Figure 7:
Jenbe player Jeli Madi Kuyate with a friend for whose
wedding (konyo) he is playing. 1995, Badialan, Bamako.
Photo: Barbara Polak
II. STUDIO RECORDINGS MADE IN BAMAKO
7. Jina-fòli
Jenbe solo by Jeli Madi Kuyate, born about 1949. He was formerly
a member of Ballet Maliens and is now retired. He performs Jina-fòli
which is the name for about four different rhythms played at the ceremonies
of spirit possession cults (see above; for more information on spirit possession
cults in Mali please refer to the work of Gibbal (1982) cited in the Manding
Bibliography that is part of this web site). Jeli Madi uses two Jina
rhythms,
improvises a bit (using variations of the Kofili /
Wasulunka
/
Sumale
rhythm
family). He then plays some free style percussion (what they call Manamana-fòli
or "nonsense-playing for the sake of the play") to conclude with some circles
of Maraka and then
Take.
8. Jina-fòli
Titles 8 – 11 are duets by Yamadu Bani Dunbia (jenbe) and Draman
Keita (dunun). Grand Yamadu explores ones of the rhythms which was
used in his pupil's solo (see #7) in some detail.
9. Woloso-dòn / Jòn-fòli
Yamadu himself was born as a house-slave (woloso). Woloso-dòn
means "dance of the woloso". The same often is called Jòn-fòli,
the rhythm of the slaves.
10. Komo-fòli
Komo is a secret society (French: société d'initiation).
This and other regional religio-political institutions lost most of their
power during the Fulbe's islamic jihad (second half of 19th century) and
during the colonial and post-colonial periods. Yet Yamadu was very active
in playing them in rural areas well into the 1970s. Several rhythms are
performed for the komo ceremonies in one place, and they vary from
region to region. The one played by Yamadu in Bamako is known in the area
south of Bamako by both the Bamana and Maninka.
11. Jina-fòli
Grand Yamadu returns to Jina-fòli, his specialty for
about five decades. This is the first and oldest spirit rhythm and this
is how it is played in Bamako.
12. Mendiani
We now come (tracks #12-14) to a trio made up of Brahima "Petit B"
Samake (lead jenbe ), Jeli Madu Kuyate (jenbe accompaniment),
and Madu Jakite (jenbe accompaniment). The recording was made in
the Palais de la Culture of Bamako: a huge concrete dome with a deep hall
effect. Petit B is the current lead drummer with the Ballets Maliens.
13. Wasulunka / Kirin
14. Dununba
This is how Dununba is played in Bamako. They sometimes call
it Lagineka (La-Guinée-ka) Dununba, i.e. "the Dununbaof
the people from Guinea". It is played primarily in the ballets, but only
to a lesser extent in the festivals. When some troupe members or professional
dancers perform at a festival, they definitely will show off their skills
with it, setting themselves off from the amateur dancers.
15. Another Tègèrè tulon (hand clap game) performed by Mamanin Kante fades into and ends with some notes played on the kamalen ngoni (young men's 6 stringed bridge harp from Wasulun) by Sedu Balo.
Figure 8:
Jenbe players Rainer Polak (center) and Kasim Kuyate (right)
and
dunun player Sedu Balo (far right) performing at a spirit possession
festival (jina dòn). To the left of them sits Yamadu
Bani Dunbia,
watching the dancer, as do the drummers and spectators do.
February 1998, Badialan, Bamako.
Photo: Gerd Spittler
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