Quite different from Western music, in Westafrican percussion the djembe-soloist is not the centre of all. Sure, the djembemaster (fola) is virtuous on his instrument, but he is part of the whole happening of music, dance and singing. Traditionally a singer (jeli muso, female griot) starts her song which is integrated to a social happening of that moment, and then the solist starts the appropriate rhythm*. So the soloist has to know a lot of rhythms and their meaning. When the rhythm is started, then the soloist can hear and listen to what is going on in the musical ensemble, and at the same time he should know how to accompany the dancers. If there is a dancer who knows just some basic dancepatterns of the rhythm being played, then the djembesoloist also should play no more than some musical basicpatterns. If the dancer knows some variations on her dancing patterns, then also the soloist can vary on his basic patterns. If there is a full learned dancer, then the soloist can improvise on the basic and varied rhythms. As soon as the soloist sees that the dancer is getting tired, he (or she - but that is seldomly seen in Africa) starts the chauffement so the dancer still once can excel and then end her dance.

In Western popular and jazzmusic the soloist stands out by his or her improvisations, but the djembeplayer stands out by his or her ability to anticipate on the situation and make a good estimation of the abilities of the other players and of the dancers. He is continuously communicating, not only by eyecontact but also by using certain patterns. Of course this means that also the other players, particularly the sangban- and doundounplayer should know that patterns well. Often the doundounplayer has to 'answer' by playing another pattern. You can hear this happening very well in the Marakadon (you can listen to it on our page complete rhythms).

A good teacher will, when his or her students learn some djembesolos, teach them first to listen to particularly sangban- and doundounpatters, then teach the soloist-to-be some (fixed) basicpatterns and in a next step teach some variations on that patterns. A very good teacher will now and then bring the students to accompany some dancers, because, how virtuous a soloist may be on the djembe, this is really not a peace of cake!

In West-Africa, a djembe-soloist will not soon be recognized as a masterplayer, 'fola'. And a soloist should never call himself a fola; this recognition he or she will only become from the social community.

* Outside West-Africa, a rhythm is started with a signal played by the soloist; this 'new' tradition however comes from the national ballets.

Sources:
Lessons by Ponda O'Bryan
De solodrummer in de Malinke traditie - Yanne de Belder
A guide to the jembe - Eric Charry

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Other websites:
Video results for djembe solo
Method Djembe Solo
Djembe Drums - African Drums