DJEMBE AWA
By Jeremy Tomasck & Co.
Premium Djembes, Repair & Custom Assembly in Belgium
Our Djembes — New Collections & Series
Discover our three flagship collections, each representing a different dimension of West African djembe tradition:
Premium Djembes
by Jeremy Tomasck
The MK Signature
Series
The Djembe
Tradition Series
The AWA Series is our signature collection: premium djembes made from Lenke, Bala, Kolo Kolo, and Melina wood, assembled by Jeremy Tomasck in Belgium.
Each piece is completely handcrafted, perfectly tensioned, and delivered ready to play.
Available in diameters from 30 to 40 cm.
Co-designed with the legendary Guinean grand master Mamady Keita, this exclusive series features djembes carved from the most resonant and sought-after woods of West African percussion: premium Lenke and Bala (khare) from Guinea, dried for a minimum of 4 to 5 years and sometimes longer before being assembled. Each drum bears the Mamady Keita seal of authenticity and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Inspired by Sidiki Dembele, a renowned djembe player and guardian of the djembe tradition.
This series offers exceptional djembes in bala (Khare), Kolo Kolo, and Lenke styles, each with a distinctive, warm, and projected sound.
A rare and precious collector's item.
Hear the Difference — Sound Demos
Sound is everything. Before buying, listen to the voice of each instrument in our curated YouTube demo collection, recorded by Jeremy Tomasck in studio conditions. Each djembe tells its own story through its wood, skin and tuning.
20170208 MK Lenke Guinea 34,5cm/13 5" Sound Demo
20170208 MK Lenke Guinea 34,5cm/13 5" Sound Demo
20170123 MK Lenke Guinea 34cm/13 3" Sound Demo
20170207 MK Lenke Guinea 34cm/13 3" Sound Demo
20170121 MK Lenke Guinea 34cm/13 3" Sound Demo
Djembe AWA was born from the passion of Jeremy Tomasck—a Belgian percussion luthier and djembe specialist with over 25 years of experience in West African percussion. Each instrument in our collection is carefully selected, hand-assembled, and individually inspected in Belgium, using shells carved by artisans in Guinea, West Africa.
We work exclusively with the finest precious woods, Lenke, Bala, Kolo Kolo, Melina, and Dugura, each chosen for its unique acoustic properties, density, and resonance. The result: an instrument that speaks with the voice of Africa, built to the exacting standards of a professional luthier.
Djembe AWA is the assembler and exclusive Belgian distributor of the prestigious Mamady Keita Signature Series and the Sidiki Dembele Series—the benchmark for serious djembe musicians and collectors throughout Europe and the world.
About Djembe AW - Who We Are
Djembe Repair & Assembly Service - Belgium & Europe
Your djembe deserves expert hands. Jeremy Tomasck provides a professional repair, restringing, and restoration service for djembes throughout Belgium and all of Europe. Whether your skin has split, your ropes have loosened or your shell needs restoration, we handle it all.
Services include skin replacement, changing rope, bearing edge reshaping, shell restoration, ring replacement, and full custom assembly. Shipping from anywhere in Europe is accepted.
Premium African Woods - Lenke, Bala, Kolo Kolo, Melina
The wood of a djembe is not just its body, it's its voice. At Djembe AWA, we work exclusively with West African woods selected for their acoustic density, natural resonance, and durability.
Each species produces a distinct tonal character:
Lenke (Afzelia africana)
Djala (Cailcédrat, Samanguila)
Deep, warm, and powerful, the gold standard for professional djembes. Along with Djala, it is one of the two woods used since the instrument's inception almost a millennium ago.
The color of this wood varies between salmon pink and red but remains relatively uniform within the same drum. Its grain is fine and regular, making it easy to work, and its density varies considerably depending on the species. This wood tends to warp under pressure.
Bala (Pterocarpus erinaceus)
Bright, percussive, and resonant—a rare modern wood. The wood comes in a wide variety of hues, from yellow to pinkish-red and even purplish, and displays very attractive patterns and flames.
Kolo Kolo
(Pericopsis elata (Afrormosia)
This very dense wood has recently been used for making djembes, offering an ideal blend of the lenke and the bala.
Melina
(Gmelina arborea)
With a lower density than other commonly used woods, Melina is a lightweight wood that maintains a well-balanced tone and powerful projection when properly carved. It is sustainably sourced, perfect for learning and Ideal for travellers.
"Full guide to djembe woods"
International Shipping - Europe & Worldwide
Djembe AWA ships securely to all of Europe and worldwide. Every djembe is individually packed with professional protective materials to ensure it arrives in perfect condition, wherever you are. We offer tracked shipping to France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, the USA and beyond.
For repair services: ship your instrument to us from anywhere in Europe. We return it fully restored, typically within 2 to 3 weeks.
"Our Shipping Conditions'
Contact/Repair
Have a question? Need a quote? Need to fix djembe/dunun/any drums...? Or do you simply want an upgrade?
Simply let us know and we will get back to you soon as we can.
jeremy.tomasck@hotmail.com / Brussels, Belgium
