Hands On Skin – Chris Diallo

Teaching and performing African music and dance since 2002. Based in Brighton, Chris performs and teaches regular classes in djembe and African music/dance in Sussex. She has worked in schools, community groups, clubs, the corporate world, festivals & camps, one-to-one and with large groups. Everyone has the capacity to learn or enjoy what she can bring and workshops and events can be aimed at a variety of levels of understanding or ability.



I trade in drums, balafons, skins and other musical instruments and although not a registered fair trade company as yet I try to behave as ethically as possible with the craftspeople I trade with and pay a ‘fair’ price for quality work. I have links with a number of Guinean craftsmen working in The Gambia making drums, balafons & percussion, some of who I've worked with for over 10 years now, I've also got trade links in Cassamance & Guinea. If I haven't got what you want I can probably find it for you.

About Chris Diallo

Shris was born in Stoke-On-Trent and although she has always loved singing and had a brief and disastrous relationship with the violin in childhood she came to music later in life. Having worked at the WOMAD world music festival for years and seen English people playing African drums she finally went to a class with a friend and was hooked.

She took her first trip out to the Gambia to work with Masta Abdoulai Keita (aka Masta Cannon) in 2001 and goes back to West Africa at least once a year to study. In Gambia she originally worked extensively with Masta Abdoulai Keita but has had other teachers in djembe, balafon, dance, bolon, gongo and singing; largely Guineans but Gambians & Sierra Leonians also. She was a student of Sekou Soumah, a master balafonist from Guinea, from 2004 to 2012. When in Gambia she mostly plays with the group Toumaranke but plays & dances with other troupes as well. She lived in the Gambia for a while and is now mostly based in England. She has also travelled and studied in Guinea & Senegal . she spent a couple of years working with the group Wassolo, Morly Toures' troupe of Guineans based in Abene, Cassamance. She is currently developing more links with artistes in Guinea, both musicians & craftsmen.

Chris is happy to give details and info re teachers, guides, places to stay etc... in Gambia, Guinea or Cassamance. Phone or email for information. This year she is leading a drumming trip to The Gambia, to work with the musicians of Toumaranke, from 27th nov to 4th Dec. She is also very excited to be organising, and hosting with Moussa Sylla, Nansady Keitas' drumming workshop in Gambia from Jan 23rd - Feb 5th 2013.

As well as learning djembe and bass from Masta, Chris learned dance informally from a variety of sources with artistes in the Gambia. She has also learned gongo & bolon. She played djembe as a ‘guest’ member of African Ballet for 4 months, has played & danced with the Guinean group Bafila and also in a variety of small ensembles in restaurants and bars. She's played Abene festival with Wassolo & many weddings, naming ceremonies & local parties in both Gambia & Senegal with her balafon teacher & other atristes from Toumaranke.

In England Chris teaches regular drum and dance classes and workshops and performs in Brighton and elsewhere. She has been working with Nyodema, a Bognor based charitable organisation, & runs workshops for their events as well as helping out with various school projects in the Gambia. She also uses music and dance teaching for a variety of projects including total theatre and with the circle of life organisation working with young people in woodland environments. She has extensive experience with special needs groups also.