Kuku - New parts ?

[bubudi]

are there any djembe parts or dunun phrases that anyone wants to discuss?

[michi]

Mamady showed an accompaniment for Kuku Des Maoka that he came up with himself. What makes it unusual is that the accompaniment is pure 6/8 and fits in just fine with all the other 4/4 stuff that's going on.

Here is a sound clip of Mamady playing the standard djembe 1 part for Kuku, for reference:

Djembe-1.mp3

Kuku djembe 1 (traditional)

(367.84 KiB) Downloaded 73 times

Here is Mamady's 6/8 part:

Djembe-3.mp3

Kuku djembe 3 (not traditional, Mamady's composition)

(747.91 KiB) Downloaded 78 times

Here is that part played with the dunduns:

Ensemble.mp3

Kuku dunduns with djembe 3

(746.05 KiB) Downloaded 62 times

That part is pure 6/8. Mamady himself pointed this out by playing a standard ttt-t-tt-tt-t 6/8 call followed by that part.

I really like the way that part interleaves with the 4/4 groove.

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

yes that new part he came up with works very nicely. thanks for sharing.

the '1st accomp' that you posted is a point of contention for a lot of people.
compare the kuku he does on wassolon where this part is simplified.
famoudou has said that kuku the way it is played nowadays is a far cry from the original. he teaches that 1st accomp with basses where the slaps are. he also teaches the second accomp slightly differently to mamady.

[michi]

famoudou has said that kuku the way it is played nowadays is a far cry from the original. he teaches that 1st accomp with basses where the slaps are.

Interesting, I wasn't aware of that, thanks!

he also teaches the second accomp slightly differently to mamady.

Could you post a clip?

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

he also teaches the second accomp slightly differently to mamady.

Can you post a clip?

not sure i have one. it's very similar. replace mamady's bass with a slap on the 2nd accomp.

[michi]

not sure i have one. it's very similar. replace mamady's bass with a slap.

You mean this?

Code: Select all

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

Instead of the standard version?

Code: Select all

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

Michi.

[bubudi]

i said replace the bass with a slap. you have done the opposite

for clarity here are both accomps the way famoudou taught them (also note different handing on djembe 2):

djembe 1

Code: Select all

tt.bttb.tt.bttb.
rl.lrlr.rl.lrlr.

djembe 2

Code: Select all

s.tt..s.s.tt..s.
r.lr..l.r.lr..l.
              ^ start here

[michi]

i said replace the bass with a slap. you have done the opposite

Oops!

should be like this:

Code: Select all

s.tt..s.s.tt..s.

OK, thanks!

Michi.

[e2c]

for clarity here are both accomps the way famoudou taught them (also note different handing on djembe 2):

djembe 1

Code: Select all

tt.bttb.tt.bttb.
rl.lrlr.rl.lrlr.

I know this in a somewhat turned-around version as a bass djembe part. Interesting. (would be bb.tttt.bb.tttt, more or less...)

[bubudi]

you can hear famoudou's version on his cd, rhythms and songs from guinea (complementary cd to the book of the same name).

e2c, you know that bass djembe parts are a modern addition, right? with the original kuku, the parts were originally played on lower tuned djembes, and without the addition of the dununba.

[Djembe-nerd]

djembe 2

Code: Select all
s.tt..s.s.tt..s.
r.lr..l.r.lr..l.
^ start here

Thats interesting, I was told by somone who drums with me and has attended Mamady's San Dieago camp that when the pace becomes real fast on the first accompaniment ( djembe 1 posted above) you take the slaps out and just play the tones.

which will make it complimenting to the one you posted. tones at least

tt..tt..tt..tt..
s.tt..s.s.tt..s.

I don't know if this is legitimate information though.

[e2c]

e2c, you know that bass djembe parts are a modern addition, right? with the original kuku, the parts were originally played on lower tuned djembes, and without the addition of the dununba.

Yep, I'm well aware of that. I enjoy playing bass dejmbe and used to be able to do so regularly, for dance classes - kuku being a staple of warm-ups, I don't think I'd have been able to avoid learning that part if I'd tried.

At any rate, the part is what it is, whether played on bass djembe or a low-tuned djembe with those awfully newfangled steel rings and nautical/climbing rope, no?

[bubudi]

Thats interesting, I was told by somone who drums with me and has attended Mamady's San Dieago camp that when the pace becomes real fast on the first accompaniment ( djembe 1 posted above) you take the slaps out and just play the tones.

which will make it complimenting to the one you posted. tones at least

tt..tt..tt..tt..
s.tt..s.s.tt..s.

I don't know if this is legitimate information though.

good point, adam. you can hear this effect with the tones on the kuku track on mamady's wassolon cd.

[bubudi]

speaking of modern parts for kuku, here's a solo accomp i picked up along the way, going over 16 beats or 2 regular dunun cycles:

Code: Select all

1...2...3...4... | 1...2...3...4... | 1...2...3...4... | 1...2...3...4...
ssss.tt.b...b... | b.ss.ss.b...b... | b.ss.ss.b...b... | b.ss.ss.tt.tt.t.
rlrl lr r   l      r rl lr r   l      r rl lr r   l      r rl lr rl lr r

i'll try to record a sample in due course.

kuku has a very unique swing that is different from, say, the kassa family of rhythms. very few give kuku the attention it needs with regards to swing when they learn this rhythm.

[michi]

speaking of modern parts for kuku, here's a solo accomp i picked up along the way, going over 16 beats or 2 regular dunun cycles

Cool, thanks for that! Quite busy accompaniment. I like the way it fits in with the dunduns--nice!

Michi.