Karin Graf, student of Adama Dramé

[djembefeeling]

This is the promising german student of Adama Dramé, performing with just a little support from her Master in Munich:



and completely on her own:

[the kid]

I'm not into her playing. Skimming the rim in my opinion. And her grasp of rhythym is lacking in parts. But it is also good in parts but this hollow sound recording doesn't do it too much justice either.

Obviously Adama does sound cool but i still don't like his style of playing too much.

Is this gonna be a new style of playing? It's never gonna fit into a ensemble. Looks more like some tabla playing. Whats the point? I prefer a good djembekan any day.

[e2c]

Jürgen, thanks so much for posting these vids.

She's a very gifted musician - and I love Adama's willingness to both dig deep into tradition while, at the same time, exploring what can be done with the djembe.

Much as I love traditional styles, I also love good innovation. And I think Karin is very much in that "tradition" herself.

Do you know if she studied other styles of percussion before taking up djembe? It looks - and sounds - to me as if she has, especially given the fact that her wrists are so relaxed and that she can easily produce slaps and tones without much effort.

(Kind of reminds me of my own teacher, who has *only* studied and played trad. Guinea styles, but who has very "soft" wrists and hands due to his training in martial arts...)

[e2c]

I just found her site and...

http://www.karin-graf.com/percussion.htm

I had a feeling that she had trained in Afro-Cuban percussion; looks like it's true.

[djembefeeling]

Do you know if she studied other styles of percussion before taking up djembe? It looks - and sounds - to me as if she has, especially given the fact that her wrists are so relaxed and that she can easily produce slaps and tones without much effort.

As far as I know she did not. She has some musical history in playing the trumpet, piano, and saxophone. But more important, she did work as physiotherapist for a couple of years before she met the djembe. So I guess she knew what is important in order to stay healthy with the hands while playing like eight hours a day. She surrendered to this instrument completely, said good-bye to work and studied with Adama Dramé in Burkina. That in itself is an amazing story how she met Adama and how he did not want another student but couldn't help to finally accept her after he sent her away tiwce before. She was just so persistent in her wish to study with him. A year of pain and bootcamp started, but obviously she knows how to drum now.

Karin is a nice person, I've met her twice. The first time was in a village in northern Germany where she organized a workshop with Adama -- didn't work out well for me. I am very ambivalent with Adama Drame's style of drumming. It does not interest me to produce all these tiny sounds out of the rim and different fingers. And frankly, I was bored in the concert after the workshop. Adama Dramé is a true master on his instrument, but to me one piece of music did sound like the other. Occasionally, though, there is a great track on some of his cd's that I would love to be able to drum.

In case you like to listen to a whole concert of Karin, just click here:

http://cba.fro.at/56103

[e2c]

Thanks so much for the info.!

I would like to hear Karin playing some trad music as well, and I agree that a little of this style goes a long way.

I think many things that she does can be very effective as "grace notes" in accompanying various styles of music, though. (But not traditional W. African djembe music... Adama is able to use these techniques sparingly, something that I like very much about his playing.)

The whole "rimshot" thing (not sure what you would call that in German; the term comes from drum set playing here) would work quite well with bongos and some other kinds of drums, though...

What I like most: her hands and wrists. She knows how to get volume and speed by using the actual weight of her hands and arms - and from the natural motion of the wrists - rather than by hitting hard.

About the "tiny sounds": my background is in Middle Eastern percussion (darbouka and frame drums), where variations in sound on and around the rim of the drum are used as accents and ornamentation. So I like what Adama does in that respect - and I think these kinds of sounds can really add to a performance when they are used sparingly.

Too much of anything is, well... too much! (With the exception of bass and tone on the djembe - I honestly like these sounds better than slaps, but then, I love to play dununs and bass djembe.)

Edited to add: I love Adama's ballet and trad. albums and for me, that is his best playing. I am a fan of his experimentation (in general), though it is not always to my taste. But his best solo playing (where he uses different techniques) is very inspiring to me personally.

However, I do think his style(s) will be seen as important and influential in years to come...

[michi]

Whether people agree or disagree with that particular style is very much a matter of personal taste, I think.

But, to me, there is little doubt that she is an excellent percussionist. I also like her relaxed technique, nice to watch.

Cheers,

michi.

[Waraba]

Whether people agree or disagree with that particular style is very much a matter of personal taste, I think.

But, to me, there is little doubt that she is an excellent percussionist. I also like her relaxed technique, nice to watch.

Cheers,

michi.

I find it hard to argue with virtuosity. You know it when you see it.

[Carina]

I think she's great and since I'm also drumming djembe - recently started - I see her as a model. I'll probably never catch up in this life but I'll do my best. Funny, I also work as a psychiatric nurse and therapist. Hmmm....and who cares if she's been playing drums before?
Keep up the good work out there everyone!

Blessings
Carina

[e2c]

Hmmm....and who cares if she's been playing drums before?

Carina, welcome to the Djembefola.com forum! It sounds like you are having a great time learning djembe.

I don't "care" if Karin played any other kinds of instruments before starting to learn djembe, but I do think her style and technique show multiple influences (not just West African) and I was interested in learning more about her background - that's all.

Cool?

[djembefeeling]

I was interested in learning more about her background

she has a background in latin percussion, that's true. I just don't know if it is prior to the djembe or not. I thought she learned to play the djembe first. but I will ask her. I do care. For the time being I post some old footage of her master









BTW, I'm glad you found a role model for yourself, Carina. There are not that many women for that, yet.

cheers, jürgen

[djembefeeling]

I thought she learned to play the djembe first. but I will ask her.

just did: she started with the djembe, but learned almost simultaneously the conga.

[e2c]

Jürgen, thanks - that makes a lot of sense, given what I am seeing and hearing...