babatunde olatunji - drums of passion

[bubudi]

babatunde olatunji (born april 7, 1927) was from the yoruba people and as such didn't represent the djembe culture. it's evident in his music that he isn't playing mande rhythms. however, as this old footage of one of his drums of passion gigs shows, he did embody the spirit of coming together to make good music and dance. in an era when many african americans were connecting with their roots and protesting for their rights, baba insisted that all people, regardless of race, should make music together. the songs, rhythms and dances of this era were part of the political and spiritual environment in the united states (particularly in new york city) during the 60s and 70s. it was extremely liberating and uplifting for all those who participated and watched. this performance is engaging and powerful. it's baba's music, his gift to the world.

baba came to america in 1950 and studied in new york university while starting a percussion ensemble to make some money on the side. his energy and musicality soon earned him a following in jazz circles, with some of the big names like john coltrane. he went on to record with coltrane in 1957 and followed 2 years later with the first of 6 recordings on the columbia label, called drums of passion. he went on to record with carlos santana, grateful dead, max roach, quincy jones, stevie wonder, pee wee ellis, taj mahal and many others. he made 16 albums (including one single, soul makossa) and collaborated on more than 20 others.

he also composed music for broadway and hollywood, including an assistant role in the music for spike lee's movie, she's got to have it.

baba was also an excellent orator and teacher. he was famous for his impassioned speeches before a performance. one of his most well-known quotes was:

yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. but today is a gift, that's why we call it the present.

he performed in front of the united nations general assembly, toured with martin luther king jr, was the first outsider to perform in prague and appeared in 1979 at the amandla festival of unity along with bob marley, patti labelle, eddie palmieri and others.

baba invented the gun-dun-go-do-pa-ta method of teaching and recording drum sounds, based on 3 basic sounds (bass, tone, slap) on both hands. he taught from the late 1950s until 2003. he even contributed to the book, Musical Instruments of Africa: Their Nature, Use and Place in the Life of a Deeply Musical People with betty warner-dietz (published by john day co. in 1965).

baba died in salinas, california, on april 6, 2003, one day short of his 76th birthday, from complications of diabetes. two years later his autobiography, the beat of my drum: an autobiography (temple university press, ISBN 1592133541, ISBN 978-1592133543) was finally published. rest in eternal peace, baba.