Drumming and Dancing (7/19)

So after 3 weeks of delays we finally had our first drumming and dancing session. The idea is to teach us the beats and the dances so that at the swearing in ceremony we can perform it ourselves. People either signed up to drum or dance. Naturally I picked drumming. We sat for about 30 min watching the drummers play while the others learned the dance. I studied the drummer who's beat I liked the best and played along on my knees. By the end I was mock-drumming spot on with the beat. Finally it was our turn. He passed me the drum and looked at me with an expression saying "OK Mr. American. I'll do this real slow so you can follow." He played the beat somehow slower so I could get it and pointed at me. I answered with the full beat he had been playing before and his eyes got huge. He cheered and turned to his friends to see if they saw the Obruni in the bright blue tye-and-dye shirt tearin' up the drums.

_____________________________________________________
With no formal training and just a sense of rhythm I certainly did not get from my father, I have always loved drumming. Table tops. Trash cans performing STOMP at Coral Reef High School. Anywhere that I could make noise. Thank you to Allyn for my first real drums, a 2 piece bongo set which I still have. Those drums started many jam sessions with Marco in Miami and then many other friends in Gainesville.
_____________________________________________________

At one point I looked around and realized all the Africans had taken the drums back from the other Americans. It was time to teach the dance again and they wanted to make sure the beat was solid. While they all drummed, my partner just smiled a huge smile and bobbed his head to the rhythm I was playing, making no attempt to stop me or take my place.

I closed my eyes and rocked my head back and forth and just got lost in the beat. At times I threw in small riffs and side beats, but kept it short as I could tell my improvising was making them nervous; white people shouldn't be able to drum.

When we finished I got cheers from the drummers who all asked me for my number. I passed my partner my bigger drum and took the small bongo. I laid for him a bass beat and taught them the Cirque du Soleil beat we did with STOMP. They about lost their minds.

My hands are sore and a bit swollen today from wailing on the drums, and what a great time. I have been itching for a while now for a good jam session.