These contexts of jenbe playing emerged sequentially, and partly grew out of one another. However, they did not supersede nor leave each other unaffected. This article studies the reciprocal effects of local, national, and international utilization of the jenbe, illustrated by the changes in instrument making in Bamako, the capital of the Republic of Mali. It argues that only the feedback of local, national, and international jenbe playing has allowed for its artistic and professional vitality in urban West Africa. The aim of the sound samples is to make audible the change of sound of the Bamako jenbe that came along with the change of instrument making and style analyzed in the article.
All samples feature the same rhythm.
The players, who all play their own instruments, belong to different generations of the same tradition in Bamako. This recording of rhythm sunun very much resembles Namori Keita s warm and breathing as one says in Bamana jenbe sound, playing style, and drum patterns. Soloist Jaraba Jakite plays a rather high tuned iron jenbe of about 36 cm in diameter. His roaring and hissing sound is typical of the festival drummers of Bamako in the 1980 s. All players were born between 1966 and 1974.