Bradley Simmons on playing the djembe. Video by Jacob Whatley. The drum’s likely origins date back to the 12th century in Mali, West Africa, Kojo Bey, wrote in “Jembe Revolution: The Birth of the ...

Led by master drummer and dancer, Kerfala “Fana” Bangoura, the ensemble combines the iconic djembe hand drum with a trio of drums played with sticks, known as dunun, sangban, and kenkeni. The powerful ...

Jessie Lehmann, a member of The Know Bodies Band, discovered her passion for traditional West African drumming before she ...

One of the best-known African drums is the West African djembe. It is shaped like a large goblet and played with bare hands. The body is carved from a hollowed trunk and is covered in goat skin.