Doudou N'Diaye Rose

Apologies from video maker first. I had the opportunity to meet Doudou N'Diaye Rose at The Royal Conservatoire in The Netherlands, where he was giving Senegal's traditional drum classes to students from the Conservatoire. I was just begining to experiment with video, got really nervous of speaking to Doudou and in French, and was so astonished by the stories Doudou shared with me that I completly forgot everything I had learned in video making. I seriously apologize to Doudou and the audience for the quality of this video. I still decided to upload it because I believe that what Doudou shares in this video is worth to listen no matter how badly the video is done.

I'll upload him dancing and playing soon, so that you can get a glimpse of the beauty, the inspiration and the wisdom of Doudou.

Doudou N'Diaye Rose (28 July 1930), born Mamadou N'Diaye in Dakar is Senegalese drummer composer and band leader, and is the recognized modern master of Senegal's traditional drum, the sabar-- called the Tam-Tam in Wolof. He is -- literally -- the father of a dynasty of a musical dynasty which includes some of the most successful traditional musicians of contemporary West Africa.

He is the founder and chief drum major of the Drummers of West Africa (all members of his family - he has 43 children in all),with which he also performs. He also leads an all-female drum group called Les Rosettes, composed entirely of his own daughters and granddaughters.

N'Diaye Rose is purported to have developed 500 new rhythms, and, indeed, his music is quite complex, featuring ever-changing rhythmic structures which he conducts with his trademark vigorous style.

According to Wikipedia, perhaps his most well-known album, Djabote (Real World CDRW43) features 12 tracks recorded on the Isle of Gorée in March 1991. It was recorded in one week with his group of fifty drummers and the Julien Jouga's Choir, an eighty-member, all-female choir. He has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Alan Stivell, Miles Davis, the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Kodo and Bill Bruford.

Filmmaker: Gabriela Gámez

Filmmaker Contact:

gabriela@isuma.tv

Year of Production: 2009

Country: Netherlands