Drums Aloud - Teachers

Teachers

Drums Aloud provides West African teachers who have spent a lifetime mastering their skills. In addition, we use those from the UK who have many years studying and gaining experience in West African djembe & sabar drumming from those same teachers and others in West Africa. Nigel (see bottom of page) is the default resident teacher, but listed here are the many teachers we have used recently or have plans to use in the near future to supplement the regular teaching:

Nansady Keita is a Guinean djembe-fola (djembe player) and nephew of internationally-renowned djembe-master Famoudou Konate. Nansady is considered a successor of Famoudou as a traditional village drummer. Nansady is from the Malinke ethnic group, and comes from Sangbaralla, a village near Kouroussa, in the Hamana region of Guinea. Visit his website for more information

Iya Sako is a Guinean djembe-fola (djembe player) from the Malinke ethnic group, and comes from Samakofadda in the Wassolon region of Guinea. Since arriving in the UK in 2007, he has quickly established himself as one of the top UK teachers. His teaching style is relaxed and gentle and he is now a hugely popular teacher. Visit his website for more information

Landing Mane is a versatile musician and dancer with innate talent for performing and teaching, and an energy which inspires joy in all. A performing artist for over 20 years, Landing Mane embodies the spirit of Senegalese music and dance. Landing has studied traditional West African dance and drumming since the age of 4, and received formal training in Afro jazz and classical ballet at the National Conservatory of Dakar. Visit his website for more information

Modou Diouf is from the Serer people of Senegal and comes from a long line of griots (those families who are responsible for preserving the musical and oral traditions of the village/tribe). His instrument is the sabar drum, which is played with hand and stick and is used primarily by those from the Wolof tribe in Northern Senegal. Modou has been teaching in this country and in Africa for over 10 years although he still lives in Brikama, The Gambia.

Ansoumana 'Vieux' Bakayoko has been playing since the age of three and whilst living in Senegal, he led a troupe of drummers & dancers, 'The Ballet Bougarabou', for about 14 years. Vieux now lives in Leamington Spa and he is the soloist drummer and leader of Hamana Bjémakan. He is a master of djembe, dundun, bolon & krin and he teaches traditional Mandingue/Malinke rhythms and his teaching & playing style are very dynamic and great fun. Visit his personal website for more information.

Diene 'Waaw Waaw' Sagna is also from the Serer people of Senegal and is from a family of dancers . His speciality is in the traditional Senegalese sabar style of dancing, but has also trained in the djembe style. He is based in Manchester and has regular classes there, but he teaches and performs all over the UK.
Visit his MySpace page for more information

Karim M'Baye is a sabar griot from a griot family in Kaolack. Sabar drums are his first instrument but is also a master of the tama (talking drum). He has extensive knowledge of the sabar traditions and rhythms and he is a consumate player and performer. Karim likes to help develop a relaxed environment in his classes but he is also keen to teach and help students understand good technique and the authentic ways of sabar. He is also an expert at skinning sabar and djembe drums

Idrissa Camara trained with the renowned Ballet Bassikolo and other Guinean dance troupes. He taught in Senegal and The Gambia and was Maitre en Scene for Ballets Africain de Ziguinchor and Dakar and the Ballet Bougarabou. He now teaches throughout the UK and performs with acoustic group Tamala, all Guinean 'Petit de Guinee', the newly-formed Ballet Nimba and Hamana Bjémakan.

Babacar Dieng is an enthusiastic teacher who leads lively and joyful drumming classes, but he is also insightful and intelligent in his approach to teaching. He has a desire to share his knowledge of sabar, not just the drumming but also the singing, the dancing and the traditions that also form an important part of the whole Senegalese culture of sabar

Batch Gueye has an explosive and energetic style and has been performing sabar since childhood and performed with many renowned artists. His expertise covers all areas: dance, drumming and singing. His professionalism extends to his teaching and he likes to stretch his students to understand the full complexities of sabar. He has a wonderful soulful voice and is keen to introduce his students to the sabar songs

Hans Sutton is a perceptive, dynamic and inspiring teacher who began playing djembe aged 10 and teaching aged 15. He specialises in Guinean rhythms and has studied with the world's best drummers in Africa & Europe. Hans is renowned for his versatile teaching methods, comprehensive subject knowledge and the high standards his students achieve. He runs regular classes all over the UK, is much sought after and teaches and performs at all the major drumming festivals.

Adam Bailey has been a percussionist for over 20 years. Adam first made his transition from jazz kit to djembe in 2005 and has since worked with and studied under various djembe masters. Adam is known for his clear and fun teaching style that not only stretches his students but inspires them to progress further than they first imagined. Adam plays with London-based djembe group The Djembe Djinns and teaches via his business allaboutdrumming.
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Saskia Bakayoko has been doing West African drumming since 1997. She has studied with Mamady Keita and latterly with the Ballet Bougarabou in Senegal. It is there that she began her study of the traditional Guinean style of dance. She is one of the best UK female djembe players and a renowned teacher in her own right. Saskia plays with Hamana Bjémakan and delivers drum and dance workshops with her husband, Ansoumana 'Vieux' Bakayoko (see above).

Emma Nelson has been doing West African drumming since 2003 studying with different djembe masters and has a deep knowledge of Mandingue/Malinke rhythms. Emma has also studied Guinean dance, both in the UK and in Senegal. Consequently, Emma can teach djembe/dundun rhythms as well as the accompanying song and dance. She has performed both drum and dance with Hamana Bjémakan.

Rosie Colvin has been doing sabar drumming since 1998 and has been teaching sabar in Banbury since 2006. Rosie has been performing with Sankofa (a sabar performance group) for several years, and has been leading the group for the last couple of years. She has studied extensively with Modou, both in Africa and in the UK

Nigel Sadler met Modou and other sabar students in the Gambia in March 2006 whilst working at Madina Salaam with the WYCE charity. Nigel has since studied extensively with all of the above teachers, both djembe and sabar, on a regular basis since the start of 2007, and has studied with Ansoumana 'Vieux' Bakayoko in Senegal and Modou Diouf in The Gambia. Nigel has also studied once with Mamady Keita, as well as extensively with Seckou Keita.

Drums Aloud encourages its members to lead in the absence of any other teachers and a number of the group have led the regular Saturday morning sessions.