Lamban

A griot rhythm, which unusually has two Sangban parts. When asked what to do if you only have three Dun Dun players, Nansady Keita replied: "Then you don't play Lamban."

110bpm 4/4  ||:1 & 2 &  | 3 & 4 & :||
               r rl  rl   r rl  rl
Djembe 1    || B.OO..SS | B.OO..SS ||  ("bicycle, Ride your...")
               r  lr rl   r  lr rl
Djembe 2    || S..SS.OO | S..SS.OO ||  (rythme populaire)
               rl  rlr    rl  rlr
Djembe 3    || OO..SSB. | OO..SSB. ||  ("Drumming [out there] in the sun")

                             $
Bell 1      || xx.xx.x. | xx.xx.x. ||
+Kenkeni    || K..KK.K. | K..KK.K. ||  (think of Bizet's Carmen)

                                                      $
Bell 2      || x.x.x.x. | x.x.x.x. | x.x.x.x. | x.x.x.x. ||
+Sangban 1  || ......g. | ......g. | ......g. | ......G. ||

                                $                                        $
Bell 3      || xx.xx.x. | x.x.x.x. ||   ("Who WANTS to play THIS funky muSIC?")
+Sangban 2  || .G....g. | ......G. ||

Bell 4      || x...x... | x...x... ||
+Dununba    || ..DD..DD | ..DD..DD ||

Djembe 1 and 3 are the same part, but shifted one crotchet beat earlier! This makes for rhythmic echo mayhem, and can be very off-putting for beginners not able to hold their own part. For this reason, it's best to learn part 3 as a distinct rhythm with its own phrase: "Drumming [out there] in the sun". The "[out there]" bit marks the two crucial silent rest notes, without which the rhythm can easily get dragged off course by Djembe 2's slaps - be careful!

Bell 3 is the same as the Dununba and Djembe 2 of Makru.


Intro

Count       ||:1 & 2 &  | 3 & 4 & :||
Signal      || o.OO.O.O | O.S.S... ||
Djembes     || s.O.O.s. | O.O.s.O. || +
               r   r r    r r r
Djembes     || s...S.O. | S.O.S... || +
Djembes     || s.O.O.s. | O.O.s.O. || +   (1st two lines repeated)
Djembes     || s...S.O. | S.O.S... || +
               rlr rlr    rlr r r
Djembes     || OOO.SSS. | OOO.S.O. || +
Djembes     || S....... | ........ || +
Djembes     || ........ | ........ || +   (Only Kenkeni plays here)
Djembes     || s.O.O.s. | O.O.s.O. || +   (2nd time around)
Djembes     || S...S.O. | S.O.S... || +
Djembes     || s.O.O.s. | O.O.s.O. || +
Djembes     || S...s.O. | s.O.s... || +
Djembes     || OOO.SSS. | OOO.S.O. || +
Djembes     || S....... | ........ || +

In the Intro, the Sangban copies the Djembe tones on the drum and plays the slaps by striking the metal ring around the drum skin (NOT the edge where the skin is stretched over the wood, which will get damaged). The bell accompanies each note as usual. The Kenkeni plays its usual pattern throughout the entire Intro and Ending.

The piece ends with the Intro played again, just once through.


Djembe Solo

Count       ||:1 & 2 &  | 3 & 4 &  | 1 & 2 &  | 3 & 4 & :||
Signal      ||          |          | o.OO.O.O | O.S.S... ||
Solo A0     || ........ | ........ | ......s. | .......B || +
               rl lrl l   rl lrl l   r rl  f           l
Solo A1     || SS.BSS.B | SS.BOO.O | O.OO..s. | .......B || +
Solo A2     || SS.BSS.B | SS.BOO.O | O.OO..s. | .......B || +
Solo A3     || SS.BSS.B | SS.BOO.O | O.OO..s. | .......B || +
Solo A4     || SS.BSS.B | SS.BOO.O | O.OO..s. | ........ || +
               r  lr r    r rlrlrl   (same again)
Solo B1     || S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB | S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB || +
Solo B2     || S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB | S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB || +
Solo B3     || S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB | S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB || +
Solo B4     || S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB | S..SS.B. | S.OOSSBB || +
               rlrlrlrl   rlrlrlf
Solo C1     || SOOSOOSO | OSOOSOs. | B...B... | B...B... || +
Solo C2     || SOOSOOSO | OSOOSOs. | B...B... | B...B... || +
Solo C3     || SOOSOOSO | OSOOSOs. | B...B... | B...B... || +
Solo C4     || SOOSOOSO | OSOOSOs. | B...B... | B...B.S3 || +
               rl    lrl  rl  f  l   r rl lr          lrl
Solo D1     || SS....O3 | SS..s..S | O.OO.OO. | ......S3 || +
Solo D2     || SS....O3 | SS..s..S | O.OO.OO. | ......S3 || +
Solo D3     || SS....O3 | SS..s..S | O.OO.OO. | ......S3 || +
Solo D4     || SS....O3 | SS..s..S | O.OO.OO. | .......S || +
               F rl lF    rl lFFrl   r   r      flrlr  l
Solo E1     || Q.SS.SQ. | SS.SooSS | B...B... | sSSSS..S || +
Solo E2     || Q.SS.SQ. | SS.SooSS | B...B... | sSSSS..S || +
Solo E3     || Q.SS.SQ. | SS.SooSS | B...B... | sSSSS..S || +
Solo E4     || Q.SS.SQ. | SS.SooSS | B...B... | sSSSS..S || +

Solo E is non-trivial. Play the Q as a flam of an open tone on your
right/main hand followed immediately by a CLOSED slap on the left/
other hand. Be sure to keep the slap closed (requires practice).
The two double open tone notes are very quick and also need work.
In the above notation, quick double notes are written (wrongly) as
flams to fit in; below they are written accurately more spaced out:

          l    F   r l   l F      r l   l rlrlr l
Solo E1   S || Q . S S . S Q .  | S S . S OOOOS S  | +
             | B . . . B . . .  | SSS S S S . . S  ||
               r       r          lrl r l r     l

Only the keenest aspirants will notice that Solo E is almost identical
to Balakulajan's 6th Solo part, also from Nansady Keita. They differ
only in the first note, arguably the same. This version is slightly
less frantic ;-)

Key to notation

(c) Traditional Guinean rhythm from Nansady Keita, taught by Justine at Vitae Drum Circle.
(notated by Malcolm Smith on 2008-10-01 and 2008-10-30 - Solo E added on 2008-11-12)