Abdoulaye Diakite
Encyclopedia
Abdoulaye Diakite is a djembe
master drummer
from Tambacounda
, Senegal
. He studied under djembe legend Suncaru Jara, and later became the lead djembe player of the National Ballet of Senegal for 18 years.
Abdoulaye Diakite is a member of the Bamana ethnic group from Mali
. The Bamana are a tribe of the Malinke (mainly in Mali and Senegal) who resisted modernization and missionary efforts. The word Bamana means "we won’t join" referring to their refusal to leave their heritage behind and remain true to their ancient beliefs and practices.
Diakite began drumming at the age of seven. Throughout his youth, Diakite was known for his natural ability on the djembe drum
. For many years, he studied with his teacher Suncaru Jara in Tambacounda.
At age 16, he played at a festival
in Tambacounda that would forever change his life. The Ballet National du Senegal was there looking for a djembe player who sounded like the famous djembefola (master djembe player) Dugufana Tarawele. There, they discovered Diakite.
In 1969, Abdoulaye Diakite officially joined the Ballet National du Senegal. For the next 18 years until 1986, he traveled the world as their lead soloist. Upon the completion of his last world tour, Diakite chose to stay in the United States
and make his home away from home in Oakland, California
.
In the early 1990s, Diakite founded Tambacounda Productions and co-founded the drum and dance company CEEDO, both located in Oakland. Under the Tambacounda Productions label, Diakite has initiated a variety of performances and conferences that educate the public on the music of West Africa
. The biggest of these events includes the Tambacounda West African Drum and Dance Camp, http://www.rootsyrecords.com/HtmlFiles/DjembeTambaCamp.html which has been held annually in the Bay Area
since 1996. The summer camp was the first of its kind and has arguably been an inspiration to the growth and popularity of West African drumming and dancing in the United States.http://www.drumskulldrums.com/news_events_links.php
Abdoulaye Diakite has also recorded highly acclaimed traditional djembe music
.
Djembe
A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
master drummer
Master drummer
In African drumming, the title of master drummer is given to a drummer who is well known by other masters for his high skill and knowledge. It is a title passed down from a master to his pupil, after he has learned all there is to know about the African drum....
from Tambacounda
Tambacounda
Tambacounda is the largest city in eastern Senegal, southeast of Dakar, and is the Regional capital of the province of the same name. Its estimated population in 2007 was 78,800.-Geography:...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. He studied under djembe legend Suncaru Jara, and later became the lead djembe player of the National Ballet of Senegal for 18 years.
Abdoulaye Diakite is a member of the Bamana ethnic group from Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
. The Bamana are a tribe of the Malinke (mainly in Mali and Senegal) who resisted modernization and missionary efforts. The word Bamana means "we won’t join" referring to their refusal to leave their heritage behind and remain true to their ancient beliefs and practices.
Diakite began drumming at the age of seven. Throughout his youth, Diakite was known for his natural ability on the djembe drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
. For many years, he studied with his teacher Suncaru Jara in Tambacounda.
At age 16, he played at a festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
in Tambacounda that would forever change his life. The Ballet National du Senegal was there looking for a djembe player who sounded like the famous djembefola (master djembe player) Dugufana Tarawele. There, they discovered Diakite.
In 1969, Abdoulaye Diakite officially joined the Ballet National du Senegal. For the next 18 years until 1986, he traveled the world as their lead soloist. Upon the completion of his last world tour, Diakite chose to stay in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and make his home away from home in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
In the early 1990s, Diakite founded Tambacounda Productions and co-founded the drum and dance company CEEDO, both located in Oakland. Under the Tambacounda Productions label, Diakite has initiated a variety of performances and conferences that educate the public on the music of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. The biggest of these events includes the Tambacounda West African Drum and Dance Camp, http://www.rootsyrecords.com/HtmlFiles/DjembeTambaCamp.html which has been held annually in the Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
since 1996. The summer camp was the first of its kind and has arguably been an inspiration to the growth and popularity of West African drumming and dancing in the United States.http://www.drumskulldrums.com/news_events_links.php
Abdoulaye Diakite has also recorded highly acclaimed traditional djembe music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Selected Recordings
- 2001 - JebeBara, The Bamana Djembe (with Mamadou Sidibe)
- 2003 - Rhythms of the Djembe, Volume I and Volume II
- 2004 - Tambacounda Dunun ni Don
- 2005 - Manden Foli