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
West African dancer from Hawaii at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Ray Titus performs West African drumming (kinkini) @ Blend show
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance 3
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance 4
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Little girl performs West with African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Kakilambe mask dancer at west african performance on Hawaii
Kakilambe BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
flowers
flower
birds and nature
birds
Michal leader of Lavaroots teaching west african dance class on Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii
MIchal dancer, dance teacher, choregorapher, african dancer and leader of LAvaroots Ensemble and Blend
beautiful dancer at African dance class
dancer from the Blend performance
congas
Peter plays congas at Blend show
west african dance choreography
dancers from the BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
dancers jump
dancers from the BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Bata drumming at drum and dance performance on Big Island
Ray Titus, Jesse Seymour and MIchael Pluznick on Bata
MIchael Pluznick djembe drumming@ Blend Show on Big Island of Hawaii
MIchael Pluznick djembe drumming
MIchael Pluznick djembe drumming@ Blend Show on Big Island of Hawaii #2
MIchael Pluznick djembe drumming@ Blend Show on Big Island of Hawaii
West African dancers from Hawaii peform at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble performance
dancers from the BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
michael Pluznick
Michael Pluznick drummer from Blend show and Lavaroots ensemble poses with a small friend
Michael Pluznick 2
Michael Pluznick drummer from Blend show and Lavaroots ensemble poses
Joshua and Bruce
Joshua and Bruce
djembe djembe djembe
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
more djembe
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
west african dance
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
african dancers perform
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
drummer and dancer
BLEND world percussion music and dance performance by Lavaroots Ensemble Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Check out the beautiful photos by Bill Adams of the West African/ world drumming and dance performance at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble on the Big Island of Hawaii
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
Amsterdam drum festival with Nick Ostis
Amsterdam drum festival with Nick Ostis
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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.
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 on Khao San by members of the Rumpuree Dance and Drum school of Bangkok as an outreach program. It quickly turned into a happening community event with players from all around the world passed through the infamous Khao San Road district of Bangkok.
The drumming had stopped for a while because King had a heart attack, but now he is up and running again and so were we. Last night We were also joined by two of Eddies friends from Guinea, one of who played an unusual “triple” Gongoma, and another who played the Balone.
Balone player from Guinea, West Africa jams with us on Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand
Kenji representing Japan was very kind and brought out his 2 dununs and 2 djembe so I had drums to play as mine is still down on Samui. Eddie was playing his djembe that conga player Raymond Rausch brought him over from Bali This drum sounds remarkably good, especially with Eddie playing it. Raymond and Michael K brought 2 congas so we really had a hybrid sound working.
Kenji djembe fola drum master from Japan performs for audience on Khao San Road!
There were other drummers from around the globe present and dancers of all kinds as well. The drumming was musical and magical. There was traditional African chanting and even some group dynamics. A good time was had by all!
massive drum jam on Khao San Road
If you are coming through Thailand make sure and drop a line to Louis at Rumpuree (google Rumpuree for e-mail adress) and he’ll let you know when and where the next drum jam is or look for Eddie Tamba on Khao San Road, he has a shop and everyone knows him there!
Thanks for visiting my blog! Peace, love and aloha!
Michael Pluznick playing djembe on Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand
#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 parts as the files are to big to load otherwise. Shot on Sony HD HDR-HC1 Mini DV camcorder 1080i. Djembe drumming, djembe drums and djembe master! high defitniton 1080i
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!
