Master percussionist collaborated with Miles Davis and the Rolling Stones and was named a ‘living human treasure’ by Unesco in 2006

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Senegalese drummer and band leader Doudou N’diaye Rose, who was named a “living human treasure” by Unesco, has died at the age of 85.

The musician, whose real name was Mamadou N’diaye, died in a Dakar hospital after being taken ill on Wednesday morning.



The so-called “mathematician of rhythm” was a master of the sabar drum and led the Drummers of West Africa orchestra, made up of his children and grandchildren, in mind-bogglingly complex beat medleys. He also conducted his daughters and granddaughters in the all-female group, Les Rosettes.

“Today we lost our father, our friend, a great man,” his nephew Doudou N’diaye Mbengue told Agence France-Presse.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Doudou N’diaye Rose performing in Dakar in 2013. Photograph: Seyllou/AFP/Getty Images

Born in 1930 into Senegal’s griot caste of musicians and storytellers, N’diaye revealed in a 2010 interview that his accountant father did not want his son to be a musician and that they went for seven years without shaking hands when he defied him.

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Growing up among the beats of downtown Dakar pushed N’diaye towards his life as a percussionist, but not before he worked as a plumber.

He was mentored by Senegal’s then drum-major Mada Seck, who “knew all the secrets of percussion” and eventually passed on his instruments to N’diaye, who travelled deep into the west African countryside to develop his talent. Once N’diaye had learned “more than 100 different rhythms”, elders named him the new chief drum-major.

He first caught the wider world’s attention when, in 1959, US singer and dancer Josephine Baker invited N’diaye to perform with her shortly before Senegalese independence. He has since collaborated with musicians including Miles Davis, the Rolling Stones and Peter Gabriel, and toured Africa, Japan, France and the US.

Alhagie Jobe (@freejobe39) Images of late Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose, the lead drummer of the 100 drums band who dies today. pic.twitter.com/VNq6Uqiil5

Unesco’s “living human treasure” title was bestowed in 2006 to honour N’diaye’s custodianship of Senegalese culture and his work in passing on that knowledge to younger generations.

Continuing to play until his death, N’diaye told reporters he was at peace having transferred his skills to his children and grandchildren to carry on the tradition. His son Moustapha teaches percussion at the Cité de la Musique in Paris.

“I thank the good lord,” he said. “My children have learned the language of percussion well.”