A Global Odyssey
The year is 2002 and I have travelled to Hawaii, courtesy of the Arts Council of England, to attend my first Mentor Training and complete my funded 2 part study with Arthur Hull at Village Music Circles. My first taste of this drum circle facilitation training had been one year prior in the same beautiful... Continue Reading →
I am teaching a Rhythms of the World class. We are three weeks into a 9-week block. I have been focused on teaching a version of a Kpanlogo rhythm from Ghana, which has up to 8 separate interlocking patterns namely, a bass drum part, 3 hand drum parts, 3 bell parts and a shaker pattern.... Continue Reading →
Conscious Jamming (aka Late Night Drumming) Hawaii, 2002. Drum Circle Facilitator training with Arthur Hull. It is 1am in the morning and the late-night drumming has been in full swing for hours. A transition point has been reached and there is some movement of bodies away from the circle. This is the nature of late... Continue Reading →
Rhythms for dance Stainsby Festival, Derbyshire, England 2004. I am back at one of my favourite gatherings to facilitate two community drum circles at midday on the Saturday and Sunday of the Festival. I am also excited to know that Anna Mudeka, a prolific artist from Zimbabwe is running traditional dance classes. I had met... Continue Reading →
A series of short musings on the impact of presence within the world of rhythm. Culturally Specific Rhythms. It begins with a single part. A pattern. Your task is to hold onto this part. To get it. The challenge here is that the person sitting next to you has their own part. Different to yours... Continue Reading →
What would you say if I told you that a Bangalore taxi ride is the way to enlightenment? Forget India's temples and Holy cities. This is the most profound manifestation of the mystical divine in operation that you can experience. Read on dear seeker, read on 😉 This morning I took an Uber across Bangalore... Continue Reading →
I had a wee break after the pre-conference workshops and was invited to a picnic by Charlene and Kit, two of the graduates from my ERS program. Charlene arrived to pick me up on the morning of the trip along with her mum and two of her mum's sisters. We drove up to FRIM and... Continue Reading →
The beginning of this incredible rhythmical journey here in Malaysia commenced with two days of hand drumming with the wonderful Steve Thornton. Steve is a New York native who now lives in Malaysia and has a list of who he has played with that would turn your head. He is an incredible player and a... Continue Reading →
Kuala Lumpur is another home from home for me on planet Earth. This will be my 5th visit. I am always met and taken care of by my good friend and whisky connoisseur John J Hagedorn, founder of MyBeat and a community builder extraordinaire. I will along with a whole host of rhythmical souls from... Continue Reading →
Barcelona is another home from home for me and it is always a pleasure to be in the company of Pau Gimeno, a genuinely beautiful soul and community builder extraordinaire. I arrived around lunchtime on the Thursday and Pau was still at work so I headed to The Parque de la Ciutadella for some chill... Continue Reading →
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