Links

You can use this logo if you wish to link to the Drums Aloud website

The following links are excellent sites to visit for further information on African drumming & percussion and African culture:

Click here to join West African Drumming UK, which is a news group that will keep you informed (by email) of West African Drumming events all over the UK. The website also has interesting features including photos and rhythm notations that can be downloaded.
Sarah Westwood runs the Drumvoice community organisation which is based in Birmingham, but delivers high-energy interactive drumming workshops across the UK. These workshops engage, inspire and unite people of all ages and walks of life. Sarah is also a regular teacher at Drums Aloud
Ansoumana 'Vieux' Bakayoko is a 'djembefola' (djembe player) from West Africa. From mixed Malian and Guinean heritage he spent his childhood in Senegal before travelling across the Mandeng lands of Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and back to Senegal learning from the great drum masters of the age.
Hamana is a West African performance & teaching group, based in Leamington Spa, who have provided a number of workshops for this project.
See their promotional YouTube video. Also see them and other artists performing at the Mill in Banbury on this YouTube video.
African Music Circles is a Perth-based company that delivers:
- Corporate team building experiences
- African music entertainment
- African drumming and dance classes
- Interactive facilitated drum circles
JUST ACT Gambia is a charity set up by Jane Smith, who has been drumming with Drums Aloud since the outset. The charity is providing support for Janjanbureh (180 miles up river in The Gambia) to set up community-led development, training, responsible tourism and improved education.
The Kartong Festival is a drumming festival that is held in Kartong, Gambia in March each year. See the promotional YouTube video.
Nansady Keita is a Guinean djembe-fola and nephew of the internationally-renowned djembe master Famoudou Konate. Nansady has performed and taught around the world, including touring with Famoudou's ensemble. Nansady is a member of a traditional West African performance group Fankabah in Guinea-Conakry and he leads two UK-based ensembles, Sodeya & Meereeya Bedeh.
Drum Whisperer is the creation of Coral Dunwell, that organises workshops in West African drum, song and dance. The aim is to create a relaxed but challenging and enjoyable experience using teachers who were born into the music and cultures they generously share with us.
Drum Roots are the leading provider of West African drumming workshops and performances in Greater Manchester and across the North West. Their aim is to develop the experience of teaching, performing & promoting African music and culture, whilst inspiring others to express their individuality and encourage a greater sense of community.
Knock On Wood are suppliers of global music, including percussion, and other instruments, CDs, DVDs, books and a whole lot more.
DjembeFola is a drumming organisation based in Ireland. They have useful information on their website, in particular some djembe video clips.
Spirit of Senegal is a website dedicated to selling beautiful gifts and artefacts from West Africa.
Hands On Skin is a drumming organisation based Brighton, where Chris Diallo teaches djembe, balafon, African songs and beginners African dance.
Drum Jam is a drumming organisation based in London. They run workshops in the community, schools and commercial organisations. They also sell djembes and other merchandise and there are useful rhythm downloads.
Drums Agogo is a drumming organisation based in Harrogate and run by Alison Lyon who is a very experienced teacher of African rhythms on djembe / dundun and delivers wokshops in schools, businesses and in the community.
Rich Rhythms is a drumming organisation based in Margate, Kent, run by Richard Latham. He has a performance group and provides a Drum Doctor service as well as drum workshops.
Drum Heads is a drumming organisation based in Guildford, run by Sean Quinn & Julie Kingston. They can provide educational, community and corporate drum workshops and performances based upon a mix of drumming and percussion styles (African, Latin, Indian etc.).
Djembe School is a performing arts organisation dedicated to exploring the world of West African drum and dance. They run a wide range of education and training programmes for children, adults and educators. This includes djembe and dance workshops, evening classes and performances.
Drum West are based in Frome, Somerset and provides accessible drum and rhythm teaching for schools, colleges and a wide range of community groups. Using traditional rhythms on the West African djembe, dundun drums and bells, they offer exciting, rewarding and memorable workshops.
Slapping Skins provides percussions workshops in South Wales to groups of all sizes and focuses particularly on djembe and West African rhythms.
Drum Workshops is a drumming organisation based in Cambridge run by Daniela McDermott. She provides educational, community and corporate drum workshops based upon a mix of drumming and percussion styles (West African, Brazilian as well as junk & body percussion).
Drummed Up deliver West African drum and dance to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area. Drummed Up is an open and inclusive group, always looking for fresh ways to improve the lives of members and those in the wider community, while maintaining good performance standards and carrying a sense of fun and excitement wherever we go.
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Ibro Soumah - Dundunfola is a Guinean drummer who now lives and teaches in the Liverpool area and at events all round the UK. He runs weekly workshops as well as full-day weekend workshops.