How to Play Djembe – West African Rhythms for Beginners by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby. This book is a complete, step-by-step course for beginners on how to play djembe. Right from the start you'll be learning interlocking parts for some of the most popular West African rhythms: Kuku, Djole, Kassa, Madan, Suku, Sunguru Bani, and Tiriba. While you learn the patterns, you'll also learn how to make each of the basic strokes—bass, tone, and slap—with proper playing technique. We use life-like illustrations to show how each stroke looks from the outside and give detailed descriptions to explain how each stroke feels from the inside. For those of you familiar with our popular Conga Drumming book, How to Play Djembe shares all its best features, including easy-to-read box charts and a friendly writing style that creates the feel of private lessons. The CD that comes with the book gives you a chance to hear how each part sounds separately and how the parts for each rhythm fit together. It was recorded by Joh Camara, a master drummer from Bamako, Mali. Each rhythm lasts at least five minutes, so you'll have plenty of time to play along. And when Joh solos during the final three minutes of each track, you'll feel the thrill of playing your part along with an ensemble and lead drummer.