The Journey to the Gambia (15th March 2012) The train ride to the airport was bleak.

Fog covered everything so any distance disappeared. It was like this when I walked down the hill to the station. I could only see two towers Hanover way, popping out of the sunrise. What with it being so early and having to say goodbye to my wife Emma for the next three months, I had to will my legs down the hill, but I caught the train of course - I was off to West Africa after all. Simon McCarthy appeared at the check in desk at the same time, so we got to catch up on the last 4 years on the plane, which stressed out the lady in front to no end. Simon is from a West African drumming crew called Tanante and DrumRoots based in Manchester, although he has now moved to the Forest of Dean where he continues to run African drum workshops. We met at the Fiddler's Green International Festival 2005 where both Tanante and Martha Tilston & the Woods (with who I played guitar) were playing and we got know each other on the festival music circuit. The Tanante crew have been coming to the Gambia, Senegal and surrounding countries for years to train in the traditions of Djembe, so felt pretty damn lucky to be getting straight to the source. Once we landed I had a moment of enjoying that familiar hit of heat and it was only 5:30pm, mmm mm. The passengers were then immediately herded into a shuttle bus, which was rammed, so we waited for the next one. The remaining 6 of us got on, but the bus didnt move; we were waiting for an old lady who was having to take it very slow getting down the stairs from the plane. Several workers were helping her down each step with great care and so everyone sat patient. As soon as the old lady had eventually made it to the shuttle bus, the driver said something, the bus doors slammed shut - and we took off, leaving the bewildered old lady behind. We only drove about 20 metres before being dropped off at the Aztec-retro looking airport anyway! We bee-lined past the airport taxis and headed for the highway for a local fare. One bloke who insisted to carry Sis heavy bag (loaded with laptop, mini discs and more, as gifts for the teachers) jumped into our bush taxi. (A bush taxi is a taxi that crams in as many people as it can). This provided me with the surreal entertainment of taking in my first sunset views of Africa sunset

with these two guys going round and round in circles, in a mix of languages, arguing about the 20p for carrying his bag 5metres. It was hilarious. You have to stick to the principle here though otherwise youll be eaten. Babacar Jatta, our host and drum teacher, was waiting for us on the road outside his compound as we approached dusk. We set up our tents in the dark (who ever doesnt) and traded stories with Babacar, under the one energy saving light bulb on his porch. Home sweet home.

Arrival to the Gambia (Fri 16th - Sun 18th March) Babacar was a character and a lot of fun to hang out with - which was just as well as we were pretty much camping in his back garden! It was quite a communal piece of land, given that the local community would pop round continuously. Apparently its the African way. The land, called a compound, was about the size of a football pitch. Babacars pad was humble, but then you dont need much indoors when everyone is outdoors at a nice 18-35 degrees. Everyone was really welcoming and I felt right at home straight away. The beach was not too far from where we were staying too, although the hustlers targeting foreigners at every corner can be hard work at times, but you get used to it with a few phrases in tribal language. I found that a good one to say was Im no stranger here! in Wolof (doo ma fay gan!) then to walk off with purpose as if you knew where you were going, which would often end up being the wrong way! We had decided to take it easy that first long weekend. Just as well really, as it was super hot - even for the locals. I sat in the shade of the Mango trees that surrounded and sheltered us in the compound. Some sunlight was still filtering through the dense leaves, so our new friends were trying to persuade me to move to the shade of the one-story building. Na Im good here thanks I said grinning, enjoying the dappled sun on my face after a winter in

England. After 30 minutes however, I felt absolutely fried and the others laughed as I staggered to join them in the full shade. Okay you were right! We had one mission day in Serrekunda (the main town 20-30 minutes from our compound in Kerserring) in order to get our weeks provisions from the main market. We managed to time it just at the hottest time of the day - as you do. Babacar thought we faffed, I thought Si was on the case working to get the best deals but he might have been right about me. I couldnt help but just enjoy the colours, the people and focusing on finding a funky cowboy hat to shield me from the hot sun.

Djembe Training with Babacar Jatta - part 1 the rhythms and the schedule (19th - 23rd March) Our music schedule was full and kept us busy at the compound morning till night. Simon (being a very experienced djembe player & teacher) had a plan, which I was quite happy to be in on. We had 6 weeks ahead of us in the Gambia the first three weeks for 3 traditional rhythms: Mani, Lamba and Guinea Far. Mani is a classic and from the depths, or rather heights, of Guinea. Lamba is a traditional rhythm used for celebrations such as weddings. It comes from the Mandinka tribe, the oldest and largest tribe dating back to a vast empire of West Africa. And Guinea Far means womans dance - its got drive too! I had also been running occasional drum workshops over the last decade - with TopHat Workshops in England and independently in New Zealand and Vietnam, using basic-to-intermediate rhythms coming from Africa, South America and from modern music such as hip-hop, drum&bass and reggae. So I felt it was about time that I came back to West Africa, where the Djembe originally comes from, to learn some more advanced traditional rhythms - as well as getting some serious guitar jamming done while I was at it. Simon is very motivated with his training so I got on his buzz there. We were up at dawn(ish), a mug of bush tea down our gullets to help fight off the local lurgies and a quick nyebe

breakfast (brown baked beans in bread - yum) and then wed carry the djembes and dunduns to a clearing under yet more mango trees. Each week we would focus on one traditional rhythm at a time, made up of a few djembe parts. Check out our first weeks traditional Djembe rhythm here, called Mane (pronounced man-ay). Its the second set of drumming sessions, about halfway through the Gambia Live Mix, with Babacar and Simon on djembes and 'yours truly' on dunduns. Just click in halfway through and youll be about there. Mane was a tough one, a real mind-twister. It may seem quite straightforward on the recording, but whilst playing it, it seemed to me at first, as if it was running off three different time signatures! http://soundcloud.com/luke_parker/gambian-live-raw-recording-mix

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Doing Music in West Africa