Michael Pluznick » Guinee

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, [...]

What is a djembe solo and the four types of djembe solos

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:10:05 +0000

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! [...]

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 female dancer at West African Dununba drum and dance celebration at Kemoko Sano’s compound

admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:24:14 +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 master dancer, drummer and choreographer Kenoko Sano of Ballettes Africans fame.

Guinea djembe rhythms “Kuku” solo tech part one rear view and very slow

admin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:07:54 +0000

In this video I am playing the popular and social Kuku rhythm from Guinea (Guinee) West Africa where I lived and studied. These are solo techniques I learned from my various teachers in Africa and the USA including Hawaii, California and the east coast as well. [...]

Kuku djembe solo techniques part one

admin — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:31:21 +0000

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. [...]

How to play African drums: Soko, Djembe and Dununs class

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:56:41 +0000

Soko djembe drum and dunun rhythm from guinea west africa taught by Michael Pluznick for his international crew including friends from Japan, Europe, Mexico, USA and Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand. All around the world people love to play djembe and dununs, too. Soko is now a popular rhythm in Guinee (aka Guinea). Soko is a Malinke (Malenke) rhythm from the Faranah region of Guinee. It used to be played during the month prior [...]

How to play Sorsonete (soresonere) on three Dunun (doundoun)

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:49:45 +0000

Michael Pluznick shows a technique for playing the Guinee (Guinea) west african drumming and rhythm pattern Soresonere (Soresonete) on three drums or dununs (dounouns) at Rumpuree dance studio in Bangkok, Thailand during a West African djembe drum and dunun workshop and drum class. This style of playing dununs (aka djundjuns or dounouns) is called “ballet style” and refers to the Afrcan dance and performing groups in West Africa called Ballets. In the Ballets [...]

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

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:34:39 +0000

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)

Dundunba Drum and African dance Party: clown and awesome Dancers

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:20:55 +0000

Community celebration known as a Dundunba drum and African dance party at the late , great performer and master choreographer Kemoko Sano’s compound in Merveilles, Guinea, West Africa. In this dance video a Clown solos and Awesome Dancers dance at the dundunba djembe drum and african dance party.

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