Master Drummers of West Africa

Master Drummers of West Africa takes readers into the vibrant drumming traditions of Ghana and its neighbors. Focusing on the Anlo-Ewe of the southern coast and the Dagomba of the northern savanna, it captures the music, stories, and teaching methods of master drummers who guard and grow these traditions.Through notation, photographs, and firsthand accounts, Jerry Leake brings to life the bell patterns and layered ensemble textures of Ewe music-festive Gahu, warrior-born Agbekor, the spiritual Brekete-alongside the language-based drumming of the Dagombas, where the lunga talking drum speaks praise and history and the deep-toned gung-gong drives the rhythm. Each tradition is presented in context, showing how music animates ceremonies, honors ancestors, and strengthens community bonds.A final section opens a window to Burkina Faso's griot heritage, where djembe, dun-dun, and balafon weave intricate rhythms and melodies in both village and modern settings.Blending field research with instruction, Master Drummers of West Africa is a resource for musicians, educators, and anyone drawn to Africa's rhythmic genius-a journey through sound and culture, alive with history and celebration.