“Mariama”, a programme with African music. Adama Dramé.
Adama Dramé was born in 1954 in Burkina Faso as son of a famous griot, Salifou Dramé (griot of djeli is ‘messenger of the people’, professional musician, expert of the orally passed down history of the people). At the age of 12 he performed everywhere in Burkina Faso, first as his fathers accompanist at wedding and christening parties and later as a solo artist. Between 1970 and 1972 he performed in ‘Les Ballets de Volta’ and in 1974 moved to Ivory Coast to join the National Ballet. From the early eighties he started his tours, initially through Europe, but later also through America and Japan.
Adama Dramé was formed by the traditional Manding (or Mandingo, Mandingue) culture. This culture covers a large part of West Africa and stretches over Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Starting from this culture Adam started to compose his own pieces, that he plays with his own group ‘Foliba’. The group started in 1990, exists of 35 musicians and dancers in different settings.
Adama Dramé’s performance is characterized by a completely personal style and by the use of subtile techniques that he has developed during his 40-year career. He has made the djembe a full solo instrument. In this Mariama recordings from LPs from the 80s.
