Yamadu Bani Dunbia

Yamadu Bani Dunbia was a notorious djembe master drummer from Bamako, Mali. Although recordings of his playing are scarce, he was well known across Bamako. He recorded his first songs at the age of 78.

Biography

Dunbia was born in 1917 in west Mali and has served in the French colonial army during the WWII. After the war he found himself in the Malian capitol Bamako. After the Malian independence in the 60's the celebration culture in Bamako boomed Dunbia became a well known performer and kept his reputation until 2002 when he passed away. [ [http://www.bibiafrica-records.com/CD-Mali-Tradengl.html] : notes on the "The Mali Tradition Vol. 1" CD edition.]

His first recordings were made in 1995 when he was 78. The recordings were made on a school yard in Bamako without rehearsals, notation or similar and in one single shot. Yet the music recorded is of significant importance to students of West African music.

Discography

* 1995 - The Art of Jenbe Drumming: The Mali Tradition Vol. 1
* 1998 - Jakite, Dunbia, Kuyate, and Samake: BAMAKÒ FÒLI: Jenbe Music From Bamako (Mali)

References

Further reading

*Eric Charry, [http://echarry.web.wesleyan.edu/jembearticle/article.html "A Guide to the Jembe,"] originally published in "Percussive Notes" 34, no. 2 (April 1996).
*Polak, Rainer (1998) [http://tcd.freehosting.net/djembemande/microtiming.html "Jenbe Music in Bamako: Microtiming as Formal Model and Performance Practice"] .ISBN 3-89645-241-X, p.23-42.

External links

* [http://tcd.freehosting.net/djembemande/bamakofoli.html Microtiming]
* [http://www.bibiafrica-records.com/CD-Mali-Tradengl.html Original article]