and Mali.

Dununba #1 “HD” Djembe drum and dance party in Conakry, Guinea

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:00:53 +0000

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sdoumbiacrew

#1 in a series: This is my best quality High Definition video yet! If your computer is fast enough, press the HD button, You can still watch it in regular format as well! This video was shot at a Dununba (aka dundunba) community celebration and dnace party I attended in Conakry, Guinea West Africa while I was studying with the late great Komoko Sano at his compound. I am installing it in [...]

“African Dance”: Young Boy shows his stuff at Dununba Drum and Dance party in Conakry, Guinea

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:31:12 +0000

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

Dununba #8:A young boy at a community drum and dance, “dundunba” party shows his dance and acrobatics as well as traditional west african dance technique in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa! I filmed this on my 2nd trip to West Africa. Master Djembe Drummer M’Bemba Bangoura and Jaques play at this one as well! Djembe masters and djembe drumming, too!