Dakar

Doudou N’diaye Rose, chief drum major, founder of the Drummers of West Africa, is the most famous griot in Sénégal. Born in 1928 from a griot family Doudou N’diaye Rose has music in his blood. But since his father was an accountant, he never got the chance to be initiated to drum beat in his early age. However at age nine Doudou N’diaye Rose had an irresistible desire to play the drum. So he went in search for someone who would be able to teach him. He was fortunate to meet El hadj Mada Seck who was at that time the best drum major in Dakar. Throughout all his childhood he followed him and learned from him the art of drum rhythms and the different kinds of djembes (African drums).
Life was quite hard for Doudou N’diaye. He was being raised by his uncle who didn’t want him to play the art of drum rhythms. He later conceded that Doudou N’diaye Rose was destined to music and gave him the freedom to go around all regions of Sénégal to learn drum beat rhythms from different ethnic groups. Some years later when his drum master El hadj Mada Seck moved to neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, he was quite ready to carry on the torch.
Today Doudou N’diaye Rose’s fame goes beyond the boundaries of Sénégal. He’s been touring the world for over two decades and recently in 1996 his drum ensemble was the center of attention at the opening of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.