Bundiani - Children's Music of Upper Guinea

[Dugafola]

this is the 3rd disc released by Middlepath Media.

this is a double audio disc with an enhanced disc showing roughly 10 minutes of village bundiani footage. the album was recorded in the gberedu region over the years 2005-2008. i had the pleasure of working on segments of this album but Mario did a great job creating a complete package with the enhanced disc and pictures in the liner notes.

none of the tracks are named, but if you are familiar at all with bundiani music from guinea, you'll be able to recognize a lot of the fete music: den, manamba/afia, lafe/warraba, woima, soliwulen etc.

the recording showcases 3 groups: Mamady Kourouma and group, Mansa Camio and Sofoli, Karinkan Doumbaya and group. Mamady Kourouma's group performs in a trio format with sangban, dununba and solo jembe. this small ensemble highlights the rudimentary form of this music in a traditional context. there's no fluff and no filler. the enhanced video shows Mamady Kourouma and his group.

the other 2 group recordings were "sessions" where they played for the sake of recording music. the content is no less crucial though. Camio's group incorporates more song and a full ensemble as well as Karinkan's group.

quality is excellent for field recordings. the recordings were made with aSony DAT and a single point stereo microphone. minimal post production was added to the recordings to make sure the open air ambiance stays in tact.

liner notes include musicians names and pictures. no track names. this is a minor inconvenience as a casual student or listener won't know what's going on in these discs. Middlepath Media may post an addendum to the liner notes in the future.

[bkidd]

the audio samples i've heard are nice! my copy is on its way. looking forward to hearing the rest.

[Dugafola]

fyi...this disc is on sale via the Drumskull Drums Skullbuster deal of the day....

actually, this is probably the only place you can get the disc right now...

[EvanP]

Missed it! Which reminds me, I thought I was on DSD's mailing list for the deal of the day? Guess I gotta check their website (which is probably their plan).

[Afoba]

a must for everyone

I would add: "...really interested in traditional djembé/dundun music!"

Surely one of the best djembé/dundun recordings that are sold in the world!

[bkidd]

Received my copy and the audio quality is really great. It's a super fun CD that's definitely worth getting. I just wish that the liner notes actually had information about the tracks.

[e2c]

This looks great, though I think I'll hold off until there's info. on the tracks (titles, etc.).

[Afoba]

Hey e2c,
I promised you a description some 2 or 3 months ago. I only managed to make a list of the first disc's tracks so far. Sorry in advance, it's not so easy, this time (that's most probably why they didn't do it on their own).

First list: in short; names that I prefer - second list: with explanations

1) Denabendundun
2) Bundian
3) Wala Wala or Numan
4) Wölöbaföli
5) Bundian
6) Wölöbaföli
7) Den
Wala Wala or Numan
9) Soliba
10) Den
11) Bundian
12) Dibon
13) Bundian

1) Denabenundun (=Wadaba=Lafè)
2) Bundian (=Manamba=Daba, the 2nd ternary "Mendiani")
3) Numan/Wala Wala/Denabendundun: They often play Numan (=Wala Wala) for Denabendundun in Gberedu. Have a look at my video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DanielKonat ... WM1aE7Uu8Q
It's the same rhythm in the same village, but played for the Numan mask and not with the same instruments.
4) Woima (=Wölöbaföli)
5) Bundian (=...)
6) Woima
7) Den (1st ternary "Mendiani")
Numan/Wala Wala/Denabendundun - like track 3) but with different Dundunba
9) Soliba (NOT the ternary one that's called Balakulandyan also. It's the 2nd ternary Soli rhythm of the Gberedu region, not played in Hamana. I don't know any better name for it.) ***
10) Den
11) Bundian (just some seconds)
12) Dibon (it's ONE Dibon, not THE Dibon) One of the nicest songs I've ever heard (you'll find the same song on the Senedunun disc of Mansa Camio's. It's not the same rhythm. This one here is closer to Korombalé (Dibon) on Camio's disc, with a dundunba that's closer to Soro or even Donnaso (=Kassa 1) in some versions, but still slightly different.
13) Bundian







***Josh, it's this rhythm (well a derivation of it) that they play in the video with the french guy on dundunba in Conakry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAI5oune ... ll&list=WL

[Afoba]

hm, should have been 8 )
d;-)

[bkidd]

Wow, thanks Daniel!

I noticed that the CD player in my car detected track names for disc 2. I'll write them down and post them later in case that helps with decoding the rhythm names.

Best,
-Brian

[e2c]

Daniel - many, many thanks! I really appreciate your help.

Now... gotta check the budget.

[Dugafola]

disc 2:
Sofoli
1 lafe/waraba/denebedunun
2 den
3 bundiani

Sabougnouma
1 bundiani
2 soliwulen

[bkidd]

thanks duga!

fyi, the track names for disc 2 were:
1. denaben
2. dendounoun
3. mananba
4. final bundiani 01
5. troupe 02

[Afoba]

both lists correct concerning disc two d;-) Thanx Josh and Brian!

Including another very nice example of "rhythm naming problems": track 3 and 4 are the same rhythm, but once with the Baro (or Mansa) name (probably the more recent one: Mananba), once under the name that is used by other drummers around (Bundian(i) - unfortunately the name Mansa uses for track number 2).

One more remark concerning track 5 (Soliwulen, as you said, Josh):
This is another version of Soliwulen. I will call it the Gberedu version until I here another Soliwulen from this region. It is clearly different from the two other versions that I know and which are known overseas: (more or less) the (middle and eastern) Hamana version that Famoudou/Billy/Diarra might teach and the Faranah version, that the Fadouba sons perform (there's a bratabrata vid on youtube). The feeling is kind of the same (djembé).

So once again, buying this disc you will get some more names for rhythm you know at least a bit, and you'll get different rhythms behind names that you've already heard.

I forgot to mention in my last post that the dibon song on disc 1 (track 12) is one of my favourite songs of all! I prefer the version on the Senedunun disc (with lyrics and translation in english and french), but it's always nice to get more than one version to get a better idea of it and to learn that there's never only one single version of a thing (rhythm or song).

[Dugafola]

Including another very nice example of "rhythm naming problems": track 3 and 4 are the same rhythm, but once with the Baro (or Mansa) name (probably the more recent one: Mananba), once under the name that is used by other drummers around (Bundian(i) - unfortunately the name Mansa uses for track number 2).

So once again, buying this disc you will get some more names for rhythm you know at least a bit, and you'll get different rhythms behind names that you've already heard.

to comment further on this...towards the south of gberedu towards sankaran, they call this exact same rhythm Afia (aka den, bundiani, dendon depending on where you are). it was explained to me that there's more friendly competition type dancing b/w the girls as well as bundiani koro and even the men...but still very much part of the bundiani fete.

I forgot to mention in my last post that the dibon song on disc 1 (track 12) is one of my favourite songs of all! I prefer the version on the Senedunun disc (with lyrics and translation in english and french), but it's always nice to get more than one version to get a better idea of it and to learn that there's never only one single version of a thing (rhythm or song).

agreed. sometimes i'll listen to a song and won't give it much thought. then i'll hear it sung on another recording at a different pitch and different intonation and it's entirely different.