Featured CD

Preview the new CD
"Rise Up" by Barabajaba.

Featured Products

Your First Djembe Rhythm

The Rhythm Reference Project

This is an amazing audio and notation encyclopedia of every djembe and dun dun part for 50 Rhythms!

Tasumakan

The new MP Signature Model Eco Pro 12″ and 13″ wood djembes have arrived !

The new MP Signature Model Eco Pro 12" and 13" wood djembes

The new MP Signature Model Eco Pro 12″ and 13″ wood djembes have arrived in the UK and are avaialbale at WRP (World Rhythm and Percussion) now.. These drums are made in Indonesia from plantation wood which is planted and replanted responsibly. I have been working on these drums for about two years now and also field testing them all around the world and I am really happy with the sound and feel! [...]

Becoming a drummer, “where do I fit in” some tips on finding balance

congas and djembes room

Maybe you are a beginer or perhaps you have been drumming a while. A challenge or problem that we all face at one time or another in our drumming life is “where do I fit”? What is the type of music I really want to play and who are the people that I want to play with or learn from? Do I want to freestyle or play traditional music? [...]

Michael Pluznick teaches Zaouli break into Kuku djembe solo on Toca Stage Series Pro wood djembe

IMG_3116

Toca artist and Toca endorsee Michael Pluznick shows the fun Zaouli break and Kuku solo technique for djembes and dunun on Toca Stage Series Pro wood djembe and Toca Freestyle Djundjuns. [...]

It's not the drum it's the drummer

Bolokada Conde Master Djembe drummer

It’s not the drum it’s the drummer!

What makes a drum have that special sound? Is it the wood? The place or country it is from? The goat skin or what the goat ate? Just what is it? About 10 years ago I was at a Mamady Keita workshop trying to pick out a djembe from a local seller there who was displaying his goods outside the workshop. I asked Mamady, what do you [...]

Djembe Master Bolokada Conde Djembe Drums with Les Percussions Melenke Peform at La Pena

Bolokada on fire!

Master Djembe drummer Bolokada Conde and Les Percussion Melenke performance ensemble and crew in an early West African djembe drum and African dance performance live in Oakland California at La Pena cultural Center for world music and world dance. Musicians from left to right: Bolokada, Wade Peterson, Michael Pluznick (djembe) Sean Areneda (dununs) Rafael djembe, Barron Chase (kinkini)

Bali from a drummers perspective

Photo slide show of my recent trip around the amazing and magical tropical island of Bali Indonesia. Includes photos of the many drums and drummers on the island as well. World percussion and djembe drum music by Barabajaba from the new CD entitled Rise Up. Music available on line at I Tunes and CD Baby.

Epic international drum jam on Khao San Road Bangkok, Thailand

Last night there was an epic drum jam on Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand. There were drummers from all across the globe! We got permission to play right in front of the police station because “King”, the local police chief is a big fan of Eddie Tamba our Liberian master of ceremonies and djembe fola.

Eddie Tamba of Liberia represents on Khao San Road Bangkok, Thailand

The drum jam had originally started [...]

Djembe solo “konkoba-dununba” Bolokada Conde

Djembe Fola (master drummer) Bolokada Conde shows us his amazingly smooth technique soloing on his arrangement of Konkoba dununba in Oakdland California circa 2004

“Numu Foly” Mali African Dance, Djembe Drums and Chants#8

Mali West African dance choreography. This piece is called Numu Foly (the black smith dance). This video is from the series West African (Mal)i Dance, Drums and Chants #8. And is from my African drum and dance lessons in Bamako, Mali, West Africa.

HD!! NEW*Chandra Shekar from Barabajaba CD, “Rise Up”

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

high def video from barabajaba world music and percussion ensemble fromthe Big Island of Hawaii and Bay Area Claifornia, too. This song features a combo of west african, afro cuban and et indian music styles!

Fantastic Balaphone, djembe & dunun players in Conakry, Guinea

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

Babara Bangoura (grren shirt), Abou Camara (white shirt) and friends. Fantastic Balaphone, djembe & dunun players in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa. Rehearsing for a big Spectac. A real “djembe lesson” to watch for all who love to learn djembe or like djembe class! Shot on my study trip to Guinea.

All about Mali Didadi (Didadee) music: dance to the drum!

The music for this CD was made at Centre Togola, the local community center, run by director Kareem Togola. It is located outside Sabalibougou. ‘Bougou’ means ‘village’ in Bambara language, although it is located in a city district inside a bustling market place on the outskirts of Bamako, Mali, West Africa.

The community center houses local dancers, drummers and musicians, most of whom play in the center’s award-winning group. Many famous district groups [...]

Mali djembe : grand master Aruna Sidibe

80+ year old Grand Master Mali Djembe Master Aruna Sidibe shows us all how to play Doundounba, Marakadon. For more information go to earthcds.com

Mali Africa Djembe Drummers meet Cambodian Jungle Temple

Mali West Africa Young Guns Djembe Drummers called the “young Guns” meet the Cambodian jungle temples in a combination of djembe music and photo collage from Cambodian sacred temple and wats The djembe drumming and dunun playing and drummers are from from Bamako, Mali, West Africa and are drum masters, too. The music for this video can be heard or bought at : www.earthcds.com. Go to the Mali section and you will see, [...]

What is traditional drumming about?

Traditional drumming part one West Africa

What is traditional drumming?

Traditional  African drumming usually refers to drumming that has been handed down from generation to generation and comes from a time long ago.

Traditional drumming is  organized and systematized drumming or drumming that is part of a musical piece or composition that is used for a specific purpose or occasion in almost every culture if you look back far enough.

Master Mali djembe [...]

Guinea Lamban west african drum class by Karamba Diabate

This is a video of a Guinea Lamban west african drum class given by my teacher and good friend Karamba Diabate at my home on Maui, Hawaii. He also demonstrates the dance moves for this piece as well.

Bolokada Conde in class

This is from a drum class given by Bolokada Conde star of Les Percussions Du Guinea, in Oakland at the Malonga  Center (formerly know as Alice Arts Center), In this video Bolokada shows the seeming simplicity of drumming.