Spirited Heart

A Workbook for West African Drumming Classes

Acknowledgements
Babatunde Olatunji
Rhythm is the soul of life. The whole universe revolves in rhythm. Everything and every human action revolves in rhythm. - Olatunji

No one person is responsible for making Afro-Cubano drumming what it is today. But certainly no one person is more responsible for making drumming accessible to the entire world than the Master, Babtunde Olatunji. Babatunde Olatunji quietly left this plane Sunday, April 6, 2003, 7:30 am, at the age of 76. It is to his living memory, to his very existence that this book is respectfully and lovingly dedicated. As his drum beats, so too our hearts. No person is more credited for introducing West African drumming to the West than Babatunde Olatunji. He is a Master of Drums, the Maestro, a virtuoso of West African percussion. Born and raised in Nigeria, Olatunji was educated at Morehouse College in Atlanta and the New York University Graduate School. At Morehouse, he began performing informally, entertaining fellow students. As the demand for his music increased, he entered the professional music field. In 1959, Columbia Records released Olatunjis first album, Drums of Passion, which became an unprecedented, worldwide smash hit. It was the first album to bring genuine African music to Western ears, and it went on to sell over five million copies. Olatunji has traveled the world for forty years spreading his music and African culture. Thirty years ago, he founded the Olatunji Center of African Culture in the heart of Harlem and he has been a member of the faculties at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California and the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York for almost 15 years. At these institutions, as well as at innumerable workshops and festivals, Olatunji continues to pursue his strong commitment to spreading knowledge of African culture through the teaching of traditional drumming, dancing, and chanting in classes for adults and young people. Olatunji received a Grammy Award in 1991 for his collaboration with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart on their Planet Drum album. In addition, his composition Jingo Lo Ba has become a signature song for the rock group Santana. Olatunji also has written scores for Broadway and Hollywood productions, including the music for Shes Gotta Have It, a film by Spike Lee. In 1997, Chesky Records released love drum talk, which went on to be nominated for the 1998 Grammy for Best World Music Album. On it, Olatunji unleashes the rhythm of passion. Olatunji leads an ebullient ensemble of guitarists, singers and, of course, percussionists through a series of spirited meditations on the nature of love. Lust, kinship, sensuality, courtship, and spirituality are the themes Olatunji uses to fuel his joyous, infectious playing.

Arthur Hull (right) is a world-renowned community drum facilitator. His book and CD, Drum Circle Spirit, Facilitating Human Potential Through Rhythm, is the culmination of his years of rhythmical evangelism and group facilitation around the world. He is also the author of the video/ book Guide to Endrummingment and has received the All One Tribe Foundations Drumming Education Award and the 1998 Drum Magazine Drummie of the Year award. Hull has facilitated drum circles and rhythmic alchemy playshops at the Association of Humanistic Psychology, Association for Music Therapists and many other alternative healing conferences, and has appeared on the covers of the Wall Street Journal and Yoga Journal. Within the corporate environment, he has facilitated interactive rhythmical team-building events for groups ranging from 20 to 6000, including Lucent Technology, Walt Disney, Pac Bell, Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems.

Arthur Hull

Melvin Johnson
Melvin Johnson is an accomplished drum maker, Medicine Drummer, African Drummer and teacher of African Drumming rhythms.

Melvin was exposed to African Drumming as therapy in 1995, during a stay at the V.A. Hospital, in a class taught by Dr. Jim Arnold (ret). Since his unlikely introduction into the world of African Drumming almost a decade ago, Melvin has attended numerous workshops and classes as he has sought to further his knowledge and understanding of how drums and drumming can be used as healing tools, not only for those playing, but as a medium to project peace and well-being to any point on the planet When not teaching or facilitating drum circles at ONE, Melvin can be found at his Norman, Oklahoma home making, tuning and repairing drums, facilitating the drum circle at the V.A. Hospital where he was first introduced to the medium or working with the youth at the Art Box on Britton road in Oklahoma City. In the Spring of 2003 Melvin and Todd helped us kick off a series of community drumming events called Norman Summer Thunder. The events were geared to bring as many people into the fold as possible. For more information on Summer Thunder or how to start a similar activity in your area, just hit our website- www.mindbodyspirit.us

Todd Balcom, MT-BC is a music therapist, drum circle facilitator, wellness educator, and professional musician. He completed his degree in Music Therapy from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and was Board Certified by the CBMT in 1994 following a clinical internship at Griffin Memorial State Psychiatric Hospital. He spent the next six years as a Music Therapist, and Clinical Case Manager with Norman Regional Hospital (1994-2000) in Norman, Oklahoma where he continued to develop his skills as a health clinician in adolescent, adult, and geriatric mental health and wellness. In addition to coordinating ADD-FIRE activities for the community, He currently serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the non-profit agency Transition House, Inc. where he provides music therapy, substance abuse education, and leisure/recreation activities for adults suffering from mental illness. Todd began formally studying percussion at the age of 10. He has studied with Master Facilitator and REMO Signature Series Drum Designer Arthur Hull and is a graduate of Arthur Hulls Village Music Circles-Rhythm Alchemy program. He has also attended workshops and master classes with Master Drummer Gordy Ryan as well as study with some of the leading health care professionals in the country such as Dr. Barry Bittman,MD.

Todd Balcom

Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Drum

When I first asked Melvin Johnson, our first drum teacher, what texts hed like us to sell for his class, he gave me a look Ill never forget. It was sort of a mix of Why did you just stick your finger in my ear? and You must be the dumbest white man Ive ever met. Thus began my education into the world of West African Drumming. The simple fact is, when we began all of this, there were virtually no text-books for West African Drumming. There are more now, but not many, and few worth the paper theyre written on. Theres one that is specifically Drums of Passion oriented; I highly recommend it. Dont bootleg a copy, either. Youll find many of the same rythms as in this book, but buying it supports Babtundes continuing good works; Im good with that. Go to the website (www.afterscience.com/olatunji/) and buy a copy. Then, if you dont already have one, buy a copy of Olatunjis classic Drums of Passion. Next, go out and buy a copy of Love Drum Talk, also by Master Babatunde. Its put out by Chesky Music (www.chesky.com). Lets see. . . Copyright. Simply enough, there is no copyright. Theres nothing that will prevent the overworked / underpaid drones at Kinkos from just running off a couple of dozen (but please remember, you can download it for free at www.mindbodyspirit.us. . .). These rhythms have been around for hundreds and thousands of years longer than any human that could claim to own them and anyone that tries to reap a profit off of them just needs to come up with a new plan; these are free. Was this hard work? Hell, the spell-check alone took me almost 2 hours. . . Traditionally African rhythms were passed down word-of-mouth and by demonstration and practice. This was a great way of doing things in ancient Africa. The land was made up of a couple thousand wandering tribes that didnt speak the same language, and nobody had a written version of any of the languages. Guess what? We have the ability to read and write now. And while its always good to commit things to memory (thats a nice way of saying memorize) we have committed these songs to paper to make drumming more accessible to the entire world, not just those that have the disposable time to practice with a teacher for 15+ hours a week. Another nice aspect of having the rhythms written down is that there is some consistency. No two people are going to remember a rhythm the same way if they dont hear it regularly (I still sometimes hum my old favorite Dont go round tonight, for its bound to take your wife. Theres a baboon on the right. . .) This edition is a work in progress. Of all of the rhythms in the world, these dont even scratch the surface. Have a rhythm that youd care to contribute? E-mail us at the store. Give us as much information as you can about the song and it might make it into one of the updates. Will we pay you? Yeah! Well send you a FREE COPY of the book! Check to website often- Well add updates every couple of months, or so. (www.mindbodyspirit.us) This text is formatted to be printed (youll need to set your margins to the maximum) and is designed to be spiral-bound across the top. This allows for maximum room across the page for notes and what-not. Again, Kinkos will be happy to help you in this regard. Itll be about $5, but its well worth it. $5 for what is soon to be one of the best drumming text books out there; You could do worse. Enjoy the book. Enjoy drumming. Enjoy the fact that you have the ability to take up such a physically, mentally and spiritually rewarding hobby. Share you talent with as many people as you can. And for G*ods sake, dont mess up your fine-motor skills by screwing around with drugs. The choice is yours- choose not to be a moron. Thats it. Thats all I know. Rustin Sparks one@mindbodyspirit.us

Introduction,

Babatunde Olatunjis Warm Up Exercises

G = B = rh bass Go = T = rh tone Pa = S = rh slap Dun = b = lh bass Do = t = lh tone Ta = s = lh slap 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gun GoDo Gun GoDo GoDo Gun Gun GoDo GoDo Gun GoDo Gun GoDo GoDo Gun Pa Gun GoDo GoDo Gun Pa Ta Gun GoDo GoDo Gun PaGo PaGo Gun Pa Gun Pa Gun Pa GoDO Gun PaTa PaTa Gun Pa GoDo GoDo GoDo GoDo GoDo B.Tt. B.Tt.Tt.B. B.Tt.Tt.B.Tt. B.Tt.Tt.B.S. B.Tt.Tt.B.Ss. B.Tt.Tt.B.ST.ST. B.S.B.S.B.S.Tt. B.Ss.Ss.B.S.Tt. Tt.Tt.Tt.Tt.

This is a great starting exercise. You play each one 4 times, then you move on to the next. When you get to the end of number 6, just cycle back around to number 1 and keep going. Mastering these rhythms will prove invaluable to you in learning to play the drum.

Apply the same approach (4X repeats) in solo practice to groups of rhythms, such as the rhythms for Fanga, Samba, et cetera. Not only will this enable you to learn the individual rhythms, but it will also enable you to switch from rhythm to rhythm, easily filling in the gaps between. This exercise will also lead to a very good understanding of how the rhythms relate to each other when you play them using Babas method.

Baba ends the GUN, GO DO, PA TA section with an exercise, noted below, that uses the three essential tones. This is also a good exercise to use daily as an effective warm-up. Not only is it good practice, but when mastered it becomes pretty fun, also.

To use the notation below (many thanks to Arthur Hull) try this; tap your finger in a slow, steady rhythm, one tap for every box in the phrase below. In this case, you would have eight taps per phrase. Keep on tapping, and once youre comfortable with knowing where the first tap (the downbeat) of every eight is, try singing the GUN, GO DO, PA TA pattern along with the tapping. The GUN should always start on the first beat. If you think of the phrase in four beats, as the numbers signify, but keep tapping in eight, the rhythm may feel more fluid.

GUN

(PAUSE) GO

DO

PA

TA

(PAUSE) (PAUSE)

PATTERNS
In this section. Baba covers some basic rhythms. These are basic structures that many of the African rhythms are based on. Next to practicing regularly, listening and watching Baba (or in our case, Melvin) play these rhythms is the best way to learn them. We will notate them as well, so that you can recall them easier and spend more time on the individual rhythms. Baba uses the same patterns for both the GO DO and PA TA tones. The patterns below are in the same order as Baba plays them when he first demonstrates the GO DO patterns on the drum, after singing them, only we have added a to emphasize a silent beat (PAUSE). So first sing along and then play on. As Baba emphasizes,

IF YOU CAN SING IT, YOU CAN PLAY IT!

Pattern A

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

Pattern B

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern C

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern D

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern E

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern F

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

(Reprinted from http://www.une.edu.au/arts/kafui/warmup.htm - no longer posted)

Following are the rhythms and beats that Baba (and West African Drumming) have become famous for. Are these all of the rhythms? Certainly not; these are just the ones that we chose to put in the book!

Rhythm #

Title:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Samba Gordys Beat Khaki Lambe Ramboday Rumba Mombasa (2 players, 4 drums) Bolon (Malinke Rythym) Shiko (Nigerian Drum Rythym) Kassagbe Rumbayesa Kasa Tiriba Caba Scarf (Sword) Kashlima Shiftateli Yankidi Macrou Kpanlogo (Dance of Youth) Djankadi The Train The Pulse High Life Bottom The Clave Bolamba Beledy Mesmoudic (Cane) Fanga

1 - Samba
GUN GO PA GUN GO TA DUN PA GUN GO GUN DO GO GO GO GUN GO GUN GUN

GO

GUN GO PA DO GO GO

GUN TA

DUN GO PA DO

GUN GO

GO GUN GO GO GUN DO

DO GUN GUN GO

GO GO DO

DO DO

GO GO

DO DO DO

2 - GordyS Beat
GUN PA GUN PA GUN PA GO DO

3 - Kaki Lambe
GUN GUN GO GUN GO DO DO GO GO GO KA DO GO GO GO GUN DO PA GO DO GO GUN GUN GO DO

GUN GUN GO GO GO

DO

GO GO DO GO

DO GUN

DO GO GUN GO

PA PA GUN GO

TA

4 - Ramboday (w/Jun-Jun)
GUN GO GO GO GUN DO GUN GUN GO PA DO GUN GO GO GUN DO GUN GUN GO PA DO DO DO GO JUN JUN

5 - Rumba
GUN GUN GUN GUN GO GUN GUN GO GO DO GO DO GUN GUN GUN PA GUN GUN GUN GO GUN GO DO GO DO

6 - Mombasa
#1 GO #2 GO GO DO DO DO GUN GO DO

(2 PLAYERS, 6 DRUMS)
DUN GO DO GUN GO DO DUN

DO

GO

PA

TA

TA

GO

DO

GO

7 - Bolon
PA PA PA PA TA TA GO GO DO DO

GO PA PA

DO GUN

PA GO GO

DO DO

GUN PA

PA TA

TA GUN GUN

GO GUN PA

DO GUN

8 - Shiko
GO DO PA GO TA DO GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GO

GO

GUN GO PA DO

TA

GO GUN GUN PA

DO PA PA

TA TA

GUN GUN GO

GUN DO PA

GO TA

9 - Kassagbe
GODO GUN GO GO TA GO DO GO DO GO GO GUN DO JUN JO JUN JO JO JO

DO

GO GUN GO

GUN DO

PA TA GO

TA DO

PA GUN

GUN

TA PA

TA PA

JO

JO

GUN GO

GUN DO

GO TA GO

DO GO DO

JUN JO

JUN JO JO

10 - Rumbayesa
GUN PA GO DO GUN DO GO GUN GO GO DO

PA

GUN DO

GUN

GUN

GO GO GO

DO DO

GO PA

GO

11 - Kasa
GO PA PA GUN DO GO PA TA GUN DO PA

PA DO TA

TA GO

GUN DO

GO PA PA GUN

DO GO

PA GUN DO PA

TA

GO PA GUN

PA DO TA

TA GUN GO

DO

GO PA GUN

12 - Tiriba
GUN GUN GO DO KA GUN PA

TA

GUN GUN

GO GO

DO DO

GUN GO

PA

TA GUN

GUN

13 - Caba
GUN GO PA DO GUN GO GUN PA GUN PA GO GO GO PA GO GO PA GUN GUN

14 - Scarf (Sword)
GUN GUN GO DO GO GO DO

GO

DO

GO

15 - Kashlima
GUN GUN GO DO GO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

16 - Shiftateli (Chiftitelli)
GUN GO DO GUN GO GUN GUN GO

17 - Yankidi
GUN PA GO DO PA TA GO GUN DO GO GO GO GO DO

DO GO

DO

GUN FL GO

DO

PA FL GO

DO

GUN PA GO

GO TA GO

DO DO

18 - Macrou
GUN GUN GO GUN GO PA PA PA GUN GO GO GO GUN

DO PA GO

GO

GUN GUN GO GUN

GO

PA GO PA DO

PA

GUN PA GUN

GO

DO PA GO

GO

19 - Kpanlogo Dance of Youth

GO GO DO DO PA GUN GUN PA PA GO TA TA DO GO GO PA PA TA TA GUN GUN GO GO DO PA DO GO PA DO TA GO

TA

20 - Djankadi (Yankadi)
GUN PA GUN GUN PA GUN DO GO GUN PA GUN GO GO DO DO GUN GUN GUN GUN TA GO GO GO

21 - The Train (exercise)

GO GO GO GO GO DO DO DO DO DO PA PA PA TA TA TA TA TA GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN PA PA PA PA TA TA TA TA GO GO GO GO GO DO DO DO DO DO PA PA PA TA TA TA TA TA GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN

GUN GUN GUN

PA PA PA PA

TA TA TA TA

22 - The Pulse (exercise)

GO GO GO GO GO DO DO GO GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN

GO GO

DO DO

DO

23 - High Life Bottom

GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN DO GUN TA GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GO GO GO GO GO DO DO DO DO DO GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN DO TA TA GUN GUN TA GUN

GUN GUN GUN GUN GUN

GO GO GO GO GO

DO DO DO DO DO

24 - The Clave (exercise)

GO GO GO GO GO GO DO DO DO PA TA GO GO GO GO GO DO GO GO GO GO GO DO GO GO GO GO PA DO DO DO DO

PA GO

TA DO

25 - Bolomba
GUN DO GO PA PA DO GUN GO GUN TA PA PA DO

GUN GO GUN

DO

GO PA PA

DO

PA PA PA

TA TA TA

PA

GO GUN

26 - Beledy (Beladi, Belady)

GUN GUN GO DO GO GUN GO DO GO GUN GUN GO DO GUN GUN GO DO GO

27 - Mesmoudic (Cane) (2X speed)

GO GO DO DO GUN GUN GO GO DO DO GUN GO GO GO DO GO GO DO DO GO GO DO DO GO GO DO GO GO DO DO GUN GUN GO DO GUN GO GO DO GUN GO DO GO GO - --

28 - Fanga
GUN GO GUN GUN GO GO GUN DO GUN GO DO GO DO GUN

DO GO

DO GUN

GUN GO GUN

DO GUN

GUN GO

GUN DO

GO GO GUN GUN

DO DO

GO

DO