In African drumming, the title of master drummer is given to a drummer

Drummer

A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...

 who is well known by other masters for his high skill and knowledge. It is a title passed down from a master to his pupil, after he has learned all there is to know about the African drum.

In general, a master drummer has given his whole life to the drum

Djembe

A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....

. He is able to play any part of any rhythm for his ethnic group

Ethnic group

An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...

 and neighbouring ethnic groups, in any ceremonial situation. He also knows the song

Song

In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...

s and dance

Dance

Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

s that go with each rhythm. A drummer can play for twenty years before he or she is given the status of 'Master'.

Another type of master drummer is a person who leads other drummers in playing drum rhythms, e.g. in the French Caribbean styles, the master drummer may be called "kamande" in French Creole.

List of master drummers

Some master drummers include:

• Mamady Keïta
  Mamady Keïta
  Mamady Keïta is a master drummer from the West African nation of Guinea. He specializes in the goblet-shaped hand drum called djembe. He is also the founder of the Tam Tam Mandingue school of drumming...
  
  
• Famoudou Konaté
  Famoudou Konaté
  Famoudou Konaté is a Malinké master drummer from Guinea. Famoudou Konaté is a world-renowned virtuoso of the djembe drum and its orchestra. One of only a handful of initiated Masters of the Malinké drumming tradition, Famoudou is universally respected as one of the world’s premiere djembe Drum...
  
  
• Soungalo Coulibaly
  Soungalo Coulibaly
  Soungalo Coulibaly a Malian drummer.Coulibaly was brought up in the purest Bambara tradition. His father was head of the village of Béléko like most traditional drummers, he gained his first musical experience at a very early age by accompanying work in the fields and playing at village...
  
  
• Adama Dramé
• Abdoulaye Diakite
  Abdoulaye Diakite
  Abdoulaye Diakite is a djembe master drummer from Tambacounda, Senegal. He studied under djembe legend Suncaru Jara, and later became the lead djembe player of the National Ballet of Senegal for 18 years....
  
  
• Okyerema Asante
  Okyerema Asante
  Okyerema Asante is a master drummer from Ghana, famous for performing all parts of a traditional five-person drum group by himself. He attaches percussion instruments to various parts of his body and simultaneously plays drums, a balafon, and many other instruments. He has as many as 85 instruments...
  
  
• Bolokada Conde
  Bolokada Conde
  Bolokada Conde is a djembe master drummer from Kissidougou, Guinea.Moussa Bolokada Conde is a master drummer, expert of Malinke rhythms, and one of the world's best djembe players. He joined the Les Percussion du Guinee to replace the legendary Momoudy Keita as their lead drummer...