Funk Groove is a composition inspired by drumset rhythms and is a piece that has evolved over time. It was one of the first rhythms composed by Kari Kjome for drumHeart. The different sections of the song were a way to spread out the hi-hat, kickdrum, and other drumset rhythms to a group of players in a multi-part piece, inspired by Ghanaian music.  Funk Groove is a versatile composition, easy to adapt to most skill levels, with simple or more complex arrangements.

Hakili literally means “good Spirit”, and the words of this song are an invitation to live your life with good spirit. Living life with good spirit means that there is positive intention and good comes from that. According to djembfola (master drummer) Babara Bangoura, the song originated with women who created the melody and rhythms. The drumming was added, and the song has been handed down and shared with others.

The Moribayassa is a dance of the Malinke people of West Africa. It’s danced in Guinea, Mali, and other West African countries. When women need help with something very important -like becoming pregnant or healing from sickness- they ask the spirit of Moriba Yassa for help. The woman vows that when the wish is granted, she will dance the Moribayassa. To dance the Moribayassa, the woman dresses in rags, messes up her hair, acts crazy, and dances to the beat of drums. The other women in the town accompany her with djembe drummers. They dance around the town several times, usually ending on the outskirts of the village at an old tree (that’s sometimes called the Moribayassa). The woman then leaves the rags behind the tree or buries them there.