Graeme Goodwin

About Graeme Goodwin

I was initially inspired to play the Djembe after driving across USA from Los Angeles to Spokane to Chicago, where I met my new family & friends of the same Ilk - who were a bunch of crazy theatre Actors & Directors and were crazy about the Djembe and who ultimately inspired / encouraged me to explore & enjoy the Djembe. Upon returning to the UK I spent the next 9 months travelling to Highgate, London every Thursday evening to attend a Drumming Workshop with David Oladunni from Nigeria - who I also roadied for - helping with transportation / set-up and break-down of instruments for David's band "Dunni".
Whilst dealing the the passing of my Mother, I had a chance meeting with Peter Vilk - a young musician, who had studied with and introduced me to Grand Master Tomas Camara.
After my initial stay in The Gambia with Gran-master Tomas Camara of the Sousou tribe from Guinea Conakry and the Djoliba - The National Drumming & Dancing Ballet, I donated my then recent inheritance to work in partnership with Tomas - providing a home for Tomas & Family and creating a Djembe Centre and training school in Serekunda, The Gambia, West Africa - see rhythmworks.co.uk and after just 1 month training with Tomas I returned to the UK and formulated what I had learned into 2 hour workshops & began teaching the incredible Djembe percussion system in evening workshops in Reading, Newbury, Ascot, Sunningdale, Hungerford, Marlborough & Bath.

After setting up the idea of RhythmWorks with Peter Vilk - he decided to exit and to return to his international projects and I began to market and sell Corporate Team Building and School Drumming Workshops.
I have worked with clients such as Heinz, Vodafone, Catapillar, Nat West Bank, Lloyds Bank and Rosemont Pharmaceuticals providing Breakout sessions and Drum-Jam celebrations and often in lavish Hotels and Chateauxs in France, Holland & UK.

At this time, I was fortunate to become friends and work with Magatte Djieng of the Baobab family - who are the origianal Griots from Senegal - see Orchestra Baobab on Youtube. It is said that the Baobab family are the original inspiration for the genre 'Latin Music' - back in the 1950's.
Magatte was nephew to the great Doudou N'Jie Rose and was Kit Drummer for Yous N'Dour for a number of years. He also worked with Peter Gabriel.

In 22 years - I have maintained full time employment, whilst running RhythmWorks as a part-time activity and business, for 17 years. The remaining 5 years - mostly after convid 2020 have been restablishing RhythmWorks.

My part-time work teaching, making and selling custom Djembe have allowed me to continue contributing to Alla Leake Kunda, our training centre in The Gambia.

In 2014 I met JahRej of JahWorks who is a Reggae Producer and he incorporated my Djembe percussion into part of his live set - putting his studio mixes and magic on stage with Seventh Sense. In 2015 I played on San Teodoro Beach with Seventh Sense at an annual festival.

I then joined Donnette Forte and the Urban Lions as a percussionist and djembe musician, which later transitioned into Urban Lions establishing our own music and ultimately we played at many festivals and 3 years running at Boomtown Festival.

I make my own custom professional Djembe and will make for other Djembe enthusiasts and musicians on request.
I offer Djembe re-skinning as a service, on request..

I am always interested in working with any musicians looking to explore Dub, Reggae, Ska & Roots fusions and will continue my to honour my position as a Workshop teacher and Djembefola.

I offer community African Drumming Workshops for all occasions and people of any age or ability and I have worked and will work with anybody and everybody wishing to benefit from Roots Rhythm on the Djembe Drum.