Welcome to the website of BoumBoum Drum Workshops. BoumBoum have been providing tuition in traditional West African drumming and song in Music Services, schools, community groups, colleges and businesses for the past eighteen years, first in the Midlands, and for the past eight years, from our base in Cornwall.

The Malinke rhythms that we work with are from a great tradition, at least 700 years old, that is still alive in West Africa today. There, the drums of a community are used to bring people together to share experiences, celebrate rites of passage and important events, and to strengthen community bonds through music. It's a way of being that has been largely unlearnt by the West, and that has much to teach us.

Since first studying djembe eighteen years ago, Amanda Pickering, BoumBoum's lead musician, has seen the popularity of West African rhythm and dance grow exponentially in the UK. This website describes what BoumBoum can bring to your project or classroom, and also provides links to the events and teachers throughout the UK, who are working to generate awareness of a very special musical genre.

Please contact us if there's more you'd like to know, or if you're interested in bookings, classes or performances.