music is not a competition, and a new wave of drummers exists in many different styles and you don't need to compare. please buy a yourself a plane ticket to west Africa. tx laurent
Thank you for including Aboulaye Diakite who I had the experience of dancing under for seven years in Cheddo Senegalese Dance Company. He is truly under appreciated and no one can play the Bamana music like him. I miss him greatly since he left the states.
Forgot a legend ... Mamadou Sylla "Faraba" first soloist of Ballet Malian, 3 times gold medalist at the All Africa Games in Algiers ... creator of rhythm "Farabakan" in Mali !!! icon djembe for all djembéfolas Malians. There was also Sega Sidibe first soloist of the band in the Bamako district for 30 years ... specialist rhythms of Wassoulou region.
This is based off of one groups opinion. I don't understand why everyone is telling them who to add to THEIR list. Make your own if you don't like this one.
I have to agree with Mamadi Keita and would have put Famoudou right up to #1 as I still haven't yet come across anyone who could speak djembe with such a range of sounds and open soul so precisely as to make your whole being move... Thanks a lot for this great review and most excellent choices. Very good groove playing in the background too, thanks. Namasté :)
It is quite apparent that the people or organization that made this video don't know any real history. They have bought into the hype of the promotion that was made about some of these people. I not saying that any of the people mention are not good musicians, but they do not belong on the same page as brothers like Ladji, Songalo or Famadou. In addition, what happened to Abdou Kounta, Ibrahim Camara from the National Ballet of Senegal. There is one more person name that should have been Number 1 (Dougou Fana) . I work with and studied with Ladji and the rest of these True Masters from the 60's -90's. When the Les Ballet African came to New York during that time, they adopted the Original Chuck Davis Dance Company of New York. We all had the blessing of learning from Italo and Famadou. When Ladji Camara would talk to me about Dougou Fana, all he could do is shake his head and say that he was the best. Abdou Kounta and Ibrahim Camara were some of his students and organized his funeral (Ginaza) for Muslims. If I was to ask you who Bach or Beethoven was everyone would be able say something about those artist. If I was to ask you who was the first and maybe only American who actually play on stage with Les Ballet African, 99.9% of the people wouldn't have a clue. This friend and brothers name was Sam Watson from New York. The person who developed the 3 ring system of stringing up the Djembe was Baba Chief Bey, who was probably Ladji Camara best friend and fabulous musician and a African American Elder. When the Guinea and Senegalese Ballets came to New York they learned that system and took it back home. When I got my first djembe from Guinea in the 60's it was strung up with twisted strips of skin. No metal rings. That was an African American Invention!!!! Folks, you must study who people really were and not just buy into the self promotion. I said enough. "STUDY" J.S.
To the person/S who dId this ...THANK YOU. I don't think this is the list and Baba does not belong on this list but you did some work and it is appreciated.
Interesting list. Confused why Olatunji is on there at all? And above Bolo? Ehh.... djembe isn't basketball all masters have their own specialty and it cant be measures by who is better than whom. Really you can just look at who is more popualr- which it seems like thats what this list is. Even Mamady will put Famoudou above himself bc FK is older...
Fode "Mali" Bangoura of Konkori Bamba, Foret Sacred, Ballet Silimbo, Fatala, ect, is sadly missed by this, by this generation . . . Italo Zambo called him "Champion", others called him the "Accompaniment King" . . . "un vrai metre" . . . & he would say, "There is no best" . . . "Some people know their work" . . . & . . . "Everyone has their own style . . . (-;
This video's title should be "The 8 most FAMOUS DJEMBE PLAYER of all time" NOT the "Greatest". The most obvious thing is Babatunde Olatunji who with all respect for a great percussionist should never make this list because Djembe is Not one of his best instrument. Please..Please when you make information public, make more research to make sure you have the correct information. Someone else mentioned "Boca", I could not agree more, but also "Fadouba Oularé" ...I could name over 40 Djembe players from Mandingue countries including Guinea (where I am from) that could make this list below the top2 (And by the way, i agree with one comment that said that even Mamady Keita himself put Famoudou Konate on top of him..)
Exactly Fadouba Oulare did so much of the foundation work this century! He is in the top 8! Wow what an influence he had and has. Alan Tauber, Director - DrumConnection
Arabic background music to present Djembé master drummer? Adama Drame, was never considered by any great master as one of them, he was just luchy to appears in the 90's when no one knew about all this. Babatunde Olatunji is a very interesting drummer, but he never played the Djembé as a master nivel. Abdoulaye Diakite is also a great player, but he's not a great master either. Mamady is definitely an amazing master, but he made many, many mistakes in his cd's, and despite what he has done for the spreading of djembé around the world, inside profesional circle, he's more considered as a Wikipedia reference, meaning it can't be a traditional reference. I think you should have mentioned. François Souleymane Dembele, (Noumoudy Keita, Sega Sidibe, Mamadou Faraba Sylla, and Arouna Sidibe & Brulaye Doumbia, which are in the list at the end)
Babatunde Olatunji is a great drummer but he doesn't play Djembé. Adama Dramé is a good drummer but none of the Great Master give him any consideration (personnaly I really don't like his drumming). Abdoulaye Diakité is certainly not comparable to any of the greatest and Senegal isn't a traditional land for Djembéfola. You totally forgot at least Noumoudy Keïta, Fadouba Oularé, Sega Sidibé, François Souleymane Dembélé...
Excellent video. I hope you post sequel videos.on each of the 8 great drummers and others.
music is not a competition, and a new wave of drummers exists in many different styles and you don't need to compare. please buy a yourself a plane ticket to west Africa. tx laurent
Thank you for including Aboulaye Diakite who I had the experience of dancing under for seven years in Cheddo Senegalese Dance Company. He is truly under appreciated and no one can play the Bamana music like him. I miss him greatly since he left the states.
Forgot a legend ... Mamadou Sylla "Faraba" first soloist of Ballet Malian, 3 times gold medalist at the All Africa Games in Algiers ... creator of rhythm "Farabakan" in Mali !!! icon djembe for all djembéfolas Malians. There was also Sega Sidibe first soloist of the band in the Bamako district for 30 years ... specialist rhythms of Wassoulou region.
Yes, you're right - although we did mention him at 1:41 in the video (at the top right on the list). Blessings and thank you for sharing.
"OMG!!! I can't believe you didn't mention"... BOKA!! I'm guessing it as a lapse of memory...
This is based off of one groups opinion. I don't understand why everyone is telling them who to add to THEIR list. Make your own if you don't like this one.
Good point! Love it!
I have to agree with Mamadi Keita and would have put Famoudou right up to #1 as I still haven't yet come across anyone who could speak djembe with such a range of sounds and open soul so precisely as to make your whole being move... Thanks a lot for this great review and most excellent choices. Very good groove playing in the background too, thanks. Namasté :)
very good job. please add Dr. Djo-Bi to the list. Thank you.
It is quite apparent that the people or organization that made this video don't know any real history. They have bought into the hype of the promotion that was made about some of these people. I not saying that any of the people mention are not good musicians, but they do not belong on the same page as brothers like Ladji, Songalo or Famadou. In addition, what happened to Abdou Kounta, Ibrahim Camara from the National Ballet of Senegal. There is one more person name that should have been Number 1 (Dougou Fana) . I work with and studied with Ladji and the rest of these True Masters from the 60's -90's. When the Les Ballet African came to New York during that time, they adopted the Original Chuck Davis Dance Company of New York. We all had the blessing of learning from Italo and Famadou. When Ladji Camara would talk to me about Dougou Fana, all he could do is shake his head and say that he was the best. Abdou Kounta and Ibrahim Camara were some of his students and organized his funeral (Ginaza) for Muslims. If I was to ask you who Bach or Beethoven was everyone would be able say something about those artist. If I was to ask you who was the first and maybe only American who actually play on stage with Les Ballet African, 99.9% of the people wouldn't have a clue. This friend and brothers name was Sam Watson from New York. The person who developed the 3 ring system of stringing up the Djembe was Baba Chief Bey, who was probably Ladji Camara best friend and fabulous musician and a African American Elder. When the Guinea and Senegalese Ballets came to New York they learned that system and took it back home. When I got my first djembe from Guinea in the 60's it was strung up with twisted strips of skin. No metal rings. That was an African American Invention!!!! Folks, you must study who people really were and not just buy into the self promotion. I said enough. "STUDY"
J.S.
My father is from east St. Louis and told me mor thiam was his master teacher baba was his chief
thanks Afrodrumming
To the person/S who dId this ...THANK YOU. I don't think this is the list and Baba does not belong on this list but you did some work and it is appreciated.
rhythm love the tone thank you just needed this today blessed be to you
Interesting list. Confused why Olatunji is on there at all? And above Bolo? Ehh.... djembe isn't basketball all masters have their own specialty and it cant be measures by who is better than whom. Really you can just look at who is more popualr- which it seems like thats what this list is. Even Mamady will put Famoudou above himself bc FK is older...
I agree with you 100% Forrest. Exactly correct. Thanks for your input. Alan Tauber, Director - DrumConnection
Fode "Mali" Bangoura of Konkori Bamba, Foret Sacred, Ballet Silimbo, Fatala, ect, is sadly missed by this, by this generation . . . Italo Zambo called him "Champion", others called him the "Accompaniment King" . . . "un vrai metre" . . . & he would say, "There is no best" . . . "Some people know their work" . . . & . . . "Everyone has their own style . . .
(-;
MOR THIAM is the # 1 GOAT
Played for Katherine Dunham
Disney World and Olatunji
Drums of Passion came out in 1959. Ladji Camara was Olatunji's teacher. He spoke of him all the time.
True!
This video's title should be "The 8 most FAMOUS DJEMBE PLAYER of all time" NOT the "Greatest". The most obvious thing is Babatunde Olatunji who with all respect for a great percussionist should never make this list because Djembe is Not one of his best instrument. Please..Please when you make information public, make more research to make sure you have the correct information. Someone else mentioned "Boca", I could not agree more, but also "Fadouba Oularé" ...I could name over 40 Djembe players from Mandingue countries including Guinea (where I am from) that could make this list below the top2 (And by the way, i agree with one comment that said that even Mamady Keita himself put Famoudou Konate on top of him..)
Absolutely love it
there s many more masters , like fadouba oulare from guiné , sega sidibé from mali, mare sanogo... and many more not just 8 masters !
Hello, where can i find the track in this video?
Thank's a lot.
And what about Arafan Toure?
What were the criteria used to rank these drummers?
Drew Makepeace Greatness.
I'm so sorry to shed some light on this post, but Ancestor Babatundé Olatunji was not a djembefola... Everybody on this list is. EXCEPT him. Peace
who made this list?
ASE ASE ASE
where is fadouba oulare!!!? and the young generation harouna dembele, tomas guei, boka camara...
stéphane dreesen yea
Exactly Fadouba Oulare did so much of the foundation work this century! He is in the top 8! Wow what an influence he had and has. Alan Tauber, Director - DrumConnection
Fadouba Oulare....Soungolo........
Fadouba is an honorable mention at 1:41. Soungolo - do you mean Soungalo Coulibaly? He is number 3 on the list.
How you gonna put the student in front of the master 😮
i dont think bolokada should be 8
Fadouba Oularé
Arafan Toure should be there.
They put him in the list with all the "others". I think alpha camara must be on that list.
SIDIKI DEMBELE EL MEJOR. BOCA KAMARA EL MEJOR
i dont like this but thats just me
Not sure if I may have missed it but you can't leave Weedie Braimah out :-)
After all you did say greatness was the criteria!
I knew we forgot one! He is one of the greats definitely.
+Afrodrumming ;)
Arabic background music to present Djembé master drummer? Adama Drame, was never considered by any great master as one of them, he was just luchy to appears in the 90's when no one knew about all this. Babatunde Olatunji is a very interesting drummer, but he never played the Djembé as a master nivel. Abdoulaye Diakite is also a great player, but he's not a great master either. Mamady is definitely an amazing master, but he made many, many mistakes in his cd's, and despite what he has done for the spreading of djembé around the world, inside profesional circle, he's more considered as a Wikipedia reference, meaning it can't be a traditional reference. I think you should have mentioned. François Souleymane Dembele, (Noumoudy Keita, Sega Sidibe, Mamadou Faraba Sylla, and Arouna Sidibe & Brulaye Doumbia, which are in the list at the end)
wow. tough crowd.
Babatunde Olatunji is a great drummer but he doesn't play Djembé. Adama Dramé is a good drummer but none of the Great Master give him any consideration (personnaly I really don't like his drumming). Abdoulaye Diakité is certainly not comparable to any of the greatest and Senegal isn't a traditional land for Djembéfola. You totally forgot at least Noumoudy Keïta, Fadouba Oularé, Sega Sidibé, François Souleymane Dembélé...
i dont like this but thats just me