Senegalese drum master Doudou Ndiaye Rose honoured in Utrecht music documentary

Linguist Yoad Winter has made an extraordinary move in completing a ten-year research project on drumming languages. Together with filmmaker Sjors Swierstra, he made a music documentary about the important Senegalese percussionist Doudou Ndiaye Rose (1930-2015). In Doudou - The Magic of Rhythm, artists Peter Gabriel and Youssou Ndour, among others, share their memories of this musical legend. The documentary will be broadcast by NTR on 13 July, watch the trailer.

Collaboration in research on drum languages

The documentary is part of the NWO project When Language has a Beat, in which Winter’s team explored the rich world of African drum languages. Ndiaye Rose played an important role in the project, says Winter. “Doudou was the family leader who initiated the research into the drum languages of Senegal in 2008, after we first met in The Hague.”

Senegalese vigour

“Ever since Doudou's death in 2015, it made sense to include a component in the research that would benefit Senegalese society by making a tribute to his legacy”, says Winter. “I asked my Senegalese consultants from Doudou’s family if they wanted to commemorate his cultural heritage according to their own traditions - and if we could document it.”

Their agreement did not end with words. “The result is a music documentary in which both family members and world-renowned collaborators of Doudou Ndiaye Rose speak about his work”, says Winter. “In the spirit of Senegalese vigour, when I came with proposal it immediately turned into action. Before we could fully digest it, we had a concrete plan and were ready to leave for Dakar to make a film. The resulting creation reflects both Doudou's great legacyand the commitment of his family to the project.”

Doudou Ndiaye Rose as an international musician

“Doudou Ndiaye Rose effortlessly engaged in diverse courses of action”, says Winter. “Each time, he found original ways to renew his encyclopaedic knowledge of Senegal's musical heritage and place it in a contemporary context.”

During his career, Doudou Ndiaye Rose worked with major artists in Senegalese music as well as the international scene. He collaborated with legendary artists such as Youssou Ndour, Baaba Maal, Peter Gabriel, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and The Rolling Stones.

In the spirit of Senegalese vigour, our proposal was immediately turned into action.

Candid interviews with Yousou Ndour and Peter Gabriel

When Winter approached artists Youssou Ndour and Peter Gabriel to be interviewed for the documentary, they immediately responded with great enthusiasm. He says: “It was no surprise that these international stars appreciated Doudou's work. More surprising to me was how openly and generously they shared their memories, and how much they and their teams actively helped to make those conversations possible. The respect these top musicians showed for Doudou's work stems from the very core of their artistic identity.”

Traditional African music is just as relevant as Shakespeare and Mozart

Central to the documentary is the journey Ndiaye Rose's family makes from bustling Dakar to provincial town Tivaouane nine years after his death. The film is an ode to the Senegalese sabar tradition. “Next to the djembe, the sabar is one of the most famous African drums”, Winter explains. “I am often asked why traditional music should be relevant to Westerners. My reflex is to turn that question around: what if someone in Africa were to ask whether European literary or musical traditions are of interest to African people?”

Doudou's oeuvre belongs in the pantheon of the greatest international artists.

Winter would be surprised if there is any European who would not answer a resounding “yes” to that, because, he says, “After all, when we think of artists like Shakespeare or Mozart, we do not primarily think of nationality, but of artists whose work has a universal message.”

The same rationale applies to any great cultural heritage, he believes. “Listen to sabar music with an open heart, and you will notice: the oeuvre of Doudou Ndiaye Rose belongs in the pantheon of the greatest international artists of the second half of the 20th century.”