Simple & effective, exactly. And it stays organic yet is really versatile, and can be played in so many environments. For a tribal trip, as a fusion percussion, as jazz support (with brushes), as folk music around a camp fire, as a drum in a rock band (Even the Red hot chilly Peppers) used one of them at one of their concert (check Youtube) etc.

Dolenz has even started building his own with one of his daughters and sells them

A couple of years ago, my father took as a little personal project to build one for me as a Christmas present. I was touched! Yet, it didn't sound that good. As I live abroad and was flying, I couldn't take it back with me. Yet, weirdly, after a few years, when I was visiting my parents, I picked it up again, and it sounded so much better! Like other wooden instruments, it appears to mature with time :-).