Drum Class in Detroit
by michigansally | February 4, 2011 at 11:01 AM
imag0009.jpgAttended an incredible djembe class at The Magic Stick, on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, MI last week. I'm still high off of the incredible energy we all produced!! Paul Militello facilitated the instruction along with Baba Mbaye Diagne (native of Senegal). About 75 people came to play and learn technique. Some danced in the middle of our enormous circle with beautiful bare feet jumping across the wooden floor boards, hearts and arms open to the sky.
I made a little video of part at the end of the evening. My phone camera made it sound like white noise, because it was to weak and the music too powerful, although the visual effects of the video are pretty ok:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq1T-OdQvSU
I hadn't played my djembe for real since I left my performance group in Traverse City. That's who motivated me to go to the Detroit class, my teacher, my beloved guru, Rod Russell. He called out of the blue and asked if I was interested. So, yes!! I said.
I was in the zone. I even knew some of the West African rhythms they were busting out when we were free-playing. All of the hours of training paid off! I could communicate my big love to everyone--strangers, people in the room I hadn't even said a word to yet, people who didn't speak English-- through my music and they could communicate back to me. Music is peace. I know that for sure. Let's all unite and dance toward peace!
At the end of the night, we all stood in a circle and held hands. Then, Baba said some beautiful words: "Jam Rek," he said. And then we all said Jam Rek together. It means "Nothing But Peace."
