African Percussion Instruments We Play

"Drum, Is The Ear of God:

Sakara Drum
This type is specifically made in Nigeria, West Africa.
Sekere
(pronounced shay-ka-ray),

Kia Playing the Sakara

   Sakara Drums/All sizes
   Shekere    Blue Shekere

It is a hand held drum. This drum comes in a family of four sizes:
Atele- tiny, Omele- medium, Sakara-large, and Iya-Alu-extra large. Sakara being what it is called when there is only one. This drum has the goatskin stretched over a rim of red clay and is played with a light stick. These drums (and their relatives- frame drums) are played all over the world in a variety of ways. Rhythmic patterns played with these drums resemble the sounds of the more familiar stand up drums. I have come to appreciate the powerful sound that comes from these drums as we have developed clever ways to simulate the sounds of traditional stand up drums that are played with the hands.
The Sekere instrument is played all over Africa in a variety of forms. The one pictured below is more commonly seen in Nigeria, West Africa. It is made from gourds of various sizes, it is dried out in the sun, the seeds are removed then it is strang with a network of stone beads on cotton yarn. Here in America we have taken the style and made numerous creations with designs and bead work. We use cotton and nylon cording along with beads of all shapes, textures and colors. One Nigerian said to me one day that our version of the Sekere outshine his own home grown version. A statement that drew exceptional pride from me. In our workshops we teach how to make and play this percussion instrument. Sekere Lesson 1

Agogo Bell Sangba/djundjun

Gongonkwe-Ghana     Nigerian Agogo

VOA Playing the Agogo
Mali      Senegal

Ivory Coast

Nana And Her drum

Guinea    Ghana

Double headed bells. Bells are absolutely crucial in traditional African percussion music. They may be played in a battery of drums or played by themselves. Each head has its own tone, the high tone comes from the smaller head and the low tone comes from the larger head. Blacksmiths all over Africa have the fine job of fashioning these and various other bells for their incorporation into the sacred as well as the social music. They must make them with great precision as it would create a great embarrassment to fashion a defective instrument that is so crucial in the in the creation oaf the African sound. This bell found its way through the Americas and is presently played in much of the music of the Diaspora. This drum is usually played in a djembe battery of drums. It is the deep tone bottom of the music, the base....... It carries the pulse, a resonant vibration that quickens the soul and excites the spirit. It must be played with confidence, strength and power, particularly if it is to be heard above the djembe drums. We play this drum in our battery of Sakara drums. We found this to be a unique yet awesome combination of drums. We are proud that we can create in the image of our Ancestors. This drum is not typically played by women but more and more women are beginning to sound the thunder with this drum. It derives the height of passion from my being to hear and feel the vibration of this powerful drum whenever I play it. Why should any woman, who is up for the challenge, be deprived of this experience?

Djembe

Jan Playing the Djembe

A djembe (pronounced JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jymbe, jembe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet and meant to be played with bare hands. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together" and defines the drum's purpose. In the Bamanakan language, "Dje" is the verb for "gather" and "be" translates as "everyone". Legend has it that the first djembes were made from the skin of the mythical cross between a giraffe and a zebra, the 'gebraffe'.

It is a member of the membranophone family of musical instruments: a frame or shell (in the djembe's case it is a wood shell) covered by a membrane or drumhead made of rawhide or some other material. Djembes are commonly about 12" (30 cm) in diameter and 24" (60 cm) in height, varying a few inches. They can also be found in many smaller sizes, from 5" (13 cm) to 18" (46 cm) in diameter. As a result of the goblet shape, the density of the wood, the internal carvings, and the skin, there is a wide range of tones that can be produced by the djembe. The rounded shape with the extended tube of the djembe body forms a device known in physics as a Helmholtz resonator, giving it its deep bass note. The primary notes are generally referred to as "bass", "tone", and "slap", though a variety of other tones can also be produced by advanced players. The slap has a high and sharp sound, the tone is more round and full, and the bass is low and deep.

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Sakara Drum This type is specifically made in Nigeria, West Africa.		Sekere (pronounced shay-ka-ray),

It is a hand held drum. This drum comes in a family of four sizes: Atele- tiny, Omele- medium, Sakara-large, and Iya-Alu-extra large. Sakara being what it is called when there is only one. This drum has the goatskin stretched over a rim of red clay and is played with a light stick. These drums (and their relatives- frame drums) are played all over the world in a variety of ways. Rhythmic patterns played with these drums resemble the sounds of the more familiar stand up drums. I have come to appreciate the powerful sound that comes from these drums as we have developed clever ways to simulate the sounds of traditional stand up drums that are played with the hands.		The Sekere instrument is played all over Africa in a variety of forms. The one pictured below is more commonly seen in Nigeria, West Africa. It is made from gourds of various sizes, it is dried out in the sun, the seeds are removed then it is strang with a network of stone beads on cotton yarn. Here in America we have taken the style and made numerous creations with designs and bead work. We use cotton and nylon cording along with beads of all shapes, textures and colors. One Nigerian said to me one day that our version of the Sekere outshine his own home grown version. A statement that drew exceptional pride from me. In our workshops we teach how to make and play this percussion instrument. Sekere Lesson 1
Agogo Bell		Sangba/djundjun
		Mali Senegal Ivory Coast Guinea Ghana
Double headed bells. Bells are absolutely crucial in traditional African percussion music. They may be played in a battery of drums or played by themselves. Each head has its own tone, the high tone comes from the smaller head and the low tone comes from the larger head. Blacksmiths all over Africa have the fine job of fashioning these and various other bells for their incorporation into the sacred as well as the social music. They must make them with great precision as it would create a great embarrassment to fashion a defective instrument that is so crucial in the in the creation oaf the African sound. This bell found its way through the Americas and is presently played in much of the music of the Diaspora.		This drum is usually played in a djembe battery of drums. It is the deep tone bottom of the music, the base....... It carries the pulse, a resonant vibration that quickens the soul and excites the spirit. It must be played with confidence, strength and power, particularly if it is to be heard above the djembe drums. We play this drum in our battery of Sakara drums. We found this to be a unique yet awesome combination of drums. We are proud that we can create in the image of our Ancestors. This drum is not typically played by women but more and more women are beginning to sound the thunder with this drum. It derives the height of passion from my being to hear and feel the vibration of this powerful drum whenever I play it. Why should any woman, who is up for the challenge, be deprived of this experience?
Djembe
		A djembe (pronounced JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jymbe, jembe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet and meant to be played with bare hands. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together" and defines the drum's purpose. In the Bamanakan language, "Dje" is the verb for "gather" and "be" translates as "everyone". Legend has it that the first djembes were made from the skin of the mythical cross between a giraffe and a zebra, the 'gebraffe'. It is a member of the membranophone family of musical instruments: a frame or shell (in the djembe's case it is a wood shell) covered by a membrane or drumhead made of rawhide or some other material. Djembes are commonly about 12" (30 cm) in diameter and 24" (60 cm) in height, varying a few inches. They can also be found in many smaller sizes, from 5" (13 cm) to 18" (46 cm) in diameter. As a result of the goblet shape, the density of the wood, the internal carvings, and the skin, there is a wide range of tones that can be produced by the djembe. The rounded shape with the extended tube of the djembe body forms a device known in physics as a Helmholtz resonator, giving it its deep bass note. The primary notes are generally referred to as "bass", "tone", and "slap", though a variety of other tones can also be produced by advanced players. The slap has a high and sharp sound, the tone is more round and full, and the bass is low and deep.
The "Voices Of Africa" Homepage Programs Offered Educational Programs Testimonials