Bolokonondo

[dleufer]

Bolokonondo is definitely one of my favourite rhythms. I learned it in January with Famoudou but only recently got to play it again properly when a Japanese friend came to visit and we had 3 dunun players who were up to it. I'm starting this thread to try and gather as much info/media on this rhythm as I can.

The only recordings I know of are on Mamady and Famoudou's album Hamana and there's a track called Bolokonondo 2 on another of Famoudou's labums. Does anyone know of any others?

Also, I can't find any good videos of it (other than the orchestral one I just posted). There's one of Mamady playing but it's very short. You guys know of any?

And does any have a good ballet version? I've worked one out myself and spent about 4 hours yesterday practising it with a metronome ( ) but I'd be interested to hear what other people have.

As for cultural/background info on the rhythm here's what I know:

Obviously, it's a dance of the strong man rhythm a.k.a dununba.

It differs from other dununba rhythms in that it doesn't follow the usual chauffé pattern. Instead, as Famoudou said, the rhythm gradually speeds up during the long dunun part. There is no point at which the duns break their usual cycle for a chauffé pattern (as far as I know, although I anticipate and welcome argument).

Nobody knows why it's called Bolokonondo. Or at least Famoudou doesn't, and if he doesn't, I wouldn't say anyone does. He said that when he started teaching non-African students they started asking him questions like "Why is this rhythm called XYZ?" etc. He said that this got him thinking analytically about the music of his culture and that most names make sense. For example Takosaba means "six steps" and apparently this makes sense if you look at the traditional dance. But as for Bolokonondo, it means "nine fingers" , and he says he has no idea why it's called this. Any guesses?

The dance is extremely confusing. For me. When we arrived in Sangbralla they welcomed us with a dununba fete and a big Bolokonondo dance. I have never been so confused (forward-back-forward-back-more forward- waaaaaaay back etc).

Anyways, I look forward to more information and disputation of my own.

[dleufer]

Oh yeah, I've got a nice song for the rhythm. I'm in the middle of sorting out my recordings so once I've done that I'll try to remember to post a clip.

[bubudi]

daniel, would love to hear your song, bro.


recordings:
mansa camio & an bada sofoli - malinke dunun music of upper guinea (track 4)
koungbanan conde - percussions du sankaran (track 3, during a string of dunun rhythms).
famoudou konate - guinea: malinke rhythms & songs vol. 2 (track 4)
famoudou konate - rhythmen der malinke (track 14)


youtube videos:

[guedom]

Hi buddies here a recording of Noumoudy Keita and Famoudou Konaté

Save as..

cheers!

[bops]

Thanks guedom!! Sweet recording.

Mother of god! That is the sickest bolokonondo ever!

[dleufer]

Guedom! Nice one, that's a sweet recording. It'd be amazing to have a video of it.
I'll try to sort out my recordings soon and upload my recording of it from Sangbralla.

[bubudi]

i'm thinking there are probably traditional dance steps for this dance, which might help explain the reason for the name. i'm not very clued up on this dance though. maybe someone else can chime in.

guedom, thanks for the recording. nice one bro!

[michi]

I asked Epizo when he taught Bolokonondo last year. He also explained the "nine fingers" meaning, but didn't know why the rhythm has that name.

Michi.

[dleufer]

Yeah there are traditional steps and we were taught them in Sangbralla. During the closed note section of the sangban pattern the dancers march forward in lines and then retreat when the sangban starts hitting open notes. During the long bit the line of dancers which are in front of the drummers at the time do a chauffé step.
Famoudou said that despite his attempted analyses he could find no connection between the dance and the name "nine fingers".

[bops]

i'm thinking there are probably traditional dance steps for this dance, which might help explain the reason for the name.

Like other dununbas, there is really only one distinct step that is associated with bolokondo, though there are probably many variations of it. At dununbas in Conakry, every once in a while you'll see a dancer go into that step, and the drummers will immediately follow suit.

[bubudi]

have you seen that step in a video somewhere on the net or do you have a clip you could post?

[Dugafola]

i'm thinking there are probably traditional dance steps for this dance, which might help explain the reason for the name.

Like other dununbas, there is really only one distinct step that is associated with bolokondo, though there are probably many variations of it. At dununbas in Conakry, every once in a while you'll see a dancer go into that step, and the drummers will immediately follow suit.

the OG dance is shown in the youtube video posted above from Fam's compound. there are variances from village to village, but it's basically the same premise.

i'm gonna assume that i know the step that Bops is referring to and i'll say that that particular step is "ballet."

in the village, the barati will do that dance all around the bara. the abbreviated "ballet" movement was shortened due to the constraints of a stage.

the only dance teachers in the states that i've seen teach the dance are Moustapha Bangoura and Mouminatou Camara. Moustapha teaches a melange of "traditional" and "ballet" and Moumi's were basically the "ballet" style.

[guedom]

Thanks guedom!! Sweet recording.
Mother of god! That is the sickest bolokonondo ever!

yea My friend Alino told me for this rhythm was Noumoudy the soloist.

Guedom! Nice one, that's a sweet recording. It'd be amazing to have a video of it.
I'll try to sort out my recordings soon and upload my recording of it from Sangbralla.

Sorry only audio

guedom, thanks for the recording. nice one bro!

enjoy it!

[Afoba]

Hi guys,
yes, there's only one step with several variations (from village to village or even from generation to generation). Some people e.g. from Baro might even sit down three times during the second closed sangban stroke part (which has only three strokes in the village of Balato, by the way - nice version!). The ballet style step has got twice the same part, once starting with the right foot, once with the left. It's like pulling on (at?) a rope. Conakry girls in contact with ballets can go into the simple women's soli chauffe during the "short chauffe part". I call it that way, because there is a longer chauffe part in some versions/villages, just like in the Noumoudy version we heard (well, it can be longer).
bolokönöndö can mean "nine hands", too, but I don't know why, either. Still it makes no sense to say that if Famoudou doesn't know the signification, then no one will know. Instead we should honour him for his honesty to say that he doesn't know instead of inventing something as often done by many.
There is a nice bolokönöndö part in this video from 4:55 on. I think these Italians stayed in Koumana, but the dundunba might be in Babila:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DanielKonate?feature=mhum#p/f/15/R8RK0234DRU

have a nice time,
Daniel

[Dugafola]

thanks for link daniel.