Workshops with
Mamady Keita
in Tucson

September, 16, 2003

(Click on the thumbnails to get a full size picture)

Pictures from the Phoenix workshop

We worked on Soli rapide and on Djaa

As Monette translates...	we are all listening, fascinated..
..by the history and meaning...	... of the rhythms.
Monette translating.. (she's ready for a nap)	..Mamady explaining slaps...
..and tones...	.. your hands need to do what your mind expects to hear. (While delightful Mahiri is working on a djembe, whose head couldn't take Arizona's heat)
Individual attention	Dounouns for Soli rapide
This is how you should hold your hands	Soli (almost) rapide
Not a whole lot of....	... beginners in Tucson.

The Tucson intermediate class

We worked on Dunun Gbe, the 'mother of all Dounounba rhythms'..
...and it was hard work. And it was wonderful.

The intermediate class..	was pretty well attended..
	We even had some...
...passive listeners.
	No. Mamady did not get hurt by the way we were playing... or did he?
Mamady plays solos for Dunun Gbe...	..wonderful and magic music...
.. supported by Mahiri, Martin and Monette.	At least in Tucson we thought about making a group picture.

Here are some pictures taken by our friend Liz Pederson that we want to share, too.

Mahiri, Monette, Mamady and Pam	Makalani and Tom came all the way from Phoenix
While Mamady and group are..	playing Dunun Gbe, everybody...
..Jeremy and Erica...	..Lorin and Bernd...
.. and everybody else..	... is taken away by the beauty of the music from Hamanah.
Last and encouraging words to a humble audience.	Thanks again Mamady. Thanks for sharing the beauty, complexity and richness of the traditional music of the Malinke people with us. Thanks for not giving up on us, but instead showing patience and passion in teaching.

Pictures from the Phoenix Workshops