Greetings from the Caribbean

[antz]

Greetings,

It's feels like a step in the right direction to join this community where a lot of reasoning/theory is directly applied to practical experiences of West African percussion. I've spent most of my life in Trinidad and Tobago with about four years in Jamaica and have since moved to Montserrat. Though each island is full of Afrocentric retentions or continuities, they each have grown along different pathways. In Jamaica, I got the opportunity to learn with someone who was a student of Arafan Toure and the change in my technique is quuite evident.
I don't think I'll ever play straight technique as I've been exposed to so many styles that I find valid but this is just me saying hi and stating that I'll drop in from time to time, specially while practising my bass tone slap:-)

Be blessed,

[bubudi]

welcome, antz

i heard that djembe is quite big in the caribbean

[antz]

Greetings,
Djembe is quite big in the Caribbean, but the popularity waxes and wanes depending on the specific territory you are in. Trinidad and Tobago was the forerunner for a while actually iniating a lot of workshops with West African groups and individuals. This all was a part of the "best village" productions, which is a national competition showcasing present talents and ancestral continuities (as opposed to retentions:-)

Different areas are increasing their love for the djembe now. The different islands have many different influences so some islands like Jamaica will have a drum culture more oriened to congas with the Rasta drum battery of mamma for bass, funde ostinato pattern and kette for intricacies as well as the rattler which is a snarelike drum found more in Junkanoo culture which manifests alot in places like Montserrat where I am now and the Bahamas.

Be blessed,
Dk