Making Do Magic

Setting out around the world without a drum is a leap into the unknown. Which countries, cities, towns or villages have drum circles, African dance classes, or jam groups open to newcomers? Are there spare drums to play? Is there a space to practice, teach and play without disturbing the peace?

All my old network links were out of date. Google and YouTube provided some examples of performances here and there, but no reliable contacts. I scoured a couple of leads pointing to a village in Tuscany, but lacking a car, we bypassed it on the train. Halfway around the world in Thailand, there were plans afoot for a fun-sounding winter drum camp, but with no guarantee of spare drums there, and my own plans gravitating toward Central and South America, I wound up in a village in Ecuador (Vilcabamba) nestled in the Andes. 

Surprise upon surprise, there are endless opportunities to drum here. I connected immediately, by chance, with an old friend from BC - we go back to the days of an epic trance dance in Argenta - and rented the bottom floor of his house. On the upper floor is a music room with 5 ashikos. They hold kirtans every week which I can play for (along with another drummer I played with once in Maui, who also showed up out of the blue). I could use my living space and one of the drums to record video drum lessons, to upload for an online course. On the hill nearby there are full moon drum jams by the fire. Last week I could play as part of a cacao ceremony. At the end of the month is a festival where I can perform and teach. And every weekday evening, for an hour or two the sounds of djembe and sangban echo over the village square. Will, an expat (extranero) of about my age, rents a second-floor hall, supplies drums, teaches a local Ecuatorian friend, and holds space for whoever else - like me - shows up and wants to play. 

Today there are two Argentinians there with their own drums teaching Candombe. After they leave it's just Will and me, trading sangban/djembe parts and solos. Into the unlit hall comes a parent (of indeterminate gender) and two pixies. Their dance energy swirls around us as we riff, tykes' shoes lit like fireflies by tiny colored lights. For half an hour we jam, the five in a spontaneous whirl of trance, sound and motion. This is the fruit of the tree of magic, making do. 

Handy Notation

In the world of mobile access, free rhythm sharing, and digital publishing, are printed books of music notation a thing of the past?



I've been producing and selling Roots Jam drum rhythm books since 1996, and the trend definitely points to greater popularity of digital downloads of both written and audio material. Still, however, there are still some advantages to having a hard copy on hand when learning, sharing, or practicing rhythms - whether in a studio, class, home or outdoor setting:

• ease and familiarity of handling and reading from large pages while practicing
• photocopy or scan selected pages for class, workshop, or personal practice
• make your own marks and add additional notation and variations

That said, my own itinerant lifestyle makes it difficult to provide continuous access to printed stock for mailing book orders. The solution, win-win for everyone, is for me to clear out printed stock when I do have it, at significant savings to customers. 

For the rest of July and August, 2013, you can save $7 off the print versions of Roots Jam 1 and 3, and $10 off the print version of Roots Jam 2 (more discount because I have a larger stock available). Order now while supplies are still available at this lowest-ever price!
                  http://djemberhythms.com/books/rootsorder.htm

Video Lessons for Djembe Beginners

Part of the appeal of the djembe as a musical instrument is that it is accessible to beginners. With little knowledge or training you can still sound good and have fun. Of course, "good" and "fun" are relative terms ... as you advance in knowledge and skills, you sound better and have more fun!

To assist beginning hand drummers with a basic foundation in djembe technique and primary accompaniment rhythms, I have produced a few short free video lessons, now available on YouTube. While basic foundation parts can seem simple, experience as a teacher and student has shown me that beginners often struggle with the timing or handing. So these lessons break down the parts for easier mastery, step by step.

Basic Djembe Technique and Vocabulary

Basic 4/4 Djembe Accompaniment: Kuku

Basic 4/4 Djembe Accompaniment: Passport

Basic 6/8 Djembe Accompaniments

How to Tighten and Tune a Djembe

How to Wear a Djembe Strap


Combined Lesson Video:
Djembe Primer: Beginner Lessons


I'll look forward to your comments and suggestions for future lessons!