Rambax MIT is an ensemble dedicated to learning the art of sabar, a vibrant drum and dance tradition of the Wolof people of Senegal, West Africa. (The name "rambax" - pronounced "rahm-bach" - is a vocal mnemonic for a signature sabar rhythm.) In Senegal, sabars are played exclusively by griots, a caste of hereditary musicians. Sabar drum troupes perform at a variety of events, from neighborhood dance parties to baptisms, weddings, and wrestling matches.
The sabar ensemble consists of numerous parts that come together to create complex polyrhythms. The accompaniment parts include the mbalax (basic accompaniment), tungune (played on the smallest drum), tulli, and talmbat (two bass drum parts). These accompaniments create the fabric upon which the lead drummer solos and the rest of the ensemble plays rhythms. The sabar repertory includes standard dance rhythms as well as bakks, musical phrases which are composed by griots and passed down from one generation to the next.
In the academic year 2004-2005, Senegalese master drummer Lamine Touré will continue his residency with Rambax MIT. Lamine Touré is widely recognized as one of Senegal's leading percussionists. Born into a griot family of sabar drummers, Lamine Touré has been drumming since the age of four, performing with his family troupe at weddings, baptisms, and dance events. Since 1997, he has enjoyed a fruitful career with the successful Senegalese mbalax band NDER et le Setsima Group, performing at Bercy (Paris), the Festival International de Jazz (Montréal) and Central Park Summerstage (New York). Since Fall 2002, he has been resident artist at MIT, serving as guest director of Rambax MIT. He also teaches sabar drum & dance classes in the Boston area.
If you are a member of the MIT community and are interested in joining Rambax, email Prof. Tang at pjtang@mit.edu for more information, or come to our first meeting of the semester (Monday, September 11 @ 7:30pm, N52-199.) Rehearsals take place Monday evenings throughout the semester.
Members of Rambax (2008-2009): Krassy Alexandrova, Monique Brewster, Chris Chronopoulos, Dorian Dargan, Burkay Gur, Jacklyn Holmes, Serdar Karatekin, Jean Li, S. Balaji Mani, Ted Moallem, Ryan O’Hara, Levi Schmidt, Patricia Tang (co-founder and co-director), Hidde Tonegawa, Lamine Touré (co-founder and co-director), Beth Turner, Katherine Wong, Rachel Valdez, Scott Vasquez, Richard Whalley, Mekan Yusupov.,
Special thanks to the MIT Council for the Arts and the Music and Theater Arts section for making Lamine Touré's residency possible.