The Drummers Of Burundi

Improvised polyrhthms are used to create the spell-binding sound of the Drummers Of Burundi. An ancient group, who originally accompanied the king during his travels, The Drummers of Burundi continue to express emotion and intensity through the pounding of their home-made drums. Bill Bruford, drummer for King Crimson, described the drummers of Burundi as "It's the sound of lots opf hands hitting drums at roughly the same time". According to "Rhythm Magazine", the rhythms of the Drummers of Burundi, :"appear to have power over both dancers and spectators alike....the improvisation of twenty drummers in unison is an achievement that would be difficult for even the cream of western rhythmicists to match". The Drummers of Burundi hail from a small country, located between Zaire and Tanzania, where drums are considered sacred objects. The privilege of playing the drums is handed down from father to son. The group's instruments are made of hallowed out trunks from a tree that only grows in the center of Burundi and dried animal skins. The Drummers Of Burndi's 1993 album, "Live At Real World", features a thirty minute long improvisation, "Les Tambourinaires Du Burundi".