Afropop Classic April 1, 2021
The Gumbe Story
The program traces the history of the gumbe drum and gumbe music from Jamaican Maroons through Sierra Leone, Ghana, Mali and Guinea Bissau.
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The square gumbe frame drum was created centuries ago by enslaved Africans in Jamaica. It traveled to Sierra Leone with freed Maroons from Jamaica’s highlands in 1800. From there, the drum and its evolving, pan-ethnic music spread to 17 African nations. In this program we trace the history and legacy of this joyous and surprising music with field work in Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Mali. Produced by Banning Eyre.
