"I fell in love with West African percussion music when I first heard it - it was the most natural and original sound," says Gu, "and includes singing and dancing."
The group mostly plays traditional West African music from Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Guinea. They especially like the rhythms of the djembe, sabar and kpanlogo drums. They also play guitar and flute. Their collection totals 30 drums so far, some 50-80 years old, all made of natural materials and animal hides. The dehumidifier is always turned on.
Yuuko is the vocalist, singing traditional African songs.
"Music goes beyond the boundaries of language," says Yuuko. "You don't have to learn the language, just feel the music and the emotion."
The distinctive, upbeat West African music - let-yourself-go music - is attracting many young Chinese who want a different sound and feeling.
Since late last year, Jammala has offered classes in their studio on Huahsan Road, in a basement in Huashan Huayuan (Huashan Garden).
Every Wednesday and Thursday night, around 10 students join in, learning the drums, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the music, moving and singing.
So far around 30 young people have joined.
Ying Yili, 33, an employee trainer in a commercial company, has been taking classes for half a year, drawn at first by the Jammala live shows.
"I first saw this kind of drum in 2001 during a trip to Lhasa (Tibet Autonomous Region). I really liked it but didn't have a way to learn it," he says.
A lover of percussion, Ying even bought his own drum. Through the class he has found a new kind of happiness and fulfillment.
"Besides learning the drums, I'm drawn by the feel of African music and the natural rhythm of the body," he says.
Jammala plans to add another class session, every other Tuesday.
Anyone can learn to play West African drums, they say.
"It couldn't be more natural, since music is a release of emotion," says Xiao Yuan.
"Everybody has a beating heart. That's the rhythm and that's the music. It's like walking and any actions in daily life," says Yuuko. "Drumming is the most natural way to find one's rhythm and everyone has their own."
Jammala regards Africa as a primal place of human roots. They dream to go to Africa one day with all their students.
"The group members, the students, and all lovers of African music are a group finding out about life," says Yuuko, her eyes sparkling.
Jammala is quite well known, playing at music festivals around China and parties in the last few years.
In 2008 they performed almost every week, at the Shanghai Rock Festival, Amino Soul Countdown Party, Shanghai by Bus Reggae Party, Back to Roots Reggae Party and the Global Hot Pot World Music Party.
The global financial crisis has meant fewer gigs than last year, but the group is still active, often performing outdoors in parks. Almost every Sunday, Jammala plays at Zhongshan Park or Tianshan Park, talking about African music and letting people have a go at the drums.
"We prefer to play outdoors where they sound can expand, like playing in the wide spaces of Africa," says Yuuko.
Playing drums in a city with tall buildings is quite different.
"We can feel the sound reverberating against the buildings. The sound is interesting," she says.
(Shanghai Daily May 4, 2009)
