Les Percussions de Guinee

Founded in 1987 by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of the Republic of Guinea, Les Percussions de Guinee is made up of the most accomplished and respected percussionists, musicians, and dancers from Guinea, West Africa. They are selected from the most distinguished masters in their field and present a truly electrifying performance deeply enriched by the musical tradition of Guinea.

Guinea percussionists are respected throughout Africa and the rest of the world. They present a performance inspired by traditional music resolutely modern in its scenic presentation. The group is naturally oriented toward the music of the Guinean highland and the coastal region known as the paradise of the djembe drum, but their influences are also drawn from the Guinea midland and the forest regions as well. Les Percussion de Guinee possess their own unique identity and personality, and have created an authentic musical experience.

The 15-member ensemble includes seven master drummers (chosen among the best soloists of Guinea's national companies) as well as members playing flute, balafon, kora, and traditional dancers.

The legends of the great Djeli (griots) of West Africa also confirmed the importance of African origins of all the world's culture and civilization. In the tradition of the Djeli, the history of many of the ethnic groups is told through the medium of drum and dance performance. African-styled performing arts has transmitted traditional values, actual histories, and the spiritual energy of the African people for centuries.
In 2002, Les Percussions de Guinee appeared in the Imax film, Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey.

The group's stated mission is to educate the people of the world about traditional Guinean values through music, drums, dance, and the storytelling of Africa's rich cultural legacy. "All people can benefit from the enlightenment of the world's first culture — African culture — because it is the basis for an accurate understanding of the rest of the world's civilization."

— Courtesy Calabash Music