Wonbere

Fore-Fote

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 21, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 20, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fore-Fote
• ASIN: B00004SRF3
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #512,481 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #58 in

  Music > World Music > Africa > Guinea

Editorial Reviews

Modern Drummer - April 2000
Wonbere ("With Joy") is the aptly titled CD from M. Lamine "Dibo" Camara & Company Fore-Fote. ("Black and White"). The Camara Brothers are Susu people who have been involved with the national ballet of Guinea and are now on their own path. This is a yembe (djembe) extravaganza, a wonderful collection of tunes that constantly push forward, encouraging everyone to dance. (8 of 10 stars) - David Licht

Product Description
Wonbere, meaning "With Joy", celebrates the rich diversity and spirit of the major ethnic groups of the traditional core djembe playing culture in and around Guinea, West Africa. In these societies there are traditional rhythms and dances for virtually every event in a person's life - from naming ceremonies to rite-of-passage ceremonies; rhythms for work, for celebration, marriage, welcome, etc. - and it is for these aspects of daily life that the djembe and its music exist and from this that the music of Fore-Fote begins. Applied to these ancient rhythms is the imaginativeness of Master Drummer M. Lamine "Dibo" Camara, whose heart-pounding new arrangements of these rhythms he learned as a child bring the traditional a brilliant and contemporary twist.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Share the Joy, October 18, 2000

By	Sharon Holland (Ashland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

When the musicians of Fore-Fote and guest artists from Guinea, West Africa got together to create this CD, the booklet tells us, the experience was so uplifting and exhilarating they decided to name it "Wonbere" which means "with joy" in the Susu language. That joy is passed on to the listener in this energizing CD. As an ethnomusicologist and a student of traditional djembe music who has traveled to Guinea to study, I highly recommend "Wonbere" as a 'must-have' for every djembe enthusiast's collection. Not only is the drum work truly representative of the living culture in Guinea today, but the high production quality sets this CD apart from many others that are currently available. Check out M. Lamine "Dibo" Camara's virtuosic drumming on tracks such as "Yole," "Ligueba," and "Soko." For kora (african harp) aficionados, Prince Diabate is awesome on "Sabar," "Sunu," and "Yankadi." Additionally, the booklet, written by Fore-Fote member and Dibo's adopted son Ryan M. Camara, gives valuable information about the instruments used and the history and meaning of the traditional rhythms comprising this inspiring collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart energy pouring joyously, generously, December 15, 2003

By	James Chadwick "You can call me Jim." (Ashland, Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am, in my early sixties, learning how to drum. Have really just begun a few months ago. I took a live class with Fore-Fote before I even had struck this kind of hand drum -- and I was flummoxed, couldn't do much at all. BUT, the quality of the sound there in that room, and the very special deeply loving and happy energy that was there in abundance came into me and somehow changed me. I have been taking lessons from local people in the interim and just yesterday had the opportunity to take a second lesson with Fore-Fote. I did better at drumming, for sure -- but the more important thing was the confirmation of my first impression of this music. I bought their CD (Wonbere) and listened to it today at home, and that love and special energy came through. This is soul-stirring stuff, that somehow reminds me of my potential for being happy in an all-connected kind of way that I vaugely remember from somewhere, sometime -- maybe from my childhood, or, maybe from a genetic memory. It really has a special shine, and I feel blessed to have it now to listen to and to drum with.

4.0 out of 5 stars Traditional West African drums 'uncorrupted' by electrics, September 1, 2004

By	WorldDiscoveries.Net "Bill Donovan, Reviewer" (Petaluma, California) - See all my reviews

Decades of playing and teaching have helped 'Dibo' and Miguel find the creme de la creme of students: the proof is in the listening, as good or better a group as we have ever heard.
 An extra delight is the sense of swing found in some tunes which begs the question "is swing actually of African origin?"
 Fore-Fote is only a four-member group, but you'll swear there just has to be more of them.