Beginning Djembe: Essential Tones, Rhythms, and Grooves

Learn to play djembe! This hands-on workshop will help you produce a good sound, healthy playing technique, and learn the essential concepts and rhythms of West African djembe drumming. Extensive play-along tracks help you practice every technique in the context of a traditional African djembe ensemble. You will learn:

• Correct, effective djembe playing technique and posture
• The three fundamental sounds on the djembe: bass, slap, and tone
• Exercises and play-along tracks to help you develop good tone, facility, and memorize essential rhythms and their variations
• Traditional djembe rhythms, and how they fit into a traditional African djembe ensemble
• Techniques for soloing
• The history, and traditional cultural context of the djembe
• How to tune, maintain, and care for your djembe

Michael Markus has spent over twenty years performing, teaching and studying West African drumming. Along with a BFA in percussion, he has mentored with many accomplished master drummers, including M'bemba Bangoura. Michael has co-produced and released a CD, Magbana, a series of eleven educational percussion CDs, and a DVD of master drummers from Guinea. He regularly conducts workshops for percussion conventions, and master classes at various universities, public and private schools throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Michael is the co-founder and president of Wula Drum, located in New York City and Guinea, where authentically elegant and professional sounding African drums are crafted.

Joe Galeota has been a performer and educator of African percussion and drum set throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa since 1972. Highlights of his career as a recording artist include the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and sampling sessions with Kurzweil and Sonic Implants. He is an associate professor of percussion at Berklee College of Music, and has mentored thousands of percussionists worldwide. Joe is also the owner of JAG Drums, a distinguished West African percussion manufacturing company.

"Excellent for the beginner to learn how to play the djembe. Joe and Michael are clear and easy to follow. The playing is correct and clean. A wonderful DVD!"

—M'bemba Bangoura, Master Drummer (Guinea, West Africa)