Added: 5 years ago
From: rootsymali
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  • I love African rythms. Especially South African ones. Music is something for us all to share among each other, enjoy and cherish.

  • Wow african drumming is so inferior. Is this really a grandmaster of african drumming?

    Man,... I am a student of WORLD Drumming and this shit is light years BEHIND INDIAN RYTHMS AND TAAL (rhythm science)

    wow..i don't understand ppls fascination with this rudimentary phenomena.

  • @KillinDaWelfareMCs It's hard to argue about this, because it indeed might be simple when you compare it with other regions rhythms like indian or whatever.

    But for me this music goes very deep. The pace is like hypnotic and telling a story. But only when you give it a chance and "listen to it right"...

  • Igno93, When I read the word "hijack", I can't help but think you mention that in a negative light. I'm not trying to pick a fight, but those other people definitely don't feel slighted. In most drum circles, he is not considered an alpha male in the sense that you used it. But he is seen as an elder, and the others are more than happy to give him the spotlight. Just some light....peace my brother

  • Probably not the place to ask, but i have a djembe at home and it sound somewhat different. Particularly the bass sound (if thats the correct term), its really intense, like an actual bass drum. Im no drummer so i know squat about this, but none of the djembe drums on YT seem to have it, they sound more like "BOINK".But mine i really gives the BOOM so intense you feel it and stuff vibrates. I aint complaining, it sounds awesome (especially for my style), just wondering if only mine does that.

  • @Buuub08 the mic on the camera just isnt capturing all the sound. its much louder when your there. also these drums are probably goat skin being from africa. yours may be synthetic, there are alot of variations that are considered djembes with a wide range of unique sounds

  • this is one of the coolest things I have ever seen

  • I LOVE THIS

  • master

  • Gotta love the syncopation of Djembes! I Just composed an African orchestral piece and put it on my channel inspired by different genres from the continent.

  • notice how the master influences and hijacks the whole session, alpha male

  • cool ;)

  • Absoluteley fabulous!

  • this is awesome!

  • Don't know how the camera man kept the camera still

  • I love the clothes of the woman

  • this guy rocks i am doing a 12 hr drumming with folks all over the world this sept 11 full moon for healing of mother earth

  • This guy is great for a 70 year old, if u wanna see another djembe video a bit different but full of character plz visit my channel. ( it is my first video+more will come later)

  • 4:15 LADY YELLOW RULES !

  • Super grand master djembe playing thank you God Bless

  • Did that old man just bitch slap every other drummer? Oh I do think so.

  • Wow. I started playing Djembe in 2007, but have played others since I was three, such as dum dums and the Bodhran. After seeing this man I don't think I've even scratched the surface.

    For anyone wondering; The skins are goatskin or cowhide taken from the animal when it’s killed for food. I've played a Djembe with an artificial skin and it sounds and feels like tapping an empty plastic bottle.

    Real skins cannot be substituted with synthetic, no more than the sun can be replaced by the moon.

  • woow wonderfull from djembe suppliers hotlinecall +6281703553601

  • fun!!

  • @TheBestDoggyLover In Africa the resources are very thin in most places as you probably know. The way of life is much different and I would tend to think that most of us in the western/european world have no idea what its really like to truly be connected to all life around us quite like they do. I have been assured that the animal was not sacrificed for its skin on the drum I purchased. The sound cannot be matched (yet anyways).

  • @greatwhitepine Do they sacrifice the animals specifically for their skins or do they die natually or are killed for food first before their skins are used for drums?

  • @TheBestDoggyLover- Most animals are killed for food and then the skin will be saved and used for a drum. Traditionally, and hopefully they still do this, whenever an animal is killed they say a small prayer either thanking God or the animal itself for giving it's life for them to use. When they do sacrifice an animal for a ceremony or whatever they will still eat the animal as part of the celebration. Africa is very resourceful and will not waste anything.

  • @TheBestDoggyLover They are killed primarily for the meat. Goat meat is the most common meat in Guinea and Mali (they roast it on the street all over Guinea...mmmmnnn). Then the skin and every other conceivable bit of the goat is used for somehting else. That's what you call sustainability.

  • @djembeweaver What animals are there in places such as Guinea and Mali besides goats of which they can use the skin of, if any?

  • @TheBestDoggyLover Some people use antelope skin for djembes but it's quite hard to get hold of these days. It's much tougher than goat skin and has a sharper sound (harder on the hands too). Some people skin djembes with cow skin too - in ivory coast they pull cow skin djembes up to solo pitch but in conakry they mostly use a cow skin djembe to play the low parts (like a secnd kenkeni)

  • I love listening to these drums. We are currently playing them at school - Shame i hate to play them because they are made out of goat skin :(

  • @TheBestDoggyLover In Africa they say, in the Djembe are living three spirits: The Spirit of the Animal that gave the Skin, the spirit of the Tree, that gave the wood and the sprit of the Drum maker.

  • i like the percussive vibes at the 4:15 mark- 6:30 mark -kind goes into a journey- or the story- another commenter described it as- 'lil bit of the hunt for food- general survival- making ends meet- taking the time to reflect on the journey- after that point- the drummers seem to lose the connection- BTW- I listened to the entire piece-

  • Powerful healing Super djembe vital to the soul God Bliss God Bless

  • Having fun while playing the Djembe. That's what it's all about!

  • Beautiful drumming and dancing. Beautiful culture.

  • Awesome, beautiful and inspiring! This is why I'm looking for a djembe for myself. I love drum circles, and wanna be able to join instead of just enjoying from the sidelines.

  • this is basically like a good gathering with good people listening to music having a great time and get to know eachother not like the west were they go to their gatherings wearing mini skirts causing fights and drinking alcohol humping people they just meet and forgot what happend the next morning.

  • I don't appreciate all the racism.....

    white people smoke crack too.

  • @SicklickalProduKts ya but black people make it look cool

  • the winner of African idol every1 lol

  • prave som mal hudobny orgazmus

  • I wouldn't initiate a slap fight with any of these guys. lol

    I'd be like getting slapped with a hot, leather fish.

  • if u admire this you should come to uruguay... here is waaaaay better ;)

  • @nicoal88

    There is no better or worse, this is spiritual nourishment.

    The idea of better or worse is an egocentric delusion

    that comes from a dissatisfied mind.

    Peace and ONE Love.

  • No predictable rumte-tum crap here..welcome to consciousness..

  • the song at 6:30 is my steaz

  • this guy has perfect timing with respect to his place with the solos....accents the other drums perfectly...not too much, not too little...you can tell he is wise beyond his age....I love everything about Africa and percussion....I will go there one day!

  • @mags755 u know there's been countless western music scholars going to africa, ('ethnomusicologists'), for about 100 years. &since then till today, western music scholars with doctorates, & even published books about african music, & even with having lived there for decades themselves, they STILL can't figure out african drumming! i studied it, there's no fully correct system from western interpretation. they know africans have a system for it, but westerners can't work it out haha. gota love it

  • Gracious and timeless masterpiece of drumming thats deeply healing, God Bless

  • Wow!! Great drumming.  Watching these videos have rekindled my desire to take up drumming again. I love drums. These men are great, and the dancing only adds to the flair of the music. Thanks for posting and sharing this.

  • I love Africa..

  • african culture and music are a very big part of puerto rican culture. we are more african than people know.

  • is there an 'official' style to play the djembe or is it how you want to play it?

  • Sounds like our saturday night jams...Love it !!

  • master.........bon,bon.

  • I'm glad to be able to say that I'm African. From the bottom of my heart.

  • now this rocks what a wonderful sound, it reaches my heart and soul. Community, music and love, the world should listen and watch.

  • Greetings from Oman.

    Greatest music comes from Africa and Zanzibar.

  • Man, American "drum circles" are bullshit.

  • @ 2:40 "Wipe me Down" iLuv it!

  • 70 ans et toujours operationel le vieux chef du village!!

  • Thanks so much for this, serious energy beats at those high points

  • He probably knows more than that

  • For his age he's pretty good. For his age.

  • wow..amazing !

  • im sorry but his playing doesn`t impress me at all lol

  • which culture is this ?

  • cool we can hear the roots sound of afrocuban sound in this rythm just amazing, africa is the origin of everything in mankind ^^

  • come vorrei che in tutta l'africa invece dei fucili si imbracciassero sempre e solo tamburi....è un'augurio che faccio a tutto il popolo africano...

  • Lastly drum circles can be fun, and in particular are a great way for people who aren't musicians to access music. They just have nothing to do with this music or the tradition behind it. Both are perfectly valid. It's like the difference between dancing in a club for fun Vs traditional flamenco dancing.

  • As to the old guy he gets all of the sounds (including lots of Famoudou-esque muted tones) and clearly knows the traditional rhythms so he would be considered a djembe Fola (meaning djembe speaker in Maninka). He's no Mamady Keita but he knows his stuff. If you listen carfeully you'll hear certain phrasing that is very difficult to learn if don't grow up with it, like the 6/8 swing that is very clear some of these peices.

  • There's a lot of rubbish been written in response to this post.

    This is pretty typical Guinea/Mali village music and is being played by pretty typical village musicians. Not perhaps at the standard of Famoudou Konate and Les Balletts Africans but like I said, this is village music.

  • hey Kingjack! you must not know what type of drums you are talking about. First there are over 100 types of drums around the world, some might be from Arabia but Djembe is originated from Western Sudan , now called Mali. Djembe was created by a woman and the shape of a healthy african woman is represented in the Djembe. Please do not get twisted!!!

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  • why is this any better/different than "drum circles"? i hear many offbeats. Just cause they are black does that make it "proper" playing? I don't get all of the critisizm on this youtube thing about the "only" way of doing this or that... I mean it looks like fun but i hear lots of "offbeats"

  • The difference is that these are structured songs each with a meaning or purpose in the context of the culture they were created, with associated lyrics parts and dances. A drum circle is just a bunch of people grooving on a rhythm, no one is necessarily on the same page about what it means.

  • That's like asking "what's the difference between Miles Davis and elevator music?"

  • so then these particular songs are very culture centric. i get that. what i'm saying is that there is so much criticism on youtube about the only way to play djembe blah blah. I don't care much for these rythms but i don't dare say that anyone can't pick up a holy djembe and play however they want. Who cares so much that they would go to their grave beating a proper drum? hogwash. if it feels good do it. Some drum cirlces do have some sturcture btw and it's fun and if it gets ass off couch good!

  • Just like there is a proper way of playing Chopin there is a way to playing the Djembe... to playing African music.  And it does not matter that they are black, but it matters a great deal that they are in fact Africans. It also is significant that you are not African and probably can't tell the difference. Do you think an African would see the subtleties of the music you grew up with?

  • oh man give it up already just drum! . when i go to africa i'll look you up and you can show me the light..

  • Este si que es un maestro en el Djembe, que bueno que haya gente suba esta clase de videos, porque aquí una vez queda demostrado, que la gente mayor, aun tiene muchas cosas que enseñarnos, y mas en cuestiones musicales.

  • WOW!  This is awesome!

  • Love it!

  • @ about 7:12, A LADY IN RED and white starts to dance with a stick. Anyone know what that dance is called?

  • @melw1970 staff poi?

  • @melw1970 nvm, i couldnt tell you

  • @melw1970 the ancient art of stick-dancing

  • That is how to play a drum correct!!!!!!

  • that's play!!! amazing :D

  • stop putting down people who don't know. That said, for those who can't tell, this is GREAT!

  • some authentic shit!

  • Love it

  • Love it!

  • Love it.

  • i loved it they were really getting down i had no problem pickin up the beat although it changed alot it made me feel very happy to see the joy this music brings they dont have much but they still manage to have a good time makes me proud to be african american!

  • sssssttttt just listen ....... its amazing!!!!!!!

  • do not judge if you do not know.......enjoy it....

    capiste?

  • I like how I can't figure out the rhythm

    It makes me know this is true cultural music

    I still enjoyed it though. :)

  • If you can't pick up on these rythems, then you are no musician. This is good shit!!! Only thing bad to say is that they should have had a bass drum of some sort :) That would REALLY drive it home!!!

  • @th1nkman There are plenty of bass drums playing but the sound quality on the recording isn't great

  • he doesnt even keep the rhytme, he's more annoying than amazing.

  • It may be slightly annoying.  But its in time its just strange placing of Rhythm. Its a very different style also, and a very different dialect u could say of Music. Idc if u like the music or not, respect their talents. Its kinda cool how they can make cadences like this.

  • It's polyrthyms. Dude, you should at least be able to feel the vibes. If not idk what to tellyou except maybe you've been brainwashed and should return to your roots and find your soul.

  • How dare you judge a master

    This archive is worth more years than the rythmic classes you took in international school, if you ever gone out of your little town...- you fool

  • @Argo108 euhm, he's placing off beat accents, and you are hearing the accents as beats, but that's not what the other musicians and he are hearing. if you keep on hearing the beat, than you hear how wicked he is playing.

  • His drum can make us move, dance.

  • hey that old guy is actually lame in improvisation. how bad, maybe he should take some hallucinogen. :)

  • Bump-n-drum! Family get down jam session.

  • This is serious!

  • That old goat is intense, he is definitely keeping his hands busy. If you notice he influences the other younger, less experienced players tempo and theme. No two songs the same, ever.

  • some people dont like this style but this man play a song, which most good fast drummers cant do, i'm glad i can

  • 6:00 - 6:29 is amazing! wow

  • I love this... Im not sure if its 3 against 4

    no matter, its amazing

  • OMG check out how that rhythm is swung. you can't write that down.

  • beatiful people! and really nice drums...

  • this is pritty cool

  • thanks, am strating to love africa more and more thanks to you ! cheers!

  • powerful vibes!

    thank you for posting

  • great old man, great music, beautiful people, they are partying while the young drummers learn from the older (who rocks more than they do!) really most western urban societies have a lot to learn from this kind of gathering of different generations just for natural fun with music and instruments of their own... fun and a lot to learn from here.

  • @exeklopman in fact, western culture has its own kind of gathering, look at the (noncommercial) mediaval fairs these days, or larps. Same idea, not that professional of course.

  • @exeklopman Yeah, we really have alot to learn!

    Its too bad that teachings of such practices (among other things) was practically beaten out of the surviving Africans who were FORCED to the West. Yeh, this could of been a good time over here!

  • this is a party!!!

    WOOOOO!!!!!!!

  • one of the oldest styles of music to which still lives strong, they say hip hops dead, grime is dying n so on, but this is in another league becouase its in the blood of the african..

  • What nice polyrhythms...

    If only we had gatherings like this in the U.S.

  • we did

  • We do! Check out Bonnaroo or something

  • it has the same rhythm as the capoeira music in brazil...awsome. I have to spend some time in Mali

  • I love the rythm!

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  • No se me hace muy chido el ruco, toca X !

  • it always amazes me the level of ignorance of human beings..ignorance is why mankind never gets to the next level. some of you should never pick up a drum or any instrument until,,you realize what music really is, it a shame because your ignorance block you from any meaningful involvement with the high ART of music and drummin in particular

  • Great..great..as a junior elder who has played djembe for over 35yrs..this is most inspiring. it shows the spirit is beyond the body. the man's spirit is in tact. by God grace i will be blest to play as long as this great Master *true Master*

  • A on nie brudzi membrany ?

  • Wstydz sie chamie,czlowieku,dzieki takiej wlasnie kulturze zawdzieczasz granie na tym istrumencie,jezeli w ogole na nim grasz.Nie udzielaj sie w ten sposob.

  • To taki dowcip czarny !

    Nie zapinaj pośladów  bo ci żyłka pęknie !

  • Czaaaaaaaaaaaaarny :) Pokoj.

  • OYe, hamba ti sa lambrusco. A koning.

  • Comment removed

  • Que chingona musica. Africa

  • creo que el viejo se sintio incomodo por la camara

  • Esto es hermoso brothel!!!

  • I´ve seen better once ......

  • I've seen better ones, you mean. Sugea-mi-ai pula de idiot.

  • Amazing!

    When we reconnect back to our roots

    Gives me a chill, excitment, and warming peaceful feeling

  • I agree Uzoma74. Sega's Sounu is on the money. Hearing Moussa's Sounu solos first gave us an awesome example but Sega was his source of traditional phrasing. We need to go in August. Props to the Rootsy Mali guy for putting this up. We need to put more of the 2000 stuff up.

  • This dude is off the hook. His sunu is the gold standard. Great stuff.

  • Goo Bless this man, and his people, wonderfull performance

  • African Power :D

  • hay por favor callate. Cargaste este video nada mas para hablar mierda?

  • responde cuando sepas algo de la mera interpretacion de la musica, y no solo por ver videos ya podras callar a alguien entendido, ES CRUEL CALLAR A UN IGNORANTE, PERO ES MUCHO MAS CRUEL DEJARLO HABLAR, CUANDO ME EXPLIQUES LOS MATICES DEL BARROCO, Y COMPRENDAS EL MARTILLO EN UN TIMBAL, entonces hablamos, ........

  • Wao, hombre fijate bien en lo que dices.....pero si dijiste algo que tuvo sentido -- y por eso dejare que hables solo :) Oye, que tienen que ver el Barroco y los timbales que ver con el comentario "aqui en latinoamerica se perfecciono ese ritmo de los 'africanos' "?

  • la musica barroca, de haendel por decir algo, lleva un "ritmo" el martillo casi como los "soles" en una guitarra, tambien llevan un ritmo o un tiempo,la musica no es solo golpear como burro un tambor y ya ! se necesita ritmo,compas y otras mas, dije -aqui en latinoamerica se perfecciono ese ritmo de los africanos- la monotonia y los compases fueron fusionados hasta crear la grandiosa TUMBA, GUAGUANCO,SALSA (Erroneamente llamada asi) y otros ritmos. q en verdad se perfeccionaron y al tope ! ! :)

  • Que ignorante eres, el hecho de no tener una línea melódica no implica carecer de ritmo, es lo más absurdo que he leído. Por otra parte, yo fácilmente persivo un ritmo de 4/4, y estoy seguro que los africanos desconocen ese tipo de concepto europeo occidental.

  • La música en primer lugar ... es algo que se siente. Y por qué hablas de compás?, eso es escritura musical. Primero respeta a la gente, y además, respeta este tipo de música porque dio origen a todos esos ritmos que mencionaste y muchos más. Sabes que son las síncopas, tresillos? .... lo dudo

  • cuando tu mama te daba mamila yo ya hacia musica en acapulco y cancun ! ademas dirigi la orquesta de Xalapa de lo q me hablas es mas como vanguardista para este estilo, y asi como los españoles nunca evolucionaron pero si sus "descendientes" de mexico asi la musica africana no evoluciono pero si sus mas superfluos estratos latinos, la musica no es conocer las octavas de un clavicembalo , es saber cada aspecto de tu instrumento o del q oyes y saber x simple inspeccion las verdaderas fallas !

  • Oye, yo me siento orgulloso de un continente que tenga tanta herencia oriental y africana. Lo que yo creo es que TU sientes verguenza.

  • pues yo tambien me siento orgulloso de pertenecer a AMERICA y no es nada de lo que dices al contrario veo a Africa como la raiz de todo pero veo America como la perfeccion de todas las cualidades de africa, y LOS ESPAÑOLES SON MAS ARABES QUE UN CALIFA ,JAJAJA

  • this is totally awesome :D

    i wish i were in africa playing the djembe with these guys right now xD

  • I enjoyed this very much. I was waiting for grandma to kick the crutches away and bust out a few moves old school style!

  • pray that old dude doesn't decide to bend you over his knee for a spanking.

  • @keyjay01 Just a beautiful culture, just gorgeous

  • This is beautiful! I wish I could be in one of those dresses dancing with them!

  • djembe playing is never about the music its about community and the ability to blend differences together to make music..if ya notice its not just a drum some have shakers and some are singing and those who cant sing clap and them there are the dances everyone adding themselves to create music....where some see a man banging a drum others see a community...one drum sounds ok but its everyone else joining in that make it good

  • 100% right, I used to go to this Mexican restaurant and on Wednesdays they would have drum night. You could also smoke pot outside the place. So you'd get this big drum circle going outside in a sandpit. It was great even if you were doing like one sound.

  • Great touch!!

  • wow :) this old man rocks!

    I wish i would know more djembe players in my area, because playing alone isnt as funny as playing with more guys :-(

  • find a drum circle! and if there are none CREATE a drum circle!

    just post posters around, find a few friends and gather in a park (that isnt too stingy about noise) every tuesday night (or whenever is good) and keep doing it every week eventually word will catch on and more and more people come.

  • Hes just banging on a drum...

  • your just bangin on a keyboard. dont listen/watch if you dont care dude

  • exactly and no complex rhythms are coming from my keyboard. thanks for the comparison!

  • so according to you, skill and beauty in music is determined soley by how hard it is to play..