Transcultural collaboration within the context of West African griot music: Exploring the role of the drummer and the case of the band Faso Kan

Ossi Raippalinna

About this exposition

The purpose of this text is to reflect on my experiences as an active member of a culturally diverse ensemble called Faso Kan. The primary source is the artistic work of Faso Kan during the years 2006-2020. The ensemble worked intensively during 2020-21, resulting in an album completed in September 2021. My main contribution to the album was adapting and arranging traditional West African rhythms for the drum kit and performing them in the studio. This study attends to cover different aspects of that process, particularly the drummer’s point of view. I will also cover the collaboration-based music-making approaches that I encountered while working with Faso Kan. Although Faso Kan´s repertoire consists mainly of traditional pieces from Burkina Faso, the working methods resulted in music representing several musical cultures. The study is primarily based on artistic work, but I will also reflect on the related experiences of other researchers and musicians.

type	research exposition
date	18/02/2021
published	24/04/2025
last modified	24/04/2025
status	published
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	All rights reserved
language	English
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1162514/1162515
doi	https://doi.org/10.22501/rc.1162514
published in	Research Catalogue

name	Ossi
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	All rights reserved
usages	picture

name	A blacksmith preparing bells
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
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name	Ossi Raippalinna's travel journal, Burkina Faso / Mali 2009
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
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name	Dundun lesson with Abdoulaye Dembele
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
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name	Issa Dembele, Ossi Dembele, Issiaka Dembele celebrating new year 2010
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Neighbors boys jamming
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Faso Kan 2018
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Cabaret action in Bobo Dioulasso 2009
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	People dancing in the cabaret, Bobo Dioulasso 2009
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Fresh millet beer "dolo" served in a calabash
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Griots praising Zoumana
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Adama Kone is the kora player of Faso Kan
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Dembele balafon ensemble 2
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Mikko and Jaakko practicing a balafon phrase from Dagara people
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	All rights reserved
usages	video

name	Dembele balafon ensemble
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Issa behind the conga set, Musiikkitalo 2021
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Issa inspecting the balafon section
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Issa instructing the balafonists
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Issa Dembele
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Faso Kan balafon
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	A wedding in Bobo Dioulasso featuring a djembe ensemble
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	All rights reserved
usages	slideshow

name	A wedding in Bobo Dioulasso 2
copyright	A wedding in Bobo Dioulasso featuring a djembe ensemble
license	All rights reserved
usages	slideshow

name	The drummer getting prepared for a gig
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	All rights reserved
usages	slideshow

name	Djembe with traditional tuning a quick repair before the gig
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	All rights reserved
usages	slideshow

name	Musical arrangement being discussed during rehearsals
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Issa and Issiaka discussing the phrases
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Jaakko and Pothio exchanging ideas
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Choir getting ready to record the track Faso Kan
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Tomi Adama and Issiaka explore the role of electric guitar and Ngoni.
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	problem solving
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	A sacred baobab three
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Djelikora
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Structure notes for Ossi
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Adama Drame recording
copyright	Olivier Valcarcel
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Pothio Ndiaye
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Faso Kan choir in studio.
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	All rights reserved
usages	video

name	Salimata recording the vocals for Toungaladen
copyright	Issiaka Dembele
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture, picture

name	Tomi learning a new riff during a studio session
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Ossi and Issiaka accompanying a dance class in Bobo Diulasso 2009
copyright	Toni Jaara
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Ossi and the dundun kit
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Ossi's view during studio session
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Some transcriptions for the drumkit
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	The calabash kit
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Ossi made a drum in 2006
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	Practicing sounou with Zoumana Dembele.
copyright	Ossi Raippalinna
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

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Transcultural collaboration within the context of West African griot music: Exploring the role of the drummer and the case of the band Faso Kan (2025)

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