Daouda

MY BIO---
David "Daouda" Grey Hawk began his musical career in a garage-band in Needles, CA drumming on a kit at the age of 12 and was unable to kick the habit.
His passion for rhythm led him to a Grateful Dead show in Portland, OR 1995. It was there, while strolling through the 'lot,' that the djembe called his name. At that moment he knew that it was his destiny to play and learn all he could about this instrument.
That same year his studies of West African percussion began in Coeur d'Alene, ID. As a "natural" (Robert Two Hawks, 1995) he began touring with his teachers to assist in African percussion workshops throughout the United States and Canada. In 1997 he recorded his first album Around the Fire, with Moments of Clarity.
More recently he has been working on releasing a new project with Darin Schaffer and Tom Taylor of Moments of Clarity which promises to be nothing short of...well, momentous. They will be performing throughout the year at different locations, for more info click here. What's more Daouda has combined his talents with a pagan singer/songwriter/guitarist and they are working on a new project which will be producing a CD soon. More on that later.
In 2006 he traveled to Guinea, Africa for 4 weeks to study traditional Mandinge culture and music with Mamady Keita . This experience gives him a unique perspective of the musical traditions that are so richly embedded in the lives of the people of the Mandingue.
As a well-seasoned performer, Daouda has spent over a decade touring, recording, and performing with musicians and groups including: Mamady Keita, Darin Schaffer, Moments of Clarity, The Dambe Drum Ensemble, Tam Tam Mandingue USA, Drum Cafe, Hakili, Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Khalid Abdul N'Faly Saleem, as well as many other drum and dance ensembles that he has co-founded including: Primordial Rhythms (an outreach program for children), Phoenix Rising Drum and Dance Troupe, and Gnoma Drum and Dance Ensemble.
He has also taken intensive workshops and classes from Djembefola Famoudou Konate, master Senegalese drummer Doudou N'Diaye Rose, and world renowned performer Mabiba Baegne. Additionally, he mentored under Djembefola Khalid Abdul N'Faly Saleem, Musical Director, Sankofa African Drum and Dance Ensemble, and Robert Two Hawks (rip), Djembefola, Native American flutist, instrument maker, and co-founder of Coeur d' Alene Marimba Band.
Currently he studies under Master Djembefola Mamady Keita in San Diego, CA where he also resides with his family and serves on the Board of Trustees for Tam Tam Mandingue USA as well as the Tam Tam Mandingue International Committee (Mamady Keita's world renowned school for preserving Mandingue culture).
His goals include releasing a new album in the up coming year and obtaining his Teaching Certificate from Tam Tam Mandingue USA.