[HANASHIR:3641] Re: Drumming Circles--HELP!

[GurevitzR <GurevitzR...>]

Well, I don't know if they'd flame you on a Jewish renewal list or not, but 
as a Jewish renewalist who is not on those lists, but is on this one, I'll 
throw in a couple of thoughts.

Lots of different kinds of drumming, and lots of ways of integrating them 
into Jewish songleading and Jewish prayer, if you wish.  My drum is my main 
accompaniment when I songlead - and that has included at Friday night 
services and at Simchat Torah services.  At Elat Chayyim, every Friday night 
service brings a gathering of many drummers and we have a basket of other 
percussion that is handed round.  So if you get a chance to do a more 
alternative minyan, then experiment.  One of the best renewal services I've 
been to was at Pnai Or in Philadelphia where the drumming took off so that it 
mirrored the rhythms of the previous chant/prayer and provided the links 
between various rounds of halleluyahs to the extent that no verbal linkage 
was required between any of the prayer service until we reached the Torah 
service.  It was wonderful.

In non-service settings, it is great to find a teacher who can come in and 
provide some guidance.  In the UK, our chavurah has a member that teaches 
Senegalese drumming - the group is divided up and each part plays a 
consistent rhythm so that the whole group is making a complex sound, but each 
part is quite simple.  Then drummers take it in turns to 'walk the wall' of 
the base rhythm (ie. improvise).
For a great example of a drumming circle, check out Central Park in NYC on 
Sat. and Sun. afternoon thro' to evening - there is a fantastic drumming 
circle there that meets - people just show up and one or two of the better 
African drummers lead the way by providing a base rhythm and everyone else 
just does what they want.  And anyone passing by can join in, or just dance 
to the beat.

Last year there was a guy called Lenny Seidman who taught a drumming workshop 
at Elat Chayyim.  Not too sure what he did, but I could find contact info. if 
you want it - I hear that people thought his course was great.

Hope that provides some useful ideas.

Good Shabbes to all,

Rachel

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