They say every African drum contains three spirits: that of the tree from which it was carved, the animal that gave its hide for the drumskin and the drum maker who gave his heart and skill.

So play it with reverence and joy.

That's what the group Jammala does in Shanghai, often in parks and events on weekends, sometimes at parties and regularly in its studio-classroom in a basement on Huashan Road.

Jammala, meaning "peace" in Senegalese, is believed to be the city's first West African drumming and percussion band.

It was formed in 2006 by two Japanese drum lovers (one an expert in West African drums), and now includes five Chinese and a French expat, all between 20 and 30 years old.

Jammala also holds classes and drumming sessions twice a week.

"The common aim in our music is peace of the world, environmental protection and happiness," says member Xiao Yuan, a local Shanghainese.

The founder is a young Japanese woman, Yuuko Fukuzawa, known as Yuuko, also the vocalist. She introduced West African drumming rhythms and percussion and got Jammala started.

She wears a cap, jeans and jaunty coat - no heavy make-up. She speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese after studying in Shanghai for only three years since she arrived from Japan.

Before she came to Shanghai, Yuuko learned West African drumming in Japan from a Senegalese teacher for more than six years. In 2005, she traveled to Senegal in West Africa with her teacher.

"When I first came to Shanghai, there was nobody who played West African drums. I was lonely," she says.

Soon she met another Japanese lover of drums, Munesato Kurita, known as Kuli, who had been in Shanghai for six years. He studied Chinese at Shanghai International Studies University.

The two formed Jammala in 2006.

Before meeting Yuuko, Kuli had never played West African drums. "I had only played the Japanese flute and taiko drum. It's Yuuko who brought me to the world of West African music," he says.

Now Kuli is the leader of Jammala.

Two years ago in May 2007, the group got larger after a chance meeting in Fuxing Park with Chinese drummers Xiao Yuan, Bei Bei and Lao Gu.

The occasion was a gathering of drummers of all kinds.

"That was the first time I heard them (Kuli and Yuuko) playing West African drums. I had only heard of them before then," recalls Xiao Yuan. He used to play a drum kit for more than 10 years.

"When I first saw Kuli in the park, he was playing a big West African drum and looked just like an orangutan," recalls Xiao Yuan, laughing.

Bei Bei, another drum kit drummer, is a friend of Xiao Yuan.

The two guys decided to join Jammala and throw themselves into playing West African drums and singing.

Lao Gu, another friend from the park, joined. He owns a shop selling ethnic accessories and decorations on Xianyang Road. He loves folk music and ethnic culture.