[TommyB]

Hi folks. I've been watching this drum on eBay, mostly out of curiosity. Is this a bougarabou? I've never seen an ashiko that wasn't stave-built (but I haven't seen many ashikos, either). I've been toying with the idea of offering a low bid on this, just because it looks like a nice piece of wood and would probably offer a different voice from the djembe. Am I being stupid? Although I've heard of Paulo Mattioli and know that his name is on a bunch of Remo drums, I've never heard anything good or bad about his African drums. Any opinions on this drum?

Oh... the site won't let me post an auction link. OK, here's a photo from the auction. The drum is advertised as a Paulo Mattioli "bougarou" or ashiko. It's 12 inches across and 24 inches high.

Thanks,
Tom

$T2eC16dHJF0E9nmFSzjnBRT2BZe-Tw~~60_57.JPG (185.16KiB)Viewed 4311 times

[michi]

Yes, that's a bougarabou. Sound is usually nice, quite warm, more like a conga than a djembe. I often play bougarabou instead of a djembe when I'm playing with bands that do things like dance music with western instruments. A djembe often is too harsh for that, cutting through everything like shattering glass. A bougarabou sounds less dominant and blends in better with everything else.

Michi.

[TommyB]

You're a font of djembe (and bougarabou) knowledge, Michi. Thanks so much.
Tom

[benaylon]

Hi man,
you can try to listen to this dude - Saikouba Badjie.
he has a cd recorded in VILLAGE PULSE.
he plays a set of 4 Bougarabous, and what interesting is that they hang long shaped bells on their wrist while playing it which is really special and different.
the main tribe who plays it is the JOLA people.