African percussion and dance in Berlin
Populations of West Africa as the Malinke or Susu (Sousou) from Guinea but also ethnic groups in countries such as Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal and Ghana use the music as a form of expression. Commonly known as typical instruments of West African percussion are traditional drums such as the solo or accompanying Djembe (Jembé) but also bass drums such as Kenkeni (Kensedeni, Kesereni), Sangban (Sangba, Sangbang) and Dundun (Doundoun, Dununba, Dundunba,Doundoum). Each of the bass drums get usually played by one player combined with an iron bell (Kenken, Ntala). In Mali for example people often use only a bass drum called Konkoni instead of bass drums with different diameters.
Beside the mentioned drums, you often see so-called Talking Drums (Ntama) Bougarabou or slit drums (Krin, Kele, Kolokolo) or the percussion instrument Balafo (balafon).
Specific for Ghana are drums like Kpanlogo or Oprente. In Senegal, the drums of the Sabar family such as Nder, Gorong, Mbeng Mbeng, Lamb or Xiin are very common.
Apart from percussion instruments are also string instruments such as Kora, Bolon, Ngoni and wind instrument such as fule the flute of Fula people (Fulani) and small percussion instruments such as Kesekese, Shekere and Rakatak get used.
For example on the occasion of weddings, baptisms, harvest festivals etc. music is made. The play of percussion instruments is often traditional associated with dances and songs.
Especially Malinke drum rhythms are following certain rules in their sequences. The bass drums with the middle, leading Sangban provide the rhythmic pattern of a rhythm. This forms a kind of basement sound for the overlying djembe play and its accompanying voices and especially such as the soloists (Djembefola). The respective solo player is in communication with the dancers. Dance and solo play are closely linked. Condense passages in the drum play (eg echauffement) are associated with a high intensity in dance.
I would like to complete this site related to the topic “african percussion and dance in Berlin” and to concentrate information about it to make information accessible to all interested people. So I please and encourage all to help wich are able to put in useful information about this topic (events, teachers, bands etc.). Please send informations to info(at)berlin-djembe.de. Thank you.
Here are some musical impressions of Guinea and traditional music of the Malinke:
Djembe Berlin Kensedeni Kenkeni Dundun Doundoun Sangban Sangba Doundounba Krin Schlitztrommeln Malinke Manden Manding Guinea Balafon Balaphon Talking Drum Konkoni Bastrommeln Basstrommelset Bolon Kora Glocke Kpanlogo Oprente Kolokolo tanzfabrik kreuzberg conakry phynix tanzt berlin trommeln berlin afrikanischer tanz kenkeni caroline lemaitre djembe trommeln mandy pfennig afrikanische tänze tanzfabrik berlin trommeln in berlin malinke afrikanischer tanz berlin tanzfabrik berlin kreuzberg djembe berlin doundoun claudia gärtner oprente rakatak doundounba konden trommeln tanzschule berlin prenzlauer berg african dance berlin sangban center of dance berlin fuchsbau berlin kreuzberg nago koite seckou dundun afrikanische instrumente abdoul aziz sinka djembe solo djembe senegal senegal djembe m’baye tanzkurs berlin prenzlauer berg kpanlogo sangba