Musicians


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Singers and Players

[ Graphics by GIMP ]This page now mentions all the players I have photos of on this website - you are all stars :-)


Master Drummers

Here are pictures of some of the master drummers I've met. Others I've studied with who are not pictured include the wonderful Fats Ramoba Mogoboya and his singer wife Nomsa (from Ladysmith Black Mambazo), Vieux Bakayoko, Baba Kone, Famoudou Konate's nephew Nansady Keita, Seckou Keita, Landing Mane, Moctar "Mocolo" Sawane, Yaw Asumadu, the last five of whom I studied with at African Beats Camp.

[ Mamady Keita teaching us in 2008 ]Mamady Keita, undisputed djembe master of Earth, came over to England to teach us in May 2008. Check my report now with pictures...

[ Yahael Camara-Onono with Sidiki Dembele ]Djembefola and ngoni player Sidiki Dembele with his "son", dununfola Yahael Camara-Onono.




[ Famoudou Konate driving a room of drummers | Iya Sako's djembe class in one of the smaller tents | Drumzkool: the Next Generation of drummers | Senegambian concert rounding off African Drum Village ] Famoudou Konate, Iya Sako, Drumzkool and Senegambian concert at African Drum Village 2007 in Scotland.



[ Jean-Marie Keita, master drum teacher | Drumming with Jean-Marie Keita | Malo's posse of drummers | Justine and Appai levitating beneath palm tree ]While in Senegal we were lucky enough to study with Jean-Marie Keita, Malo Sonko and Appai - a great dancer and dun dun player.



[ Ade leading jubilant crowd at Tribe of Doris | Adesose Wallace ] Adesose Wallace leading a jubilant crowd at the height of the final ceremony of the Tribe of Doris festival in 1998.

[ Ade Wallace singing and playing his large bass thumb piano in The Strawbale Studio ]After we tracked him down in 2004, Ade came to The Strawbale Studio a few times to teach us his wonderful music.



[ Musa Suma Tribute Drumming Workshop in Leeds | Big circle of drummers ]This drumming workshop in Leeds was held as a tribute to the late great Musa Suma, led by Adesose Wallace and other teachers.

[ Master Drummers of Africa photo by Craig Morrison ] The Master Drummers of Africa, photographed (hand-held at 1/8 second!) by Craig Morrison at London's South Bank Centre in 1996. From left to right are three of my teachers: (seated) Mamadi Kamara, ?, Nana Tsiboe, David Oladunni, and ? (standing).



[ Craig Morrison, percussionist ]Craig Morrison, my spiritual brother and fellow Canopus percussionist now based in Sydney, Australia.

[ Osibisa playing at The Horn ]Afrofunk masters Osibisa playing at The Horn in St. Albans.




Dartington International Summer School

[ Learning Ashanti drum rhythms | Ashanti Drumming performance ] Rehearsing and performing drum music of the Ashanti Court at Dartington 2001, under the direction of Johnson Kwadzo Kemeh from the University of Ghana.



[ Ensemble Bash samba workshop ]Playing samba music in the sunshine with Ensemble Bash at Dartington 2000.



[ Laid-back Jazz Quintet | Circular Jazz Quintet ]Jazz Quintet at Dartington 2001 in laid-back mode, and then putting our heads together to contemplate our upcoming disc of Mati Caspi and Ray Charles numbers. Clockwise from bottom left is singer Dafna Dori from Jerusalem, bassoonist Jim Pywell and double bassist Sally Clark from Halifax, pianist Rene Schelldorfer from Switzerland, then me.



My own musical projects

[ Cast of Murder In The Cathedral | The Minstrels ]The Cast and The Minstrels from the production of T.S. Eliot's play "Murder In The Cathedral" staged in Essendon Church, Hertfordshire, on 2000-03-26.



[ The Naked Truth at FSDD | Secret Bass at Little Berkhamsted, photo by David Cory | Vitae Drum Circle in Penn Woods, photo by Sasha Bradbury | The Canopus Percussion Ensemble, photo by Ian Gregory | Mundo Pequeno at Club Colosseum | DJ Spock @ The Monday Club ]


Playing with The Naked Truth, Secret Bass, Vitae Drum Circle, Canopus Percussion Ensemble, Mundo Pequeno and DJ Spock.


Jamming with friends

[ Ana, Fabrizia, Roberto, Malc, Ruth and Ian, grooving through Christmas 2002 | Malc and Ruth drumming | Ian playing kpanlogo rhythm on my tubanos | Ruth singing a new song | Ana keeping us on the pulse with a solid cowbell part ]Christmas party jam session at Court Cottage, December 2002, photographed by Helen Rainsford.



[ Music For Friends at The Strawbale Studio | Birthday Party jam session, 2001 ] Music For Friends and Birthday celebrations at The Strawbale Studio near Hertford.




Other musicians

[ Crooked Sixpence performing at Hughenden Church House ] Crooked Sixpence performing live at Hughenden Church House in May 2006 and 2007.



[ Toque Tambor samba parade in Hitchin ] Toque Tambor samba group waking up the streets of Hitchin in April 2005.



[ The Lani Singers at The Strawbale Studio | Mambesak drummers in motion at The Strawbale Studio ] The Lani Singers and Mambesak Group at The Strawbale Studio in May 2004.



[ Grizzly playing flute ] Grizzly Walking Thunder - Native American Indian flute player at Cuffley Camp in July 2004 and 2005.




© copyright Malcolm Smith 2002-04-19 - last updated 2017-12-04 - links verified 2017-12-04