Hello from Lincolnshire England (UK)

[BasilBogBrush]

Hello from a Djembe beginner in Lincolnshire UK.

I recently found a Djembe class & although it's for established drummers,I've been along for the last three weeks to watch and to join in where I can. There seem to be about 6 regular drummers each week.
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/discussions/like-set-Djembe-African-drumming-Lincoln-map/discussion-13455030-detail/discussion.html

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/event/Djembe-Drum-Workshops-Advanced-16s/event-13752182-detail/event.html

This week a Beginners Djembe class has started at the same venue. I had a good time, although I was the only person who came along - hopefully there'll be a few more people next week - the course probably won't continue unless there's more interest !

More information about the beginners course can be found here:
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/event/Djembe-Drum-Workshops-Beginners-14s/event-13752181-detail/event.html

The tutor for these Djembe events is Njega Sohna from Ghana - he's the finest Djembe player I've ever seen in the UK, and he just happens to live here in Lincolnshire.

I've just bought my own drum - I'll let you know in a few weeks how I'm getting along with it!

[the kid]

Welcome to the djembe and the forum

Good name, I loved basil brush when i was young

And i love the bog

[BasilBogBrush]

Thank you for the reply.
For those who don't know, Basil Brush was a fox puppet on British television. I have been known to play junk percussion or a xylophone with a pair of plastic toilet brushes for beaters which is how I got my nickname.

[michi]

I have been known to play junk percussion or a xylophone with a pair of plastic toilet brushes for beaters which is how I got my nickname.

I love it!

Well, you certainly made your entry here in style, with your image well established up-front!

Welcome to the forum!

Michi

[BasilBogBrush]

I'm middle aged, a bit boring and my real name is Kevin!
I was born about the same time as Basil was created (1960s) and am a huge BasilBrush fan, so I dont mind the nickname at all.

I'm enjoying this forum, although as a beginner I can't understand all of it. I'm sure that understanding will come as I learn more about the Djembe.

Thank you again for the welcome.....and in the unlikely event that anyone else in Lincolnshire England is reading this, can you come to next week's class,otherwise I might be all on my own again. OK so it's good to get one-to-one tuition with a master like Njega Sohna, but whoever heard of a drum circle with just one pupil (me) and the tutor!

[BasilBogBrush]

Thank you to the people who've asked how I'm getting on with the djembe.

The beginners group came to an end due to lack of interest, but I have joined the main group of experienced drummers and I seem to be keep up reasonably well.

After 6 months I'm still going to the weekly lessons when I can, I'm getting better (purer) sounds now from my djembe drum, and am building up a bit of speed. I'm told I don't sound like a beginner now although with a bit of carpel tunnel trouble to my wrists I admit I'm not practising as much as I should.

As well as our djembe maestro Njega giving us tuition we now have a Gambian DunDun player in the group which adds to the overall sound nicely. I have done a couple of local performances with the group which was fun, and we have a couple more performances coming up.

I'm also being invited to join in with 'other' music groups locally

>>I went busking for charity with a group in Leicestershire,
>>I was one of several drummers doing backing tracks for an African dancer's DVD locally
>>I've been playing a bit of basic (very basic) darbuka and balafon and djembe in Yorkshire with some Turkish and Moroccan drummers.

I'm still only playing fairly basic stuff but it's a lot more than I ever imagined I'd be doing when I started djembe playing late last year.

All the best

Kevin (BasilBogBrush)

[rachelnguyen]

Kevin,

Nice to meet you! I must have missed your first couple of posts. It sounds like you are really having a great time and are learning a lot. I came to this forum about 3 months or so after I started studying with my teacher and it has been a great resource. I think it will be for you, too.

I am interested in learning a little bit more about Gambian drumming. I assume it is similar to Senegal. Your drum looks like it is from Ghana, though, not Senegal style.

Keep us posted on how things are progressing!

(And, incidentally, I am a middle aged mother of two who picked up drumming at the tender age of 42... and have now been thoroughly and completely bitten by the drumming bug. Which, naturally, makes me the coolest 47 year old around, lol)