DjembeMoor introduction

[DjembeMoor]

Greetings everyone...
I am so excited about this website.

I too was called by percussions, in Washington Park in Chicago, Illinois about 10 years ago.
I heard this wonderful, almost breathy, harmonic organ-like sound emanating from a group of about a dozen rhythm-makers playing, congas, djembes, bells, bottles, cans, whistles and human voice.

I didn't hear any percussive sounds, from the distance I only heard pulsating harmonies. It really amazed me, an experienced guitarist, bassist, songwriter, audio engineer who never heard anything like this before.

The closer I got to the group, I began to hear the percussive, ratta-tat-tatting, clanging, etc.

I started hanging out every day and eventually began playing a makeshift clave or bell (a beer bottle and a screw driver).

Occasionally, someone would offer for me to play their conga, bell or djembe and I felt over time like I was apart of a wonderful club, where everybody knows my name. (F.Y.I. I was new in recovery at this point and I realized I was given a gift, a hobby which my Sponsor encouraged me to get because I had no idea how to have fun without using) Sometimes we'd start at 6:00 P.M. (when I got off work) until 5:00 A.M. in the morning watching the sun appear to rise. Wow, talk about spiritual.

What a mix of people too, all walks of life, ethnicity, gender, economic/social status, religious convictions, musical skill-levels, sexual preference, sobriety vs. drug use, on and on and on.

It's awesome, how for whatever duration we were together, we were just one big happy human family, united by this phenomenon of music, and nothing else in the world mattered.

As time progressed, I purchased instruments, paid for lessons from capable teachers, started playing at dance rehearsals, shows, sat with Master Drummers from West Africa and such, then an interesting turn took place...
For the most part, the spiritual Drum Circle environment was no longer a haven of joy, relaxation and creative discovery. It became a battleground for so-called, accomplished drummers to pontificate, ridicule and snarl at those who are exactly where they were just a few years prior!
Scowled faces, babbled profanities, precede rhythms halted much too soon. Excellent drummers, rise and fly like losers from a poker table, as if that was the reason they came in the first place.
You know, to show their disgust for such inferiors who dare to poorly attempt their craft.

Is that arrogance,ingratitude, selective amnesia, hypocrisy or what?
You know what they say about doing the same thing, the same way, expecting different results?
Something has to change... maybe me.

I guess it is what it is.

Keep doing the positive work you're doing.
Peace
DjembeMoor

[bubudi]

wow, talk about a journey!

so you've moved on from the drum circle scene. it's the way a lot of people start. the problems you mention can potentially exist in many groups where people get together to do any kind of mutual activity. it's by no means exclusive to drum circles. that's why it's important to leave your ego at the door when you get together to drum. easier said than done.

welcome, djembemoor! see you around!

[djembefola.com admin]

Hello and welcome DjembeMoor!

[freefeet]

Hi and welcome.

I got into drumming after a long battle with drugs and mental illness. It gave me a lot of new hope in life as well, meeting new people away from the scene i'd been hooked in for a long time and i never looked back. That was back in 2003.

Last year with a few friends to help we started up our own weekend drum festival on the country estate where we live. What we do is allow all percussionists (apart from kit drums) to come together and just see where things evolve too - leave your preconceptions at home!

I did the African rhythms when i lived in London and really loved that, but now i live in Devon, basically in the middle of nowhere and there's no one around here that plays African music, so now i just want to play drums with anyone that wants to play drums. I think it challenges me more as a percussionist to be able to take the things i learned from London and let go of what was and allow myself to give towards other's ideas within the music we make together. Compromise is a wonderful thing in music and i've met some really lovely friends just playing around with new ideas, either contemporary or from other cultures that i haven't explored yet in music.

Keep on drumming and having the fun you like.

[James]

I think that to tak what you have you learn't and adapt it to new situations is very important and not very easy.

Depending on the person, it can be easier or more difficult. Some people are more systematic in their approach and other more feeling and intuitive.

I can relate to a lot of what djembeMoore is saying but would argue that you could have several different experinces based on where you are and who is there with you.

I myself have participated in facilitated drum circles that were very cool... Facilitation is key and I believe some sort of Authoritive organiser is necessary to make it work.... but it can be very interesting especially in the right circumstances.

It is possible to challenge even advanced players in most circumstance. Let that big headed drummer play a 6/8 skip bell while singing and dancing and pouring me a dry martini at the same time