M'bemba Bangoura is revered worldwide for his high level of mastery of the djembe drum. He began drumming at a very young age in his native Guinea, West Africa. Guinea has many parts with many different styles of drum and dance. Growing up in Conakry, M'Bemba was exposed to all of these styles in the cultural melting pot of the city.
By the age of 21, he was an acclaimed and accomplished drummer and was invited to play for Ballet Djoliba, the National Ensemble of Guinea. After playing with Djoliba and other groups in Guinea for 13 years, M'Bemba moved to the U.S. in 1992.
He has choreographed and developed repertoire for dozens of dance companies in New York City and abroad. An integral part of many drum and dance conferences and workshops nationwide, M'Bemba teaches and performs regularly in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
As a recording artist, his three albums, Wali, Fandji, and Wofabe present a marriage of the traditional and modern sounds of Guinea. The albums feature tight arrangements and the incorporation of the full ensemble with vocalists, balafon, and more. Above all, M'Bemba seeks to share the traditions of his culture with anybody who wants to learn. M'Bemba is one of the foremost ambassadors for Guinean drum and dance.
This session was recorded at Bridge Studio in Brooklyn with Soyuz Microphones through Neve 1073 preamps. Close mic'd dunduns were recorded with AEA R84s.
