Michael Pluznick » West Africa

Memorial Day Weekend in Northern California: Carnaval 2010 and Mosswood Park, Oakland!

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:26:01 +0000

Memorial Day weekend was beautiful and truly “memorial” with Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco and also the well attended and amazing West African, Afro Cuban, Ewe (Ghana) and Brasilian (Brazilian) drum and dance party in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California!

Master dummers: Yagbe Onilu and CK Ladzepko

drummers acknowledge each other at West African drum and dance in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

CK Ladzepko

CK Ladzepko drumming in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu and CK Ladzepko

CK Ladzepko drumming in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Kinkini Fola: Big Surfer Ray Titus

Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

CK Ladzepko\'s students perform in park

CK Ladzepko drum group in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Californiaon Memorial Day 2010

singing,dancing and playing in the park

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Prince Johny Harstrup

Prince Johny Harstrup in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu performs on Shekere

Yagbe Onilu performs on Shekere at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Ray, dancer Cevie Tourre and Nick Ostis

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Ama

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Wade Peterson, Ray and Elan Vitale

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

drum lesson

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

beautiful dancer

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Maracatu player

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

dancer in the park

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Califonria on Memorial Day 2010

bird in the sky

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Califonria on Memorial Day 2010

nature California

Marin, California natural setting

Marin California natural setting

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco, California

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco California 2

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco, California

Mali and Guinea West Africa trip photos of musicians, dancers and drummers

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:52:25 +0000

Beautiful Balaphones

Two balaphones large and small from Guinea West Africa

Komoko Sano\'s compound in Guinea

This was taken at the late great legendary Komoko Sano\'s compound in Merveilles section of Conakry, Guinea, West Africa. Taken with Nikon D90 digital camera

Didadee drummers from the village visit Bamako for our

Didadee drummers from the village visit Bamako for our recording session and play amazing music!

Mali

Didadee drummers from the village visit Bamako for our recording session and play amazing music!

Mali Young Guns session

from the \"Young Guns\" CD field recording with Siaka Doumbia nad crew

MP in Mali

Michael Pluznick playing at wedding celebration outside of Bamako in Mali west Africa

Baby naming party

Siaka Doumbia and Young Guns crew perform live at a baby naming ceremony

drum carver

Our drum carver works hard all day in the sun and het on our new djembe drums in Bamako Mali West Africa

mali, djembe, west african, west africa, world music, ethnic music, village drumming, didadee, bobo, djembe, master drummer, djembe fola

Mali young guns djembe drumming recording session photo

Mali Wedding

MC the young master drummer plays dunun at Mali wedding party

mali wedding ceremony

more wedding photos and shots from Mali West Africa

Grand Master Djembe Fola Aruna

Grand Master Djembe Fola Aruna Sidibe listens to himself play on a recording \"Old Masters\" (available on earthcds.com) for the first time in Mali West Africa

Brulye Mali champion

Master drummer and my second teacher is named Brulye. He was Mali (Bamako city), champion of djembe drumming

Didadee

Didadee drummers from the village at a recordng session for Mali Music available on earthcds.com

Didadee village drummers

Didadee (Didadi) music from the village!

Aruna Sidibe, Grand master djembe fola

My djembe master is Aruna Sidibe 83 years old in Mali from the Music of Mali: Old Masters CD on erathcds.com

Bobo drummers in Mali

Bobo drummers in Mali play the gourd drums, bara bendre,

Bo Bo balaphone

Bobo musicians in Mali play the balaphone,

Bo Bo drummers in Mali

Bobo drummers in Mali play the gourd drums, bara bendre,

Yagbe Onilu in Mali

Bobo drummers in Mali play the gourd drums, bara bendre,

drum carver

in Mali

Komoko Sano\'s daughter

Komoko Sano\'s other daughter

at Komoko Sanos compound in Guinea, West Africa

Michael P in Amsterdam fest

Amsterdam drum festival with Nick Ostis

Michael P in Amsterdam fest

Amsterdam drum festival with Nick Ostis

;
I took these photos on my two trips to Mali and Guinea, West Africa where I studied traditional djembe, drumming, music, culture and African music and dance. Drummers photos feature my teachers Aruna, Brulye and Siaka. Guinea photos at the late great Komoko Sano’s home and compound.

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 CD entitled, “Young Guns” on http://www.earthcds.com

“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!

Africa, Barabajaba and more..your questions answered!

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:32:11 +0000

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

I have received so much mail asking who was who and what was what, I put this video together with answers for you..It has captions and information on whose who and what is what in many of my videos! Please click on the link in blue to take you to the earthcds.com Mali page where you can listen to 4 of my different CD’s for free, or order them there as well. You can also click on the barabajaba banner on top!

Mali Music, Dance and Drums: “Madan” (Djagbe in Guinea)

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:36:05 +0000

Part#1 Madan (aka “Djagbe” in Guinea), a Mali djembe drum, song and African dance piece. West African dance Choreography and drum class from my private African djembe and African dance lessons in Mali West Africa.

West African Djembe Drum Class: Senefoli

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:45:39 +0000

West African djembe and dunun class and drum lesson taught by percussionist Michael pluznick at Rumpuree in Bangkok, Thailand. This African drum rhythm is from Guinea, West Africa.

All about “Didadi (Didadee) Music of Mali”

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:28:01 +0000

MUSIC OF MALI: DIDADEE
Featuring Sumba Togola and Friends
Released by earthcds partners.
Recorded and produced by Michael Pluznick
Audio CD: 62 minutes – 7 tracks

Didadee singer Sumba Togala

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 from outside the city – and deep in the countryside – also pass through the center. This is how we were able to find some of the other groups and music we recorded as well.

The music for this album is traditional ‘Didadi’ music. The Didadi is from the Bougouni circle in Mali’s Sikasso region. It is played for end-of-the-year holidays or various celebrations and festivals. There are even huge Didadi festivals with competitions.

Didadee musicians, Didadeedundunba

There are many different interpretations of the rhythm and dance. The very large, slim tambourine or tar-shaped dundun (lowest-pitched drum) is called, appropriately enough, ‘didadidundun’. It is played with a stick on one head and a hand on the other, and worn with a strap, so the player can dance and move around as well. Djembes are also used for either accompaniment or as solo instruments. The beautiful chants are often praise music.

I heard this group on my first trip to Mali with my friend and executive producer, Paul Chandler. On my return trip to Mali, I was determined to find and record them. Through the help of Paul, Kareem and Siaka Doumbia, we were able to do so on one of their visits to town from the countryside.

The CD was made using a high-quality flash recorder and some excellent microphones. The sound is surprisingly clear and concise, as are the arrangements, playing styles and techniques.

It is my goal, in a small way, to help preserve the culture and heritage through the music my teachers, friends and I are presenting. As this is a labor of love, any profits made from these recordings go directly to the musicians.

—Michael Pluznick

Djembe Drum Facebook group

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:31:41 +0000

I have started a Djembe Drum group on Facebook!

Daily practice tips

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:10:42 +0000

A good friend and long time drummer recommends that students play every day. Some people think that means they have to sit around for hours at a time but he say’s even five minutes to connect with your instrument (in this case the djembe drum) makes all the difference in the world. You are building a relationship!

Another teacher from long ago, Les Lumley from the group, “Ghetto Mysticism” in Boston say’s, “if you are learning a music or drumming style from another culture, the most important thing you can do is to listen to music from that culture regularly”.

I find it really helps especialy for really getting the feel in your body and soul.

Most of us grew up not listening to popular western music, not African music. So as we develop our rudimentary and advanced skills on the djembe, dunun, congas (or any instrument from another culture for that matter), it is important to listen to and immerse ourselves in the music of the culture we are learning from.This is because there are many ways to learn and listening and immersion can be very good for most people.

Many people who listen to music regularly besides taking classes or jamming with friends find themselves “remembering” phrases or patterns from listening and also they just pop out sometimes which is very fun and interesting phenomenon as well.

It is also very helpful to learn and study about the people, culture and history of the place you are studying music from to gain a full understanding, wholistic and well rounded understanding of it.

Drumming is only a small part of African culture for example. There is also other instruments besides the drum, and there are songs chants, dance and intention that always are involved in any playing of music in West Africa.

Intention to me means, “what is the purpose of this rhtyhm”. for example many of the arrangements we play in West African drum and dance class or for specific eents such as full moon celebration, wedding, hunters return or coming of age for young people to name just a few.

Music is and was created in a culture and also a result of the food people ate, the air they breathed their thoughts and communications their needs of the community and so fourth. Sometimes, just learning a rhythym with out knowing about the culture really takes t completely out of context. Of course we can not be there all the time (unless you love to travel) so learning is the next best step!

The rhythms, patterns and arrangements in ethnic music were developed over time and passed on through verbal tradition and handed down generation to generation and now they have made ther way to us! It is exciting to learn these drum patterns and their history and meaning as well.