Two days and counting, but my bala is now wonderfully in-tune and the keys are tied up tight and looking great. It was a team effort. Famoro has quite an ear and I'm getting rather good at restringing. We have yet to re-attach the gourds, but for that, we've decided there's no rush.
Tomorrow, after Mosque, Famoro and his daughter Sona and I will head to either Brooklyn or the Bronx to find a park in which to sit down and do some playing. Now that our instruments are in tune with each other, I hope we'll get to do a lot more of that sort of thing. I'm looking forward to just holding down accompaniment patterns for Famoro. I anticipate that accompanying will be a great opportunity to concentrate on tone, accuracy, and form, as well as to be able to listen to where Famoro brings the melodies and how he draws different feels out of the time. I've been doing some of that all along of course, but not much, and when I'm holding down the accompaniment and my perspective is that of an active participant, I acquire a unique (if not deepened) understanding.
Tomorrow also marks the start of Keme Burema. Big day. Better get some rest.
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