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This is an amazing audio and notation encyclopedia of every djembe and dun dun part for 50 Rhythms!
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 West African hand drumming and specifically speaking, “traditional djembe drumming” is based on a system of fundamentals or “basics” just like any other type or form of drumming be it Indian, Afro Cuban, Brazilian or even the western drum set. There are rudiments or “basic fundamentals” of djembe playing that can be similar to drum set rudiments but also have some other important factors that are often missed in the learning process of many djembe players of all different levels. And what are djembe rudiments? They can consist of techinque, basic rhythm structure concepts, composition (how pieces are formed and go together), “the feel”, learning the basic djembe hand patterns and learning the dunun. It is also important to learn about the history of the music you are playing and the meaning of the pieces as well. I will discuss some of these items now. [...]
 I love to play djembes and I also love to study the music we make with djembes. Djembe soloing is a very small part of djembe music as a whole. The djembe is a communal drum and is about community and unity. We all (myself included) get caught up in being the soloist as it is so much fun! But keep in mind that it is about a whole group of people, musicians,dancers and others, too! [...]
 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. [...]
 Here are some tips on soloing on the djembe drum. Please do not be afraid to express yourself when the time is appropriate (your turn) to solo on djembe. Every chance you get is a good chance to play and improve your playing. I’ll be the first to admit I have thought about throwing my drum in the fire after hearing a child in Africa drum circles around m [...]
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 master dancer, drummer and choreographer Kenoko Sano of Ballettes Africans fame.
 This is part one of the Kuku solo techniques shown here with the small ensemble with Wade Peterson on ballet style dununs (aka “djundjun” or “dundun”) , Ben Isaacs on support djembe and MIchael Pluznick on lead or solo djembe. [...]
 Mali Djembe Master Drummer Aruna SIdibe & Brulye Doumbia *(Dununs) perform traditional West African djembe rhythms from the world drumming recording session for the Old Master CD on www.earthcds.com
 Djembe drum master Bolokada Conde and Les Percussions Malinke’s play traditional West African rhythms at a percussion show at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, CA in 2006. Bolokada Conde, one of world’s best djembe folas (professional djembe masters) with Master Balafon player Mohamed Kouyate and talented djembe and dunun (djun djun) drummers from SF Bay Area
 Michael Pluznick test drives the new Toca Freestyle PVC (plastic) djembe and plays a djembe solo on the roof of a Bangkok hotel, 35 stories high in Bangkok Thailand. This HD high definition video was shot on a Canon HF-S21 high defintion camcorder. The Toca djembe is interesting because this drum is not effected by moisture like a goat skin djembe. Check out the sounds! [...]
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)
Djembe Fola (master drummer) Bolokada Conde shows us his amazingly smooth technique soloing on his arrangement of Konkoba dununba in Oakdland California circa 2004
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barabajaba
This world and African/Brasilian (Brazilian) influenced music, percussion and drumming video with chants is from the new CD, “Rise Up” by the Hawaii and California based percussion ensemble, Barabajaba and features Zahira and Boaz on vocals,and percussion arrangements by Jesse Seymour and MIchael Pluznick. This Brazilian (Brasilian) based “HD” (high definition 1080i) piece features, congas, bata, shekere and drumming and percussion including congas. All photos taken by Michael Pluznick except for all [...]
Space, the final frontier. Soloing concepts
Most young soloists and even experienced players play too many notes. My suggestion is to approach drumming as a musical composition. In music, soloing is more about what you don’t play, then what you do play. I am talking about space. Phrasing and space. Space and phrasing. As Lao Tsu the legendary philosopher once said, ” it is not the walls that are important but the space with [...]
Mali djembe drumming on west african style djembes drums and west african dance at it’s highest level is shown at this baby naming celebration and community drum and dance gathering. “MC” on lead cow skin djembe. Filmed near bamako, Mali west africa, a beautiful jembe jam, showing the best djembe players
Master drummer Brulye shows how to play lead for Diansa (Danza/Djansa). Filmed outside Bamako, Mali West Africa.
The music for this session is available as a CD on www.earthcds.com. Go to the Mali section and enter”old Masters” or “young Guns”.
This is the sister video to my Mali Diansa video on Youtbe. The other video shows the dance steps to this music trac exactly as well.
This is new music from the new CD Rise Up by Barabajaba percussion ensemble located in Hawaii and San Francisco California. This video was shot at Kronkite beach near the Golden Gate Bridge by Michael Pluznick on his new Nikon D70 digital camera.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barabajaba
Female West African dancers (formerly of Guinea West Africa’s famous Ballet Merveilles) drum, dance and dance solo with master djembe drummer (djembe fola) Bolokada Cond (from Les Percussions Du Guinee) and his group Les Percussions Melenke in Bolinas, California. The first piece with dancers is “Mane”, from Guinea West Africa.
This is a performance of our group with master drummer Bolokada Conde, “les Percussions Melenke at the Mill Valley Theater. We play 3 different Konkoba drum pieces tied together and and West African dancers Nabe Bangoura and others from Ballet Merveilles come out as well. From left to right:Rafael, Sean Areneda, Michael Pluznick, Mohamed Kouyate, front: Bolokada Conde. Male dancer: Nabe Bangoura
This video was shot at a dununba djembe drum and community dance party in Conakry Guinea my friend and teacher, the late great Komoko Sano took me to on my musical and percussion study tour to Guinea. Each dancer at a party takes a turn to show off their “stuff” or dance moves. If someone really likes your moves, they run out and give you money, which is the custom. Also, at the [...]
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About Michael 
Michael Pluznick is a studio musician and recording arts specialist. Read more about Michael.
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