Kenkeni classes

I started following the konkoni (kenkeni) classes with Ibrahima Sarr in Brussels. The situation is funny because the classes were meant for beginners, but the participants are far from being new to this music. Yet it is not really easy to follow for no one of us due to the feeling the Malians use. On the other hand, it's a pleasant experience, specially for the ones of us that are used to play only the djembe.

This video of a konkoni is hosted at the Virtual Intrument Museum, where you can also find a detailed description of the instrument.


Konkoni is the Malian name for kenkeni, but it looks a bit different - it has goat skins which are not very stretched and have a very resonating sound. Many times the konkoni is made of old metal barrels that produce some extra buzzing and echo. In the Bamako-style of playing, if comparing it to the well known style of kenkeni playing of some Guinean artists like M.Keita or F.Konate, the konkoni carries out much more variations and it is often the only instrument to accompany the djembe.