Jeli dunun

[rachelnguyen]

Yeah!

I finally got the right stick for my Djeli dun dun. It turned out my friend Lisa had one in her car... so I asked her for it, LOL.

I got to practice a little with it and it makes a big difference. Even though it is quite a bit heavier than the other stick I was using, the shape of it seems to bounce off the surface of the skin much more effectively and seems to take less energy to play with. I can't wait really let loose with it when the kids aren't trying to get to sleep!

iphone 013.jpg (41.25 KiB) Viewed 257 times

[Dugafola]

fyi...you can get those sticks at DSDs...

[e2c]

Nate Vellinga sells them, too, on his onetreedrums site....

I have a couple from DSD - very nice!

[komadich]

By the way, it seems that an interesting CD of the Khassonke dununfola Dramane "Dra Gaucher" Diabate should come out shortly.

[bubudi]

it's out already but he lives in japan and i haven't seen the cd available anywhere else yet.
meanwhile, check out francois dembele's cd, san toro. dra is the dununfola on that cd and madou fane (ex ballet du mali) is the other djembe soloist.

[bubudi]

another cd to be aware of is khassonka dunun, released by playasound in 1997.



1. jeli foli
2. khassonka jon
3. dansa
4. sumaya
5. garanke don
6. jeli foli
7. yamoussa

no djembe in this recording. pure dunun, as played in khasso.

[rachelnguyen]

Wow,

The cds look great! Thanks, all.

As for the sticks, it is great to know there are some sources stateside for these.

I am thinking of trying to make one at some point, just for kicks.

Love,
Rachel

[VagabonTribe]

The jeli dununba is a term used to refer to the style of playing more-so than the physical instrument itself.

It cannot be said that the kassonke dunun came first. Unless some griot is promoting that as truth in history there is no evidence of that I am aware of.

The jeli dununba is essentially an accompanying solo instrument. It compliments the lead djembefolla's solos and plays specific solo lines himself. Malian djembe rhythms cannot be properly played if the dununba player is just holding a part. That is not djembe ensemble music that we see in Mali, specifically Bamako. Even in villages in lower Mali and upper Guinea they will play this way, or with no dununba at all, just one konkoni.

Enjoy the journey. You think djembe is tough, try to keep up with the soloist while plain the dununba. Whew!!!

[bubudi]

here's a couple of videos showing the assembly of a jelidunun.





enjoy

[bops]

Rachel, thank you so much for posting these. I've been looking for this kind of video for a while.

[bubudi]

Rachel, thank you so much for posting these. I've been looking for this kind of video for a while.

you're welcome, bops, but don't call me rachel!

[rachelnguyen]

Wow. That is a beautiful video. What an incredible thing. Thanks, Bubudi, for finding it and posting. And Bops, stop calling Bubudi Rachel, LOL.

[bops]

you're welcome, bops, but don't call me rachel!

Surely, I won't make that mistake again!

[bubudi]

and don't call me surely!