Legacy Percussion 2: African drum solo analysis: Agbekor (Ewe people of Ghana)

Legacy Percussion
This collection of educational and performance videos represents the culmination of 4 decades of studying, performing, teaching, and writing about world percussion, with a new video uploaded each week to the end of 2018. Although geared toward the drummer/percussionist, the underlying concepts can benefit all musicians, composers, and arrangers.
VIDEO #2: Agbekor solo analysis
This video demonstrates the use of Ewe drum languages to achieve a heightened level of drumming expertise and independence. All patterns and combinations can be adapted to the drum set, with the bell played on cymbal, cowbell or the side of a drum; ankle bells set to the bass drum, and Ewe drums adapted to the snare and toms. (Subsequent videos on drum set adaptations illustrate my approach.)
Primary combinations:
• bell & totodzi
• bell & kagan
• totodzi & kagan
VIDEO #3 introduces the Atsimevu master drum for Agbekor.
Subscribe to this channel to receive weekly alerts about subsequent uploads to the series. I look forward to your comments and would be glad to answer any questions.
Dagbe Center:
www.dagbeinstitute.org
Traditional Performance:
• Agbekor Ewe Music and ...
• blood drum spirit in g...
Books and Articles:
www.rhombuspublishing.com/mast...
www.africantreasures.com/produ...
sellfy.com/p/q0zF/
sellfy.com/p/Z8cK/
CDs:
www.rhombuspublishing.com/craf...
www.rhombuspublishing.com/cubi...
www.rhombuspublishing.com/the_...
Groups:
www.natrajmusic.com
clubdelf.com
agbekorsociety.org
Colleagues:
/ royalhar. .
/ benpaulding
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Jerry Leake is an Associate Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. Jerry leads the world-rock-fusion octet Cubist whose four CDs feature his skill as a composer, arranger, and performer. He is a founding member of the indo/jazz band Natraj and the dub/trance/groove collective Club d’Elf.
Jerry studied Ewe drumming with David Locke, Godwin Agbeli and his sons Nani, Reuben and Emmanuel, and Dagomba drumming with Dolsi-naa Alhaji Abubakari Lunna and Locke. He studied North Indian tabla with Rajeev Devasthali and Todd Nardin, and South Indian mridangam with T. K. Ramakrishnan. Additional rhythm theory has been gained through his association with sarodist and scholar, George Ruckert.
Jerry graduated from Berklee College where he studied jazz vibraphone with Gary Burton and Ed Saindon, and hand percussion with Pablo Landrum. He has written eight texts on world percussion, articles for PAS magazine, and manuals for solo drum set
(www.rhombuspublishing.com).
_____
Videos 1-29, 31, 33, and 39 recorded and mixed by Randy Roos on December 28 & 29, 2017 at Squam Sound.
Series Contents:
#1. Agbekor solo: • Legacy Percussion 1: A...
#2. Agbekor solo analysis: • Legacy Percussion 2: A...
#3. Atsimevu master drum: • Legacy Percussion 3: A...
#4. Harmonic Time: • Legacy Percussion 4:: ...
#5. Agbekor Bell w/ 2 Cross-Rhythm: • Legacy Percussion 5: ...
#6. Agbekor Bell w/ 3 Cross-Rhythm: • Legacy Percussion 6: A...
#7. Agbekor Bell w/ 4 Cross-Rhythm: • Legacy Percussion 7: A...
#8. Agbekor Bell w/ 6 Cross-Rhythm: • Legacy Percussion 8: A...
#9. Agbekor Bell w/ 8 Cross-Rhythm: • Legacy Percussion 9: A...
#10. 6+4 African Styles: • Legacy Percussion 10: ...
#11. African Bell Meets Indian Math: • Legacy Percussion 11: ...
#12. Palo Bell 24/8: • Legacy Percussion 12: ...
#13: Adzogbo 24/8: • Legacy Percussion 13: ...
#14: Benin 24/8: • Legacy Percussion 14: ...
#15: Gahu drum solo: • Legacy Percussion 15: ...
#16: Gahu analysis: • Legacy Percussion 16: ...
#17: Dagomba, gung-gong: Jebo (invocation): • Legacy Percussion 17: ...
#18: Dagomba: Na Yella Bo: • Legacy Percussion 18: ...
#19: Dagomba: Tora song with 323 clap: • Legacy Percussion 19: ...
#20: Frame Drum: A Quality of Six: • Legacy Percussion 20: ...
#21: South Indian Reductions: • Legacy Percussion 21: ...
#22: Riq Improvisation: • Legacy Percussion 22: ...

[@lucasam7537]

Really thanks for this masterclass!!

[@JLBERKLEE]

The "matekpo" bell language puts you into the 12/8 realm of African/Agbekor styles. Speaking "Sang Si"( long and short bell strokes) places you into the world of 6/8 and the Bembé styles. And yes, both worlds live and breathe together.

[@rjrichmusic]

Nice. Have you been to Ghana or Togo?