Reflections on Madou & Friends
Drum & Dance Concert

Fairfield Weekly Reader, Jan. 16, 2003

African drummer Madou Dembele says he drums to bring peace and love to the world. He delivers.

From the moment he and a six-person troupe entered the hall at Morning Star Studio, creating rhythmic thunder on their djembes (African drum made from a hollow log and a goatskin), I felt a glow in my chest and a smile on my face. The rest of the audience appeared radiant too. Peace and love will look like that.

Madou's music, of which he is a 33rd generation exponent, enlivened a shared appreciation by an ethnically diverse audience. Accompanists from across Iowa added a rich local texture to Madou's heart-opening virtuosity. A highlight of the evening was a solo performance for the purpose of healing the listeners. Madou wove through the audience, playing rhythms penetrating and aggressive, alternating with soft and soothing. Afterwards, he told his listeners that they were to phone him personally if they were not feeling better by morning.

Madou's performance and stories comprised the first half of the evening. The last half was a dance. For those who are tired of watching ballroom and swing dance aficionados take over dance floors, this dance was a welcome opportunity to shake it as you please. The stage was filled with over 20 drummers creating African rhythms for an appreciative hall full of energetic dancers. Madou would rum his way onto the dance floor doing micro-concerts and occasionally demonstrating African steps for the locals to follow. It was great fun.

Madou gave his audience nothing to decide, consider or analyze. We experienced an evening of being "in the heart" and "in the moment," an experience (rather than an idea) of peace and love.