Drum Class

I get to study with a few different drum teachers while I'm here. They have different styles of drumming and teaching. The first teachers I have are:

Sedu Balo-master djembe player (hand drum) and

Madu Diakite-master dundun player (with stick and hand)

They are fast and accomplished and push me quickly (while being mercifully patient). I feel like I am barely hanging on to what they are dishing out. It is fun and exhausting! Again, I have the extreme fortune to have private lessons with these amazing artists.

It is a mutually beneficial opportunity. My teachers are happy to have the work. I think the average yearly income for Mali is around $300. The villagers have nothing and you are factoring that in, but really most people here have almost nothing.

A common sight at night is groups of people sitting in the dark (electricity is sparse) around a small television set along the dirt streets.

I also get to study with Master Djembefola, 72 year old Sega Cisse (in the photos). He is the teacher of Moussa Traore, who has become quite famous in Mali and the U.S.

Sega was a fabulous teacher as well. He has a great sense of humor.

The picture of him holding a stick, shows how he tuned up the drums. He would hit them along the edges to bring the sound up.

It was fun to see him really let loose and jam once he was done teaching! He is powerful, fast, and expresses playfulness and joy as he plays.