Category Archives: Djembe

Issue 131: The Chatty Djembe Class

Posted on May 20, 2014 by

  There is a class of year 3 and 4 children that I teach to djembe to who must take the gold medal for being the most chatty class anywhere! The big problem is getting them to watch and listen … Continue reading →

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Issue 125: Accompaniment for Kalele

Posted on March 4, 2014 by

Try this rhythm as an ostinato for the song Kalele which I posted a couple of weeks ago:  If you are using a djembe, play the low notes as bass notes and the high notes as tones. Or use whatever unturned … Continue reading →

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New Year Issue 117: Monkey Business

Posted on January 2, 2014 by

Lying in bed before the alarm went off this morning, I came up with this little body/vocal percussion number Monkey Business 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + Big Ba- boon (stamp) (click) Chimp-  -an zee (click)  (click) tan … Continue reading →

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Issue 105: Rabbit run on the frozen ground

Posted on September 29, 2013 by

This is a great little children’s song from Kentucky. I first came across is in Jo McNally’s “Young Voiceworks” anthology – a resource I go back to time and time again (Warm up and Stomp Cannon, Star light, star bright, … Continue reading →

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Issue 104: Sambalele (is a monkey)

Posted on September 22, 2013 by

This is a neat little song about a monkey. I’ve come across it in a number of different versions, all with roughly the same tune, but with varied lyrics and slightly altered rhythms. This is the version that I am … Continue reading →

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Issue 89: Djembe Plans – Group Composition

Posted on May 26, 2013 by

This is what I do in the final half term of Wider Opportunities Djembe classes. Each step happens as part of a lesson. Step 1 Introduce (or revisit) the idea of using phrases to create djembe rhythms. I just look … Continue reading →

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Issue 87: Kumala Vista – singing, samba, djembe, recorders, percussion

Posted on May 12, 2013 by

Since I’ve found this song all over the place, and have been taught it by ear on various occasions, by various teachers, I hope I’m okay in giving the words and melody here. It’s also in this book Kumala Vista where … Continue reading →

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Issue 83:New Djembe Rhythm from Ianto Thornber

Posted on April 11, 2013 by

I needed a replacement tamborim head, and contacted http://www.knockonwood.co.uk/. It was a bit of a random choice – I just searched the internet and chose this one as the most likely supplier to come up with what I wanted. So, … Continue reading →

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