Kuku

There are many many ways to play this very popular rhythm, probably everyone has their own version!
Here are a few, beginning with our current arrangement: an amalgam (by Justine and Malcolm) of many versions.

We start with the Signal and Break (below), then go into the Main Rhythm ("New Way"), with Djembe parts coming in one at a time. Then after the next Signal, go back round the Break again, and then into a Song "Ay yah, Ay yah yeh, Genube nasa" (below) with no drums, just Bells. We sing the song twice through, with Djembe players picking up Shakers in the second time around only. They continue shaking as just the Dun Duns come back playing a Solo based on their rhythms. Gradually one at a time, the Djembes enter with Part 1 of The Old Way in a Mexican Wave format, each one waiting until their neighbour has played one bar (two lots of "Ride bicycle") before joining. Once everyone is back on Djembe part 1, the leader goes into part 5 and whoever can hold it (quickly enough!) joins them. Then other djembes split off onto other "Old Way" parts. After optional soloing, the leader builds up the Echeuffement, and Signals to End.

STRUCTURE:
Signal, Break, Signal, Main Rhythm (New Way),
Signal, Break, Song,
Signal, Dun Duns Solo, Mexican Wave, Djembe 5, Main Rhythm (Old Way),
Echeuffement, Signal, Ending

"The New Way"

130bpm 4/4  1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-

Djembe 1    B...B...B..O.OO.   ("One, two, three, apricots")
Djembe 2    B.OO..S.B.OO..S.   ("Bi-cycle, ride  Bi-cycle, ride")
Djembe 3    B.OO..S...OOB.B.   ("Bi-cycle, slap! Gotta puncture")
Djembe 4    OOSS..S.OOSSB.S.   ("Stick it up your (jump)er")
Djembe 5    OOOOO...B...OOOO + (5, 1, 9...)
            OOOOO...B...B...   (    ..., 2)
Dun Duns    [same as below]

Part 1 is a variation of Kuku that Tina taught me on 2004-05-19
Part 3 is a version of Kuku notated by IanG in 199?
Parts 4+5 are from Seneke via Lesley and sound nice played swung

"The Old Way"

130bpm 4/4  1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-

Djembe 1    B.OO..S.B.OO..S.   ("Bi-cycle, ride  Bi-cycle, ride")
Djembe 2    S..SS.OOS..SS.OO   ("Fly away, Kuku! Fly away, Kuku!")
Djembe 3    OO.SOOS.OO.SOOS.   ("Ketchup and sausages, Ketchup and sausages")
Djembe 4    o.OO.BS.B.OO.BS.   ("Most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" ;-)
Bell 1      x.xx.xx.x.xx.xx.   ("Most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" ;-)
+Sangban    G..g..G.G..g..G.   ("true love. My true love. My")
Bell 2      x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.
+Dununba    ...D........D.D.D..D............
Bell 3      Xx..Xx..Xx..Xx..
+Kenkeni    KK..KK..KK..KK..

Djembe 5    SSSS.BOOB.SS.BOO + ("Get on your bike, and ride your bicycle, and ride your")
            B.SS.BOOB.SS.BS.   ("bicycle, and ride your bicycle, go on!")

Djembe 8    OO.BS.B.S..BS.B. +
            OO.BS.B.S.OOSSS.

Mamady Keita's Djembe 3: (instead of "Rythme Populaire", Part 2 above)
            f rlrlr f rlrlr
Djembe 3    b.OOBSS.b.OOBSS.
(where b=Bass+Tone flam, with Bass on left hand and Tone on right)


Alternatively, the Dununba player could double the Sangban part on a second Kenkeni:
                          * *                  *(play D where G clashes)
Bell 2      x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.   ("Have some apricots 1 2 3 4 Have some apricots 1 2 3 4")
+Sangban    G.....G.G.....G.G.....G.G.....G.   ("true      exists,                   exists. My")
+Dununba    ...D........D.D.D..D............          love         yes: My true love
=
Bell 2      x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.x.xx.xx.x.x.x.x.
Dun+Sangban G..D..G.G...D.D.D..D..G.G.....G.


Anthony's alternate 2nd Dun Dun part for 2 drums:
Bell 2      x.xx.xx.x.xx.xx.x.xx.xx.x.xx.xx.   ("Have some apricots"/"Most sensational," etc.)
+Kenkeni    ......K.......K.....K.K.......K.
+Sangban    G....G..G....G..G.G..........G..


BREAK:

Signal:     o.OO.O.OO.SSS...
Break:                    K. + (Djembes play along in unison, substituting K=O and D=B)
Kenkeni     K.....K.K.....K. +
+Dununba    K.....K.K..D..K. +
            K...D.D.D..D..K. +
Signal:     o.OO.O.OO.SSS...
Break:                    K. +
Djembe                    O. + (This time the djembes play a different part...)
            O.S.S.O.O..S.SO. +
            O.S.S.O.O.....O. +
            O......BB.BB..O.
            O.S.S.O.O..S.SO. +
            O.S.S.O.O.....O. +
            O......BB.BB..B. + (Bass part:"Well actually, she")
            B.BB...BB.BB.BB. + ("slept with me; and then she slept with my")
            B                  ("friend!" ;-)
Kenkeni     K.....K.K.....K. + (...while the Kenkeni does similar)
+Dununba    K.....K.K.....K. +
            K......DD.DD..K. +
            K.....K.K.....K. +
            K.....K.K.....K. +
            K......DD.DD..D. +
            D.DD...DD.DD.DD. +
            D
Signal:     o.OO.O.OO.SSS...    (...and then back to Main Rhythm.)

[I think this Break should be credited to Daniel Lonton/Lenton.]


SONG:

"Ay yah, Ay yah yeh, Genube nasa"            [Sung three times]
"Ay yah, oh-oh, Ay yah yeh, Genube nasa"
 "Genube nasa, yeh, Genube nasa"


ENDING:
Echeuffe:   OOSSSSSSSSSSSSSS +
            OOSSSSSSSSSSSSSS +
            OOSSSSSSSSSSs...   (might last longer)
Signal:     o.OO.O.OO.SSS...
Dun Duns:   G..G               (everyone in unison)
Djembes:    s..s               (everyone in unison)

Other Versions

Jean-Marie Keita's different Dun Dun pattern, learned in Senegal 2006-01-15:

Bell 1      x...x.x.x...x.x.x...x.x.x...x.x.
+Sangban    G...G.G.G...G.G.G...G.G.G...G.G.
Bell 2      x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.
+Kenkeni    K.....K.K.....K.......K.K.....K.
+Dununba    ............D...D...............

On the third of every fourth repeat, the Dun Dun player does this:

Bell 2      x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.
+Kenkeni    K.....................K.K.....K.
+Dununba    ...D..D..D..D.D.D..D............



A different version of Kuku notated by IanG in 199?

130bpm 4/4  1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-

Signal      S.SS.S.SS.S.B.B.
Section A   B.OO..S...OOB.B.
Signal      S.SS.S.SS.S.S...
Section B   SSSS.BOOB.OO.BO.



Another variation of Kuku that Tina taught me on 2004-05-19

130bpm 4/4  1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-

Djembe 1    B...B...B..O.OO.
Djembe 2    B.OO..S.B.OO..S.
Djembe 3    ..OOO.SSS.OOO.S.
(or Djembe 3 might be:
            OOO.SSS.OOO.S...)

Key to notation

(c) Traditional Guinean rhythm from Mamady Keita, taught by Justine on 2006-07-26 at Vitae Drum Circle.
"My true love exists" words by Estelle, taught to me by Sue from Manding Kaira
"Get on your bike, and ride..." words based on "Sing me a song about a bicycle" by Ian Gregory
(notated by Ian Gregory and Malcolm Smith on 2005-10-30)
(Justine's version, first notated on 2005-05-25)
(Dun Duns added on 2005-08-06)
(Break notated on 2005-10-31)
(Djembe 4 added on 2006-06-19)
(Djembe 5 added on 2006-11-23)
(Djembe 8 added on 2007-07-09, and corrected on 2007-07-11 - very similar to Sinte's Djembe 1!)
(2nd Dun Dun added on 2006-11-23)
(Song lyrics added on 2006-11-23)
(Song structure revised on 2008-03-22)
(Mamady Keita's Djembe 3 added, and corrected Sangban instead of Kenkeni on 2008-10-20)
("New Way" and "Old Way" added on 2011-11-27)