Hi.
The drums are mainly drums from the Sabar-family (wolof-people of Gambia and Senegal)
But also drums from Nigeria (papa-talking-drum) and from Indonesia. Sometimes they are played in a natural way (with stick and hand) and sometimes manipulated (Bells or other metal objects put on the skin to alter the sounds and characteristics of the drum)
Like I mentioned above; this is not entirely a folkloristic or genuine tradition concept. Neither Jon nor me are experts on the Sabar/Wolof-drumming, but we have studied that tradition more than other „styles“. But we „borrow“ sounds and Ideas (all material is composed, but inspired by …) to create a different music. Combined with our background from (jazz) contemporary improvised music and it´s tradition of manipulating sounds and surfaces of sound gives it a flexible and everyday-new appearance, but giving it a flavor of tradition and root.
I am in Mannheim next week with Audun Kleive and Arve Henriksen … By the way.
H
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mvh. Helge Andreas Norbakken