Balafon:  (wikipedia definition)

The balafon (bala, balaphone) is a resonated frame, wooden keyed percussion idiophone of West Africa; part of the idiophone family of tuned percussion instruments that includes the xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, and the vibraphone. Sound is produced by striking the tuned keys with two padded sticks.

In a fixed-key balafon, the keys are suspended by leather straps on to a wooden frame, under which are calabash gourd resonators of graduated sizes. A small hole in each gourd is covered with a membrane made of a thin spider’s egg case filament.  (See Gabe’s photo)

Baba heard a call…

Before arriving to Guinea, the founder and master drummer, Baba Crowder, wondered if this trip was really for him.  As a Pew fellow Baba has travelled to Ghana several times to study and connect with the roots and brother drummers that have inspired his work over the years.  Age and reason might have kept him from coming here, but he felt a spiritual pull that put him in the right place at the right time – Guinea.

Baba told me that he felt the spirit of his dear friend Garvin Massaeaux, a master percussionist from Philly, who he studied and played with for years.  Gavin played the marimba, our more familiar association to the West African Balafon.  Now he knows why.  Yesterday, the master Balafonist from Guinea, who will be playing with M’Bemba at the embassy in a few days, came to the compound with two balafons to show or sell to Baba. Baba selected the one that claimed his soul and bought it. M’bemba then requested Baba to reacquaint himself with the instrument that he feel in love with years ago as he watched Garvin take to the instrument with melodic mathematical precision. M’bemba proclaimed to Baba, in front of the watching crowd that gathered to play and listen,  ”I want you to play this instrument in the ballet” - Baba’s eyes lit up like a child who was told he could have as much candy as he could handle.  He laughed out loud and accepted this new challenge with a new found purpose.  Baba felt this was his reason for being here, his new journey into rhythm.   He felt the spirit of Garvin telling him he is with him. Tragically, Garvin passed away a little more than a year ago.  But to Baba he is here in spirit, whispering in his ear to play the balafon and think of me.

That night, Baba slept with his new Balafon and dreamt of rhythms and Garvin.