Lonely Planet India – August 2019

Hegiveslessonsinhowtobuildandplay

thedjembeathissmallworkshopinthe

gardensbehindtheCulturalCentreinDerkle,

nearthecentreofDakar.Asmytaximoves

slowlythroughthegridlockedtraffic,

theairisthickwithfineSaharandust.

Ittakesmyeyesamomenttoadjusttothe

yellowylight,throughwhichIseeherds

ofsheepgatherednexttothehighway.

Theirbleatingmixeswithenginenoisesand

honkinghornstocreatethisindustriouscity’s

particularcacophony.Thecarinfronthasthe

nameYoussouN’Dour-oneofSenegal’smost

famoussingers-paintedonitsspoiler.Bythe

sideoftheroad,threesmallboyssitback

tobackinacircle,drummingonupturned

petrolcanisterswiththeirhands.

“Thedrumisveryimportanthere,”explains

IbouwhenIarrive.Wesitonplasticgarden

chairsoutsidehisworkshop,undertheshade

ofabaobabtree,andhepatientlyshowsmethe

subtlechangesinhandshapeandpositioning

thatproducetraditionaldjembedrumpatterns.

“Thesewerethecellphonesofmyparents’

generation,”hesays.“Ifyouheardacertain

rhythmbeingplayedbypeoplewalkingaround

theneighbourhood,youwouldknowright

awaywhathadhappened.”

Sounds

of Senegal

playlist

AdiouzaCey

Love

WozKaly

Aminata

BaabaMaal

Traveller

MansourSeck

AlmanyBocoum

OrchestraBaobab

UtrusHoras

CheikhLô

Il n’estJamaisTropTard

IsmaëlLô

Tajabone

PhilipMonteirofeat

VivianeN’Dour

Amor

YoussouN’Dourfeat
NenehCherry
7 Seconds

TRAVEL FOR MUSIC DAKAR, SENEGAL

1. A marketplace
   in Plateau/Gorée,
   downtown Dakar


2. Flying hands as Ibou
   Sene plays djembe


3. DJ and historian
   Dread Amala
   in his Bufalo Soldier
   Music Shop

1

3

2

94 August 2019