Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 6:27 amGreetings and Happy New Year to all. javascript:emoticon(':)')
I'd like to post a few pics from the trips I've made in the last 8 years or so to Ghana, West Africa, to a coastal fishing village called Nungua. Going to Africa opened my eyes to so much more of what is possible in rhythm. What first struck me was the unforgettable intensity and the incredible skill with which these musicians play. They play with everything they have, it seems they play like their life depends on it.
I am posting some pics of some of the ensembles there and if there's more interest I will post some more.
For me, it's been really fascinating to see and hear the similarities - and the differences between west african ensembles and the rumba groups in Cuba - which of course have their roots in Africa. I've spent time in Cuba too, so experiencing both cultures has given me a good perspective.
Some of the pics show smaller conga shaped drums, hand carved from a single log (the predecessor of the conga?), providing the melody of the rhythm, with higher pitched drums like a djembe or a tall narrow drum called a "Lightning Drum" playing a similar role to the quinto in Afro Cuban music. Incidentally, I was told by the local musicians that djembe drums only started to be incorporated into their music in the last 15 -20 years or so as they started to be introduced from musical cultures outside of Ghana. There's a lot of innovation happening too. For example, I saw a percussionist in a Hilife band with 9 low pitched wooden conga shaped drums all harmonically tuned and sounding at times like a bass guitar!
Some of the rhythms from this area (which are probably not so well known outside of Ghana) include; Fumé Fumé, Kakatsofa, Ogé, Kpanlogo, Kpacha, Otufo, Kpelé and many others. Some of them are secular and some are played for religious purpose. To me, all of these rhythms are incredible, very deep and require a lot of study (years) to understand. The individual drum patterns themselves are relatively easy to grasp but to understand each rhythm in its cultural context, the timing and feel of solo phrasing and the way it works so precisely with the dancers is another matter. I felt I just scratched the surface and I felt very privileged just to have the opportunity of playing a supporting drum or bell parts in some of these ensembles. This in itself can be very challenging; some of the rhythms go from slow to extremely fast tempos in a fraction of a second and you also must not be distracted by the soloist who is playing in all sorts of unusual places and timings. Amazing and very creative!
What I found really surprising about Ghana was how generous and willing so many of the musicians were to share their knowledge. I would often be invited to sit in and play a supporting bell or drum part. In their culture (the Ga people) this is how young kids learn, first they'll be hanging around listening, then one day someone will say, "here, take the bell", or "play the low drum". I remember once when having difficuty with a particular pattern someone played it on my back - for me a new way of understanding!
Of course the standard of musicianship over there is extremely high - which is not to say that everyone is a drummer. Some of the guys were at the time members of the Pan African Orchestra (see pic). These musicians are doing things with drums, rhythm, dance and voice that is really astounding. It's not possible to describe with words. Perhaps I can post some mp3 from mini disc if I can work out how to do it.
I'd also be interested to hear from people who have studied or are planning to study either in Cuba or Africa. I'll put up a few pics for now and if people are interested I can post some more.
Happy New Year and blessings to all our drumming brothers and sisters around the world. javascript:emoticon(':)')
My best regards to all and my heartfelt thanks to all my teachers both here and abroad!
Pavlo
Australia
Kusun rehearsal pic, January 1998.
From left: Attah Addo, Tuza Afutu, Yaw "Captain" Asumadu, Kwache (standing) and Nii Odai, Note the square frame drum to the right.
I'd like to post a few pics from the trips I've made in the last 8 years or so to Ghana, West Africa, to a coastal fishing village called Nungua. Going to Africa opened my eyes to so much more of what is possible in rhythm. What first struck me was the unforgettable intensity and the incredible skill with which these musicians play. They play with everything they have, it seems they play like their life depends on it.
I am posting some pics of some of the ensembles there and if there's more interest I will post some more.
For me, it's been really fascinating to see and hear the similarities - and the differences between west african ensembles and the rumba groups in Cuba - which of course have their roots in Africa. I've spent time in Cuba too, so experiencing both cultures has given me a good perspective.
Some of the pics show smaller conga shaped drums, hand carved from a single log (the predecessor of the conga?), providing the melody of the rhythm, with higher pitched drums like a djembe or a tall narrow drum called a "Lightning Drum" playing a similar role to the quinto in Afro Cuban music. Incidentally, I was told by the local musicians that djembe drums only started to be incorporated into their music in the last 15 -20 years or so as they started to be introduced from musical cultures outside of Ghana. There's a lot of innovation happening too. For example, I saw a percussionist in a Hilife band with 9 low pitched wooden conga shaped drums all harmonically tuned and sounding at times like a bass guitar!
Some of the rhythms from this area (which are probably not so well known outside of Ghana) include; Fumé Fumé, Kakatsofa, Ogé, Kpanlogo, Kpacha, Otufo, Kpelé and many others. Some of them are secular and some are played for religious purpose. To me, all of these rhythms are incredible, very deep and require a lot of study (years) to understand. The individual drum patterns themselves are relatively easy to grasp but to understand each rhythm in its cultural context, the timing and feel of solo phrasing and the way it works so precisely with the dancers is another matter. I felt I just scratched the surface and I felt very privileged just to have the opportunity of playing a supporting drum or bell parts in some of these ensembles. This in itself can be very challenging; some of the rhythms go from slow to extremely fast tempos in a fraction of a second and you also must not be distracted by the soloist who is playing in all sorts of unusual places and timings. Amazing and very creative!
What I found really surprising about Ghana was how generous and willing so many of the musicians were to share their knowledge. I would often be invited to sit in and play a supporting bell or drum part. In their culture (the Ga people) this is how young kids learn, first they'll be hanging around listening, then one day someone will say, "here, take the bell", or "play the low drum". I remember once when having difficuty with a particular pattern someone played it on my back - for me a new way of understanding!
Of course the standard of musicianship over there is extremely high - which is not to say that everyone is a drummer. Some of the guys were at the time members of the Pan African Orchestra (see pic). These musicians are doing things with drums, rhythm, dance and voice that is really astounding. It's not possible to describe with words. Perhaps I can post some mp3 from mini disc if I can work out how to do it.
I'd also be interested to hear from people who have studied or are planning to study either in Cuba or Africa. I'll put up a few pics for now and if people are interested I can post some more.
Happy New Year and blessings to all our drumming brothers and sisters around the world. javascript:emoticon(':)')
My best regards to all and my heartfelt thanks to all my teachers both here and abroad!
Pavlo
Australia
Kusun rehearsal pic, January 1998.
From left: Attah Addo, Tuza Afutu, Yaw "Captain" Asumadu, Kwache (standing) and Nii Odai, Note the square frame drum to the right.
