Remembering Your Ancestral Fire

By: Michael J Taylor

Narrated by: Michael J. Taylor

By teaching djembe, M. Taylor, a biracial American male, has learned how others learn and understand. He has become a better communicator and more in tune with the fleeting nature of awareness. Whether or not you want to play djembe, this book will teach you the importance of practice-musical, spiritual, or otherwise-how to be in the present, and how to transcend who you are to become who the village needs you to be.

Djembe is an incredible teacher. What might it teach you?

IT IS OFTEN SAID WHEN THE STUDENT IS READY, THE TEACHER WILL COME.

That is how Taylor found answers about who he was, partially not knowing he sought them. The teachers came in the form of the West African djembe, a goblet-shaped drum, it's rich culture, music and dance, and the culture-bearers who bestowed upon Taylor its secrets, tradition, and life's rhythm.

In Remembering Your Ancestral Fire, Taylor shares how he first became fascinated by the djembe, his struggles and adventures in learning it, and how it led him to an incredible career as a promoter of West African music that has brought him to six continents and led him to teaching others of all ages and backgrounds.

Through this fascinating, personal, musical, and spiritual journey, Taylor shares stories about:

Life before the West African djembe entered his life

Why djembe entered his life

His numerous trips to Africa

The role of ancestors (his and others) in his life trajectory

His unique perspective from being biracial

The stories we tell ourselves that limit our perception

©2023 Michael J. Taylor (P)2025 Michael J. Taylor

A Man, a Drum, and a Journey of Discovery

Remembering Your Ancestral Fire is a heartfelt and moving story about a man who finds his purpose through a West African drum. Taylor’s discovery of the djembe feels almost predestined, and his descriptions of traveling to West Africa to study with true masters show how his sense of place in the world is shaped by the ancestors who guide him. His identity as a biracial man evolves from feeling different to appreciating that his unique heritage calls him to move beyond being a performer and instead become a connector and, ultimately, a healer.

The Audible version is wonderful. Hearing Taylor tell the story in his warm, resonant voice, with the sound of his djembe woven throughout, makes the journey come alive. His original stories about the origins of the drum are especially fun and memorable. I finished the book feeling inspired and grateful to have shared in his path. You don’t need to be a musician to get something meaningful out of this memoir.

A Journey of Life- The Universal Rhythm

An amazing tale of a true self-learning experience. For djembe players and non-players alike, Taylor’s stories about finding a cultural “home”, reconnecting with the ancestors, and learning from some of the greatest masters and elders is nothing short of inspirational! 🪘🔥