The Language of the West African Drum and the Ease of Synchrony | Matthew Marsolek | TEDxUMontana

[@KalaniMusic]

Beautiful presentation, Matthew. Thank you for this - so many wonderful aspects of community music making brought to light.(I've also studied with Abdoul - what a character!) Blessings to all the Drum Brothers and Sisters.

[@49stud]

An excellent explanation of what happens when you play drums collectively. Spent a long time doing this, well worth your time. And I love the drum, simple carving, out of round, rows to high heaven...sounded amazing!

[@martinwerr]

Well done, Matthew! I'm so glad I was able to finally see your talk.

[@debwerr]

This should be mandatory learning in our country. You did an awesome job, Matthew. This is how I learned to let go.

[@nanaesio.nyarkoh2858]

NO. IT SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT TO WESTERNERS. YOU'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING FOR US. LEAVE OUR CULTURE ALONE. Well, the little left :(

[@nanaesio.nyarkoh2858]

FROM**

[@debwerr]

I'm sorry your mind works like that. To learn your culture does not "take" anything from it. Instead, it only serves to lead to greater understanding and empathy between us. And while we're on the topic of "taking" things from other cultures, here's a direct quote from you: "Basically us West Africans miss out on EVERY THING. No Netflix, no Spotify, no Teens Choice Awards... just. great." Peace.

[@DrumBrothers]

Our West African teachers, who include Abdoul Doumbia, Karamba Dioubate, Mamady Keita, and Joh Camara among others, would disagree with you. They have made their living teaching the amazing art form of West African drumming to 1000s of students worldwide and have helped make the djembe drum one of the most popular percussion instruments on the planet. In our view, culture is not static and immovable, but rather, it's fluid, dynamic, and ever changing. Consider how Afro Pop has been influenced by American Rock and Roll Music (Many of our African musician friends listened to classic rock and roll growing up). The circles of influence go both ways... And this is a cause for celebration.

[@paapakobe]

This was a really well done presentation. He is well informed and humbly shares crucial details in a way that honours the people and culture of origin.

[@AilonFree]

Gorgeous and very knowledgable

[@sevenstarsafricandrumming]

Great bro you are doing good work together

[@woofna1948]

Some of the comments express the exclusionary idea that "whites" have no business talking about "African" drums like the djembe. By extension, why should non-African hands ever touch the surface of an African drum? As a 73 year old white man, is it wrong for me to enjoy playing the djembe because I don't understand the deeper connection or context in which such drums are used in many African cultures? Do I "appropriate" and possibly demean "African culture" when I play my djembe? That's one way of looking at it. Another is that I develop a greater appreciation of the role that African percussion has played in the development of drumming in general - a respect for the culture that brought us this music and these instruments. Another way to view this exclusionary view is to ask if it's wrong for an "African musician" to play a pedal steel guitar. The obvious answer is "why would that be wrong?" Well, it isn't a traditional African instrument, but that hasn't stopped any African pedal steel guitar player. I'm also someone who, since 1984, has paddled a fiberglass sea kayak loosely based on a West Greenland Inuit design. I paddle it with a hand-carved wooden paddle that is indistinguishable from the West Greenland design. I'm grateful to the Inuit for inventing this style of kayak and paddle. My knowledge of the historical heritage of the sport enhances my enjoyment of it. I don't hunt seals from my kayak, and I use it for recreation rather than subsistence hunting, but I don't think that my use demeans the Inuit roots or culture of kayaking. That said, I do think that ritual, and particularly "sacred" ritual is very powerful, and a special part of the culture of any native people. I admit that I cringe with I hear non-natives going on about their mystical experience at some sweat-lodge ceremony they attended, led by a non-native guide. But I don't see that connection here. Perhaps I'm missing something.

[@minijoebroccoli]

Cool! Great speaker

[@frankowusu1965]

Amazing

[@jackcavanaugh4709]

Well done Mathew!

[@sevenstarsafricandrumming]

Can We work together As team

[@siemydi1]

great job

[@BrettSchles]

That was really good ! , well done

[@Bernadettern2024]

Next time ask the master drummer . Dr Isaac Akron, Kobena Aquaah -Harrison, Aron Bebe.

[@ConstantinRaduStanescu]

Again with the culture appropriation and victimization crap? It`s just music. It doesn`t count who sings it.

[@Bernadettern2024]

it is not just music. It is the soul of a people. The culture of a people. When the drum speaks do u have any idea it says? No African drumming is just music. U may call it crap and it is that crap that he stands on stage to talk about. So before u write anything about appropriation and victimization know the roots of the music Jazz, Rock and Roll Blues, then you and i can be on the same page.

[@unibongo2009]

Who says these are master drummers?

[@glennsheppard3622]

Nana Yeboaa exactly!

[@khembeats5527]

Nana Yeboaa talk on it Queen

[@testimonychristianstrategi2405]

You good.

[@Bernadettern2024]

To the world it is great that a white man is teaching African drums. As a black woman the drums are not just played there is spiritual connection there. Why do white people like defining us. Mr Mathew Marsolek please stop telling our story. We will do that ourselves. Thanks you very much.

[@Bernadettern2024]

Yes it does!

[@mus1ontel1genc1a]

Nana Yeboaa - Mama Yeboaa, I share a portion of your sentiment in that the Afrikan diaspora are the ones who should be about the business of telling our own story. But don't condemn too harshly the caucasian who is merely doing what they have been tasked to do on this planet... In the fact that they are not God's ORIGINAL creation of HUEmans - - they cannot CREATE anything. Yes, they can "build" and "make" things, but they cannot CREATE something that has NOT already been. So, poor things, they are relegated to "reporting", "recording", "labeling", "categorizing", storing, quantifying, accounting and such. So, for them, when they "discover" something they're more than happy to break their necks trying to be the first to share what they "learned" (usually a white-washed, watered-down version of the original) - - among themselves. I wouldn't begrudge the man for acting within his nature - - I'm more concerned with the fact that WE are either less likely to share OUR-story or somehow our diaspora is being BLOCKED on KZbin!

[@schlagdraufundschluss8466]

Nana Yeboaa a

[@gscottanthony7483]

I wouldn't doubt people's abilities to spiritually connect to other's cultures. It seems like he respects his distance from the origin of the drum while celebrating its value. If we together forget just for a second that it is a white man teaching us about this drum, it seems almost like there should be no issue. I believe that this is a man who has a true and pure love for an african instrument and has done his research. If however there are any inaccuracies in what he is saying then I would absolutely understand why it would be bad for him to share this with us. I just feel from an ideal perspective it would be great for all peoples of the earth to be able to enjoy, learn, and teach about all music cultures. How can beautiful African music get the admiration it deserves if people are sectioned off from learning or teaching about it?

[@jaydom8264]

Get over yourself

[@israelt1764]

reasons y rap sounds better than traditional western poetry

[@lightamnesia]

Cecil Batton approves.

[@justicehall5296]

For a white man playing African music he definitely knows his stuff! 🙏🏿 great performance

[@ConstantinRaduStanescu]

Again with the culture appropriation and victimization crap? It`s just music. It doesn`t count who sings it.

[@RDuke-br9bw]

Do not talk so much, play it and talk about the drum. with your hands...

[@jamesleyinnocent5171]

to be a good drum player the spirit of the drum have to connect with you you just gonna make money on show but you aint gonna have the spiritual connection cuz that's not your culture.

[@mzawawaafrica7073]

So, white teach about African drums, Soon he will say he discovered the drums.

[@andrasiboti]

I am sure that was not his intention to give, suggest the idea that it belongs to Caucasians. He did a good job, I am happy the Western World is trying to understand other cultures, like West African

[@tammylorraine9430]

Can you people use a drum from Europe? Why do you believe you can teach the language of African technology better than an African?

[@unibongo2009]

Don't you have african people speaking a better english that Uk's or USA's natives for exemple?

[@unibongo2009]

Matthew look like a very nice person. But you have no djembé skills at all and you're not even working on it. You shouldn't speak about the Djembé when you know so little about it. You're info is wrong but you don't even bother double checking it. It's really incredible that this can go on Tex. Pfuuu!!

[@codymills8410]

What info is wrong? If you're going to call someone out, be specific with your accusations.

[@vadimzitsermusicianvlogcha3870]

Exactly.