2nd Biennial MIT Griot Festival in Cambridge, MA

This past weekend Rambax MIT presented the 2nd Biennial MIT Griot Festival. Titled Celebrating the musical traditions of Africa and the Diaspora it featured the Mbaye Family Drum Troupe from Senegal.  On Saturday evening the festival concert was presented in MIT’s Kresge Auditorium. In addition to sabar drumming and dancing, which was the feature of the concert, the tama (talking drum), jembe and kouterou drums were presented as well. And the audience was given the opportunity to hear the 3-stringed ekonting of the Jola ethnic group from the Casamance region of Senegal; they were also treated to several selections by a Mande group of kora, balafon, jembe and junjun.  Along with the music were spirited dances, choreographed by Babacar Ndiaye, former member of the National Ballet of Senegal. There is much that could be said about the concert but photographs of the concert will speak for themselves.

Rambax MIT 2011

Lamine Touré gets the audience dancing.

Aziz Seck talking on the cól.

Tama player.

The tama ensemble.

Sadio dances to the tama.

Dancers take the stage.

Dancing jembe.

Pape Bâ

Dancer in flight

A dancer's entrance

Lila

Yacouba Diabaté

Balla Kouyaté

Mohamed "Joh" Camara

Young drummer

Astou joins in

Alisane Djigo

Aziz Seck

Lamine Touré playing nder.

Sana Ndiaye, ekonting player

Sana Ndiaiye

Moha on jembe

Paa Seck

Rich Faye

Pape Bâ

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