Back from Bamako

[rachelnguyen]

Hey all,

Spent a couple of weeks in my favorite African city. Came back with a sweet new dunumba and kenkeni (boumou wood... much lighter than my current set.) Built by Mamadou Diarra.

It was GREAT having my son with me. We had a lovely group of travelers with us. Sidy was very busy recording his CD. (Can't wait to post the release information!)

We saw a ton of music, including Toumani Diabate on our first night there. Touma Diabate at a wedding, the festival of women free concert at the culture center across the river.

We had classes with Alassane Sissoko, Makan Kone, Fousseine Kouyate, Mamadou Diarra and Ladjie Diakite.

This time we stayed in the Banconi Razel district, which was a much more vibrant part of town.

Came back with more Bambara, too.

Love,
Rachel

[Waraba]

Welcome back! You are lucky to have been there. How are the living conditions?

[bubudi]

kunben, bismila! here sira wa? i ka kene?

sounds like a great trip and a different experience this time. please post a few pictures!

any profound realisations?

[Michel]

Ini Sogoma! Here sira? Somogo be di? Mbaaa! Still in bamako, found a hotel with wifi. I joined Sidiki Camara's group. We spend a week in Wassoulou, the very remote village of Sanankoroba, the village of Sidiki's family. Then a week in Bamako, with also every day lessons and danceclass drumming. Was also drumming at some weddings, saw the festival of women's voices on the boards of the river Niger, and spend some days in Djenné, just to do something touristy.... Love Mali, the people and it's music. Worked a lot on almost the same rhythms as last year, but with different teachers. That gives a lot of new inspiration. Teachers were Sidiki, Madou Fané, who tried to teach n'gomba again in which he succeeded better as last year thanks to a performance of the dance by the national ballet,Khalifa Conte and other members of the national ballet. Saw also some rehearsels of them and they did a poor performance at the opening of the festival. But that was because of the 'sound engineer' who did soundchecks during the performance. There were many people in the group to record clips which they promised to put on youtube. I will keep you informed. Kan be! Michel