Suggestions for W. Africa Workshops?

[EvanP]

Everyone: Thanks for the discussion and all the inputs. This is very helpful!

@dleufer: I have never been to Africa, but have a couple weeks of unplanned vacation time (that I can hopefully stretch to 3) and a burning desire to go. I posted a more general question about African travel here that helped me think through the challenges:
http://djembefola.com/board/cultural/what-like-travel-study-africa-t2689.html

One of my concerns is that I may be "one of those djembe tourists" that hold others up. I've been playing for less than a year (will be 1 1/2 years by January), but studying rigorously during that time. I definitely want to improve my drumming, but I also want to experience and absorb sub-Saharan African culture and get a glimpse of a continent I know very little about yet I find fascinating. I'm not interested in blood or tears, but I have no problem with sweat!
I was able to keep up with 95% of Mamady's 3-day workshop, but from what I gather it's a lot easier than the intensive experience in Guinea.

Finally, how do you get so much time to do this?

2 months with Sidifa Koita or M'bandi Kourouma in Conakry, 1 month in the village some other teacher and 1 month in Bobo doing bala and djembe.

@davidognomo: I'm not sure of the African trip article--are you talking about the ones you posted? If so, they are a great resource and I really appreciate you posting them.

[davidognomo]

I meant this.

[EvanP]

Davidgnomo,
Thanks! I looked everywhere BUT the blog section.

Evan

[dleufer]

Okay I hadn't seen that you only have 3 weeks! If that's the case then you want to minimize the amount of organization you have to do over there and get down to playing so a workshop is probably best. And doing one of the workshops will probably allow you to get a good overview of the culture in a short time. Personally I'd love to study with Bolokada, he seems like a really cool teacher.

How do I find the time? I probably should be concentrating more on other things but i work in ESL (English language teaching) which is very flexible and also very quiet during the Winter so I'm saving money during the summer and escaping the horrible Irish Winter by going to Africa. I don't have any big commitments which mean I have to stay in Ireland so I can manage to get away for so long. Might as well take advantage of that while it lasts!

Just about my comment about "djembe tourists"; I wasn't complaining about people with a low level (mine isn't high) but about people who don't actually want to learn anything. I met some people who only seemed to be there to take photos and who complained about us doing difficult rhythms like Bolokonondo but wouldn't bite the bullet and go to the beginner's class.

[EvanP]

Dleufer,
Thanks again for all the insight. For me 3 weeks seems like an eternity--I can't even imagine going for several months--guess that's what life in the corporate world does to a person. Bolokada's coming to Portland for a 3 day workshop and I'm attending. It will be a good chance to get a feel for his teaching style, but I've heard great things about him. I loved my brief time with Mamady, but I'm not sure what his camp is like, ie will it be too big. I haven't studied with Famadou at all, but again have heard good things, although it seems his camp can get pretty big.

No worries about the djembe tourist comment. I may be overly sensitive, since I've very new to all of this, and it's still a bit intimidating.

Evan

[EvanP]

Here are a few updated links for the blog African Drumming Tours:

Bolokada Conde's Tour--Guinea
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rAG4KAVXY_8/TgwVQCtyu1I/AAAAAAAABG8/XoobQbNOjqM/s1600/bolotrip8.jpg

King Marong--the Gambia
http://www.kingmarong.com/study-tour-to-the-gambia

Mamady Keita's Camps--Guinea
http://www.mamadykeita.com/images/stories/guinea_camp/MK%20Guinea%20Camp%20flyer%202011-2012_web.pdf

Rhythm Power Tours Ghana
http://www.ekometours.com.au/

Famadou Konate
http://www.famoudoukonate.com/english/calendar.htm#con2

Still having a very difficult time figuring out which way to go.

[bubudi]

there are lots of other options in guinea, including nansady keita's course, bangourake's camp, etc.

also consider mali. contact the djembe hotel or try courses run by abdoul doumbia or joh camara.

[EvanP]

Bobudi,
Thanks! Here are the updated links from the folks you suggested:

Bamgourake Mohata 2012
http://www.djembekan.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=33

Nansady Keita Gambia 2012
http://www.djembekan.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=33
Nansady Keita Guinea 2011/2012
http://www.nansadykeita.com/Guineaworkshop.html

Djembe Hotel Bamako
http://www.rootsyrecords.com/HtmlFiles/DjembeHotel.html

It looks like Abdoul Doumbia does trips to Thailand, not W. Africa?

Joh Camara's website doesn't have the 2012 program listed yet.