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Your First Djembe Rhythm

The Rhythm Reference Project

This is an amazing audio and notation encyclopedia of every djembe and dun dun part for 50 Rhythms!

Tasumakan

The New MP Signature series Eco Pro Djembes are now available at X8drums.com in USA and WRP in London soon!

The NEW MP Eco Pro 12" Wood Djembe is now ready to ship to you!

Michael Pluznick has been recording with a variety of musicians with great pleasure and success for over 25 years. He has collaborated with Todd Rundgren, Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart ( both of The Grateful Dead),Clarence Clemmons (Bruce Springsteen), Raul Rico (Santana) and Jim Chappell, among others. Designed and manufactured in Bali, Michael worked closely with master carvers and artisans to create a djembe drum that he believes rivals most high-end African made drums in sound, look and definitely 100% in quality. One of the major upgrades to this drum is additional carving on the inside of the drum which creates a larger “choke” or opening for the sound to exit from. The choke should always be larger then your fist size when placed in the opening. He also added a bicycle tire to the bottom of the drum to protect your floors, other peoples floors, to stop the drum from whacking and splitting and to make it easier to hold when you are drumming sitting down. Once you try a drum with a tire on the bottom you will want one on whatever drum you are playing. Legally Harvested Wood Michael’s goal in making this signature drum was to try and design an “eco” drum from “good wood” and also to make a drum that looks, sounds and feels like the best west African drums at a price of almost half their cost. The trees used in manufacturing these drums are replanted and it is regulated and observed closely. The wood that these drums use cost twice as much as the “smuggled” and illegal wood, but to Michael it is worth the cost to try to at least be conscious about it. Kiln Dried The Eco Pro djembes are kiln dried and tested for humidity and moisture. This prevents long term problems with the shell cracking or changing shape over time. The Sound Please watch the videos and see for yourself. These drums have full rich tone, deep bass and a snappy high with slaps that really “POP”! The larger 13″ drum is really remarkable in that it covers so much ground. You can use it as a solo drum, accompaniment drum or anywhere in between. Because of the remarkable strength of the wood and roping methods you can pull these drums as tight as you want. They won’t warp like some lighter drums do. The smaller drum at 12″ is still a nice size, relatively light in weight and has remarkable presence and projection of sound. Despite being a screamer on the high end (if you crank it up) [...]

There are many kinds and types of djembe and African drum rhythms

oldside1

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

Siaka Doubia and his crew "Young Guns" playing live at a celebration

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

Dununba drum and dance party in Guinea!

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

The late great Komoko Sano

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

The late great Komoko Sano

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 technique

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

Kuku djembe solo technique part one

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

raw shells are beautiful

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)

begginer drumming at a fun jam session

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

Bolokada on fire!

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

The late great Komoko Sano

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

doundoumba

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 Konoko Sano of Ballettes Africans fame.

Skilled djembe drummers and dancers perform at Dununba community celebration

Dununba drum and dance party in Guinea!

From a Dununba (doundounba)  I sponsored  in Guinee, West Africa.  A Doundoundba is a West African drum and dance community celebration or “Dundunba” party at the late great Kemoko Sano’s compound.

West African/ world drumming and dance at the Blend show by Lavaroots Ensemble on the Big Island of Hawaii

function startGallery_38() { var myGallery = new gallery($(“myGallery_38″), { timed: true, showCarousel: true, showInfopane: true, showArrows: true, embedLinks: true, slideInfoZoneOpacity: 0.80, delay: 5000, defaultTransition: “fade”, textShowCarousel: “Show/Hide Thumbnails” }); document.getElementById(“myGallery_38″).style.display = “block”; myGallery.toggleCarousel(); } window.addEvent(“domready”, startGallery_38); 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

Amazing! Dazling Young child djembe SUPER STAR player solos at show : AMAZING!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

An amazing 6 year old child djembe drummer solos at Guinee, West African “Spectac” (big show in Conakry, Guinea). Music similar to this and other similar high quality digitaly recorded audio recordings I did in Mali are now available for sale:

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

Masters of Djembe#4: Dancer, Jaques Pt.2 &Dunun solo!! In “HD”!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/arunabrulye

Jaques comes back for his second solo in this all star djembe fola-young masters video form Conakry Guinee West Africa. Please check out part two of the traditional male african dancer and the remarkable dunun solo as well!! I made this durring my 2nd study tour of West Africa where I met and played with several master djembe drummers and djembe folas in Guinea and Mali.

Yankadi Beginners Djembe and Dunun class by Michael Pluznick

Yankadi rhythm from Guinea, West Africa taught in a beginners djembe drum and dunun class in Bangkok, Thailand. Michael shows both traditional and ballet (dununs down) styles of playing.

djembe drum facebook

I have started a Djembe Drum group on Facebook!

Daily practice

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 [...]

New West African Drum and Dance Music Recordings

Check out these newly-released field recordings from Africa. All of Michael’s profits from these albums will go directly to the tribes in Africa that created and performed the music. CDs can be purchased online from EarthCDs.