Show off your axe

[Legba]

It was a Gershwin record.
I converted the tele to an Esquire yesterday, so I made a new pickgaurd last night.
I'll shoot a pic today and post it.

[jeffduyndam]

Here's my favorite two, right now
It has been an evolution and adventure searching for "the sound" I like to hear coming from the drum I play. I have often thought the djembe might be a holy grail.

They are both hare with cow skin. The first one is 13" x 23 7/8". The second one is 12 7/8" x 24".

hare-djembes2.jpg (42.6 KiB) Viewed 711 times

hare-djembe1.jpg (47.16 KiB) Viewed 711 times

happy drumming,

Jeff
http://www.djembejeff.com

[bubudi]

jeff, what's your affiliation with tim the 'djembe secrets' dude? you seem to promote him big-time on your website

[jeffduyndam]

Hey bubudi,

I've never met Tim. My affiliation is just putting his links on the website. The link has a digital code that anyone can get if you sign up for their affiliate program. If someone clicks through and ends up buying his instructional material I receive a portion of the purchase. The price for his program is in Aus dollars, and right now it costs $69 Aus dollars and that equals $44 US dollars after the conversion.

Only had one person buy it through the website in about 4 months of having up on the website.

I liked his free samples and actually learned a little from them. I think it is good for someone who can't attend a drum class in their area, or a beginner who wants to get up to speed just starting out. A lot of people here in Christchurch have told they want to come my Tuesday night drum class but have other commitments. This is a way they can get started.

Thanks for all the info on Sugu,

Jeff
http://www.djembejeff.com

[bubudi]

no worries for the info. i would be very wary of anyone playing a lp stave-built, lug-tuned clone of a djembe and claiming to be able to teach you the secrets of an ancient instrument like the djembe, having never in his life set foot in west africa nor studied under any of its djembe masters... at the same time claiming to be able to reveal the secrets of numerous other percussion instruments as well!!! there is no shred of authenticity or quality to any of the samples of djembe playing in the advertisement on his 'djembe secrets' web page.

if any of your students need some audio-visual instruction in lieu of lessons, in my opinion they'd be getting much more from the resources suggested in this thread (taught by master drummers), or even from the rhythm reference project website.

[jeffduyndam]

Hi bubudi,

I took djembe secrets off the website. And replaced it with the link you suggested.

thanks for the reality check,

Jeff

http://www.djembejeff.com

[bops]

Hi bubudi,

I took djembe secrets off the website. And replaced it with the link you suggested.

thanks for the reality check,

Jeff

I applaud your integrity. That djembe secrets video is a farce. Although, if he had called it something like "world percussion basics," probably none of us would have protested.

PS. Next time, when you take a picture of your drum, unwrap the strap so we can actually see the whole drum!

[jeffduyndam]

bops wrote,

PS. Next time, when you take a picture of your drum, unwrap the strap so we can actually see the whole drum!

new pictures are up,

Jeff

[bubudi]

i agree, that's a mature and wise decision. nice story on your web page. did you live near encinitas? one of our forum members, dununbabe, teaches there.

[jeffduyndam]

Yes, I lived in San Diego/Encinitas area 1994-1999. I didn't meet a drummer named dununbabe back then.

During that time I took classes from Lamin "dibo" Camara because he had connections and would come there regularly. That's where I met Moussa Traore and bought a few of his dugara djembes and took some classes and one private lesson with him.

Every summer I went up to the Tambacounda West African Dance and Drum camp in Northern California. That's where I met heaps of drummers and took classes from Abdoulaye Diakite, Caramba Diabate and Abdoul Doumbia, Moshe, and met Simbo and so many other people who had turned their life over to music, dance, and drum.

Mamady was hosted the first time in San Diego by Monet who was (and is) an amazingly skilled drummer. I took private lessons with Monet because she knew all the Mamady solo phrasing patterns and was working towards her Tam Tam Mandingue certificate. She would travel with Mamady and Fred Simpson on his tour to Santa Cruz and New Mexico and all the other places he taught.

What a shock, around five years later, after I moved to Maui, Dell (another gifted drummer from the Bay Area) comes back from Cali and tells me Monet married Mamady!

Anyways, I'm stoked, Mohamed Bangoura is coming here to teach 3 weekend camps in May/June. I'm saving my money so I can follow him around New Zealand. He is so funny He was telling us he is one of the modern djembefolas. And when he goes to Matam , a section of Conakry, he and his friends tear it up and they play a certain style, their style. This was his response to a question about the other, more popular uh... older(?) djembefolas. Mohamed had a twinkle in his eye while sharing this info

Wish you guys were closer, we could have a serious jam. If you ever come down to NZ, look me up.

respect,

Jeff
http://www.djembejeff.com

[scdreger]

I posted the shell before. Now it's all skinned up and on its way to me. I am so
Thanks Drumskulls!

[rachelnguyen]

SC...Nice!

I love the spotted skin.

Here's the shell I brought back from Mali. It belonged to one of my teachers in Bamako, so it has beautiful mojo. The cowskin for it has arrived and I have redone the rope rings, so as soon as my teacher has some time, he is going to head it for me. (I don't think I am strong enough for cowskin, LOL.)

[scdreger]

Thanks Rachel, it should be here tomorrow – just in time for the weekend.

That's a nice shell. I love the shape of Mali shells.

[rachelnguyen]

oh, SC, you must be dying, LOL. Have fun with it this weekend!

[Garvin]

Well, I finally got around to taking some pictures of my new Wula drum. I've had it for about 3 months and am finally finding my sound on it. It is a Lenke shell, about 13-13.5" diameter and its freakin' heavy. I had them put a nice calf-skin on it, and Tom told me that this shell could really take the pressure you have to apply to pull cow really tight. I pulled verts last week and have it pretty cranked for a few performances I've had.