Lancei Kante - dunun master

Lancei Kante is a master of the dunun and dance. He was born in 1943 in Kouroussa, Hamana region, Guinea.

At the age of 10 he began playing sangban and dununba and chose to dance at the age of 15. Due to his flexibility and flair he became somewhat of a local star in dancing and drumming.

In 1968 Lancei was selected as a member of the Ballet Djolibba National. He toured with them all over the world. In 1988, after 20 years with the ballet, he left to join the prestigious Percussions de Guinee.

Lancei is known for his exceptional knowledge of the repertoire, the breaks, etc, and in being extremely accurate in transmitting this knowledge. He took Noumody Keita's death particularly hard because both came from Kouroussa. Lancei said, "There is now no one left to follow me and that I can follow. No one whom understands me so well.

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