A Grateful Dead show would not be complete without a drum circle. Such spontaneous eruptions of beat are probably as old as man himself, and Grateful Gifts is proud to be part of this timeless tradition. Ironically, the ancient African djembe is the king of the contemporary drum circle. As the drums.org Website explains, the djembe "traces its heritage to the caste of blacksmiths that occupied the former Mali Empire by at least the 12th century and its shape to the mortar used to pound millet. Carved from a single piece of wood with goat or antelope skin stretched across the open top, the three primary notes it produces cover a large sonic spectrum making it both a solo and accompaniment instrument. Although fast becoming one of the most popular percussion instruments in the world, the djembe originates from the present day countries of Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso." All of our djembes are hand-carved in Africa, and personally inspected by our expert staff before being shipped to you. We also stock a complete line of related books and videos.

IF A MAN DOES NOT KEEP PACE WITH HIS COMPANIONS,
PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE HE MARCHES TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER.
LET HIM STEP TO THE MUSIC HE HEARS,
NO MATTER HOW MEASURED OR FAR AWAY.
--HENRY DAVID THOREAU (1817-1862)--