Study Group

[Rhythm House Drums]

Yeah.. lets just do a pole... Let all the mods (how many are there??) pick a rhythm.. then we can vote from those. Seeing as the mods will probably be the ones putting a lot into this... I think that is fair... each mod gets to pick one or two rhythms, then over the course of a week or so everyone interested can vote on their fav... and that's what we concentrate on for 2 months... otherwise... this topic will end up with 200 pages of posts and no rhythms being discussed...

[bubudi]

i was thinking more along the lines of different people putting forward their picks. then there'll be a vote. if there's a tie, then the mods have final say. there are 3 of us - james, rachel and myself. that pretty much guarantees we'll quickly settle the rhythm of the month thing.

[michi]

OK, so to break the ice, here is my suggestion:

Guinea Fare

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

michi, can your already stretched memory take yet another rhythm?
please be specific. are you talking about yoki or mane?

[rachelnguyen]

I am game. I assume Guinea Fare is a Guinean rhythm, LOL. We can do Mali next time!

Love,
Rachel

[BobF]

I'd be interested in Mane! I'm hoping to learn some bala parts for that next time my teacher comes through the area.

[michi]

michi, can your already stretched memory take yet another rhythm?
please be specific. are you talking about yoki or mane?

I'm talking about Yoki. As far as I'm concerned, Mane is a completely different rhythm from the dundunba family. I've learned both Guinea Fare (Yoki) and Mane from two different teachers each. From what I was taught, they aren't even vaguely similar to each other. Can you let me in on the secret of how the two are or might be related or mistaken for each other?

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

I'm talking about Yoki. As far as I'm concerned, Mane is a completely different rhythm from the dundunba family

neither mane nor yoki are in the dununba family.

Can you let me in on the secret of how the two are or might be related or mistaken for each other?

the name gine fare in susu means 'women's dance'. both yoki and mane qualify, being susu dances for women and susu people use the name gine fare for both rhythms, although in my experience it's more commonly used to refer to yoki.

[michi]

I'm talking about Yoki. As far as I'm concerned, Mane is a completely different rhythm from the dundunba family

neither mane nor yoki are in the dununba family.

That is interesting. I learned Mane originally from King Marong, who said that it belongs with the dundunbas.

the name gine fare in susu means 'women's dance'.

Yes, I was aware of that.

both yoki and mane qualify, being susu dances for women and susu people use the name gine fare for both rhythms, although in my experience it's more commonly used to refer to yoki.

Ah, OK, I didn't know that Mane was referred to as Gine Fare. Thanks for that!

Anyway, I was referring to Guinea Fare that is also known as Yoki. I remember when I first heard that and was thrown by the unusual call.

Cheers,

Michi.

[bops]

That is interesting. I learned Mane originally from King Marong, who said that it belongs with the dundunbas.

bubudi is correct - Mane is Susu through-and-through. Not part of the Dununba family, although it does have a similar off-beat kenkeni part. I guess you could say it's part of the gine fare family - bote and bala.

[BobF]

I got a great recording of Mane from a Balkaly Camara CD (with Bolokada Conde and a few Ballet Warraba people) that's awesome. I've never seen it available in any of the usual places, maybe only available from the ex-warraba people (Tiani). Definitely worth checking out if you like bala music.

[bops]

I'm uploading some stuff to YouTube... I'll post it shortly.

[the kid]

My suggestion is Sofa for starters.
Sweet old Malinke rhythym with a lot of interesting cultural background.

[michi]

bubudi is correct - Mane is Susu through-and-through. Not part of the Dununba family, although it does have a similar off-beat kenkeni part. I guess you could say it's part of the gine fare family - bote and bala.

Thanks for the clarification. If it is Susu, it obviously cannot possibly be a dundunba. Come to think of it, it lacks the hallmark call of dundunbas, and the accompaniments aren't the standard dundunba accompaniments either. I really should have figured this out myself... When I first learned Mane, I'd only been drumming for a few months, and the non-fact that it belongs to the dundunba family has been stuck in my brain ever since--I never went back to question it after learning other dundunbas.

Cheers,

Michi.

[Dugafola]

Come to think of it, it lacks the hallmark call of dundunbas

i've been taught a couple 'bas that do not have the Basatibadaba "call" at the beginning.

you will most likely not hear the Basatibadaba call in the village. the dunun rhythms will typically start with clapping, singing, or kenkeni or sangban or any combo of those.