Binary Kakilambe?

[michi]

I just stumbled across an ancient video, "African Beats" by Kalani:

Kalani: African Beats

kalani-african-beats.jpg (21.18 KiB) Viewed 564 times

It shows a binary version of Kakilambe.

Djembe1:

Code: Select all

1...2...3...4...
b.tt..s.b.t.t.s.


Djembe 2:

Code: Select all

1...2...3...4...
tt.tt.b.t.t.b.b.


Dundunba:

Code: Select all

1...2...3...4...
b..bb.b.b.b.b.b.
o..o....o.o.....


Anyone know whether there actually is a binary version of Kakilambe, or is this just an example of a rhythm that has been distorted beyond all recognition?

Cheers,

Michi.

[michi]

Hmmm… I think I've just answered my own question.

Watching more of this, a little later in the video, we get a dundunba as follows:

Djembe 1:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..
stts..stts..


Djembe 2:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..
s.ss.bs.ss.b


Dundunba/Kenkeni:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..
b.bb.bb.b.b.b.bb.bb.b.b.
d.......k.k.k.dd.dd.d.d.


Note the relative placement of djembe 1 and 2…

This is followed by Mendiani as follows:

Djembe 1:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..
ss....ssb.b.


Djembe 2:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..
s.bs..s.bs..


Djembe 3:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..
s..ss..bsstt


Dundunba/Kenkeni:

Code: Select all

1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..
b.bb.bb.b.b.b.bb.bb.b.b.
k..k..k....bb.b.b.b....k


Certainly not a dunun pattern that I would recognize as Mendiani…

Michi.

[Dugafola]

abdoulaye diakite teaches a binary kakilambe.

[michi]

abdoulaye diakite teaches a binary kakilambe.

Aha!

Do you know whether it's any close to the version I notated from the video?

Cheers,

Michi.

[djembefeeling]

I think Carl mentioned the binary Kakilambe as the "American Kakilambe". There are different version of those. Two of them can be seen on this website:

http://www.reynders-bonhagen.nl/ritme/kakilambe.html

best, jürgen

[djembeweaver]

Weird. Mostly gibberish I think.

Djembe 1 for Mendiani is a pattern that's often played on a bass djembe for dununba in Conakry. Djembe 2 is a possible variation on the standard 6/8 accompaniment. Djembe 3 is indeed a Mendiani phrase, though I've never encountered it as an accompaniment (only as a solo phrase). The dunun pattern given for Mendiani is the same as Kakilambe, which speaks volumes.

Looks like a complete mish-mash based on a total lack of understanding of the rhythms.

[Dugafola]

abdoulaye diakite teaches a binary kakilambe.

Aha!

Do you know whether it's any close to the version I notated from the video?

Cheers,

Michi.

i'm really bad about looking at notation and figuring it out what it sounds like in my head. i would need a sound bite or a video clip.

or....just make it go away.

[EvanP]

Michi, Dugs,
You're both gentlemen an scholars. And you both make my head spin like Linda Blair!

E

[michi]

I think Carl mentioned the binary Kakilambe as the "American Kakilambe". There are different version of those. Two of them can be seen on this website:

http://www.reynders-bonhagen.nl/ritme/kakilambe.html

Thanks for that! The second of these is the same as the one in the video.

I'm still very skeptical that this is a "real" Kakilambe. The rhythm is just too linear and boring to be genuine, it seems.

Michi.

[michi]

i'm really bad about looking at notation and figuring it out what it sounds like in my head. i would need a sound bite or a video clip.

or....just make it go away.

You know me better than that!

Here is an excerpt from the video soundtrack, for everyone's enjoyment

Binary Kakilambe.mp3

Kakilambe from "African Beats" DVD, by Kalani

(1.5 MiB) Downloaded 121 times

Michi.

[michi]

Weird. Mostly gibberish I think.

Yes, that's my take on it too. For the "dundunba", with the two djembe parts interlocked the way they are, it's immediately obvious that he doesn't know what he's talking about. I'd call this a source of questionable authenticity…

Michi.

[djembefeeling]

I'm still very skeptical that this is a "real" Kakilambe. The rhythm is just too linear and boring to be genuine, it seems.

Agreed. I think Carl's phrase "American Kakilambe" implies that in a way.

[michi]

Michi, Dugs,
You're both gentlemen an scholars. And you both make my head spin like Linda Blair!

Welcome to a world of ambiguity, uncertainty, conflicting information, and bewilderment. If it were clear-cut, it would be boring

Michi.

[Paul]

Seen this a few times by senegalese trained peeps..

[dleufer]

I was shown a binary Kakilambe by a teacher in Burkina. I said nothing and let him show me all the parts and then said "I know that this isn't Kakilambe". He looked embarrassed and said "It's my creation", to which I replied "Well then tell me that and don't give me dodgy information". I had no problem playing his made-up rhythm but it's terrible when they lie and give it the name of another rhythm. This is a big danger with studying in Burkina and Senegal I think. Obviously it can happen in Conakry or Bamako but I think it's less likely.