Awa Dabole

AAwa Dabolé is a rhythm with beautiful Bambara / Djoula song that I heard during a hunting party in Kolina in Mali. It was sung by Oumou Mariko and on balafon accompanied by Lamin ‘Balani’. From him I learned to play the rhythm, later in Bamako. Nine years later I learned a nicer but more difficult basic pattern from Youssouf Keita. The song calls for the feast (Awa) to begin (Dabolé)! In the first part you will see what starts (Dabolé) and which instruments will play (Kambora). In the second part of the song the players are called with their instruments:

Awa Dabolée Manou, Awa Dabolée Manou
Awa Dabole Anga Balanifo Dabolé Manou, Awa Dabolée
Awa Dabolé Anga Sangbani Kambora Manou, Awa Dabolée
‘Name’ Ka Balani Dabole Manou, Awa Dabolée
‘Name’ Ka Balani Kambora Manou, Awa Dabolée

Here are some pictures of our trip to Mali and listen to my first acquaintance with this song in Kolina, Mali in 2007. We heard on the Hunting-festival where Oumou Mariko sang and Lamini Balani was the leading balafon player. Later in Bamako, we had some lessons from Lamini in Awa Dabolé and some other songs. In 2012 I have made a first attempt to start a Worldrecord playing on same-tuned balafons. Here you’ll find a videoclip.

144 bpm Arrangement

144 bpm Pattern A

85 bpm Arrangement

185 bpm Pattern A

209 bpm Arrangement

209 bpm Pattern A

Sources:

Lamin Balani en Oumou Mariko, Bamako, Mali 2007,
Youssouf Keita, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, januari 2016.