Is There Really Such a Thing as a "Simple" Percussion Instrument?

December 31, 2018 9:30 PM

Kashakas (also known as Patica, Kosika. Asalato, Kes Kes, Tchangot Tche, etc.) create both shaking sounds and percussive clicks by swinging the balls around the hand, making them hit each other. This enables a variety of rhythms to be created. It's like clackers and egg shakers had a baby that grew up to be a musical prodigy!

More performances:
- asalato freestyle 2008　by ASALATHOLIC
- damlankosso asalato demo
- Asalato, Bakita, Kushka, KesKes, Kosika, Thelevi, Kashaka, Kasso, Kassoni

Try it out for yourself.

posted by Greg_Ace (7 comments total)

Puts me in mind of conkers...
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 11:08 AM on January 1, 2019

Wow, I've never seen this and I really want to try. I'm not terrible at percussion, but having trouble trying to wrap my head around actually doing this.

These guys are really good.
posted by bongo_x at 12:59 PM on January 1, 2019

I was immediately captivated by these things yesterday and briefly toyed with the idea of buying some; but I need yet another instrument I don't practice enough like I need a hole in my head.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:44 PM on January 1, 2019

Yup, I can see these ending up about as well as my brief infatuation with playing the bones did. I might even be able to fling these further than I did in my first (and only) public bones performance.
posted by scruss at 6:07 PM on January 1, 2019

Have tried to learn these, it's fun and tough. I think mine are a bit too big for my little hands. Was enchanted after getting into the group Hifana a bit. Highly recommend watching Extra Truck - Rainy Session

Not a lot of places online to buy them, only specialist places which is actually refreshing, even Amazon only has a few, here are two places to get them

http://patica-world.ocnk.biz/

http://www.info-niigata.or.jp/~junjun/inst/g52eng.html
posted by thefool at 5:54 AM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]

(Then check out More Hifana and Keizo Machine.)
posted by thefool at 6:05 AM on January 2, 2019

Thanks to this post I am now the proud owner of two sets of asalatos, a Ghanaian instrument ordered from Japan. It is not as easy as it looks, I found to my surprise!
posted by stonepharisee at 10:44 AM on January 23, 2019