You are here: Home / Archives for drum & didge

Hyde Park Street Fair 2010

September 19, 2010 by · 1 Comment 

Oh I have so many things to say… here’s the picture story first.

Filed under Music with Kids, Playing Together · Tagged with , , , , ,

In appreciation of volunteers

September 16, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

I am half outta my mind trying to sort out what I need to bring, who I need to invite, how I need to set up; and as a bike rider, how I’m gonna schlepp so many instruments – and that huge Grandmother Drum – across town. After work. When will I have time to set the booth up, visit the new studio, print flyers for classes…. and who is going to organize this? There are probably 100 people I know who are spinning this stuff around their heads.

I think everyone I know in Boise is somehow involved in creating, building, protecting, performing, healing, sharing, showing, dancing or promoting Hyde Park Street Fair. And we are doing all that with all our hearts – as well as working our day jobs and tending our families. Holy hell! How do we do it?

Together….

I hold, in the highest regard and deepest respect,  everyone who helps. There is no separating the dancers from the dance!

There will be all sorts of playing times at the Hyde Park Street Fair this weekend.

Saturday September 18th

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Building a Community Song – In community, every voice needs to be heard, every person plays an important role. In building a song, it is the same. We will provide drums, rattles, shakers, bells and who knows what else, to give your hands and heart a voice.

Noon – World Stage. Community performance.

2:30 PM to 3:30 PM – Rhythm Kids – This is a time for musical exploration and play time for people who are officially kids, but parents are most welcome. Your children will do as you DO.  Come let them encourage you to play! Let the wild rumpus begin!

Sunday September 19th

11:30 AM to 12:30 PM – Drumming for Kids ages 8 and up! Come make a splendid noise in our drum dome! Drums and noise makers provided.

The Hyde Park Street Fair is an annual fundraising/ informational effort ini in a festival format. It is is one of the largest neighborhood events of its kind anywhere. It attracts local artisans and vendors as well as a few from out of town. Attendance tops 30,000 people over the weekend! Billed as a “neighborhood picnic”, with something for the whole family to do.

A new feature on the NENA website is the “(Un)official Survival Guide” for the Hyde Park Street Fair written by Holli High Woodings (twitter: @hollihigh). It is a truthful and humerous guide to survival and how to really enjoy the Hyde Park Street Fair.

2010 Performance Schedule – go to www.northend.org

Filed under Music with Kids, Playing Together · Tagged with , , , ,

playing in public!

July 29, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

Come as you are. Listen. Play what fits. Play with others as often as it fits in to your life. Improve with practice. Play to your ability. Be what you want to be in a group of people playing music. Of COURSE you’re good enough! Learn some common patterns to provide structure and improvise you ass off!

We did that very thing for a drum buddy’s company barbeque Thursday morning. This is what Baba’s Warm-up looked like played within that flexible framework:

This is a band of students. All of us. We have jobs and kids and grandkids and lives that do not revolve around intense study. We are playing. P L A Y I N G. We are not a performance troupe. We’re pretty much a bunch of ordinary citizens that get together each week, learn, share and play. None of us have the irrational sense of humor [or time or money] to quit our lives to become Rich And Famous Drummers [hahahaha!]  So we just play comfortably and casually together. Sometimes we play in class. Sometimes we play with a few scattered observers. Sometimes we play in front of 300 people.

I used to get so nervous when I was going to perform. It was early in my drumming when I studied and studied and worked to get it right. I played with very talented drummers and we played ‘traditional’ Guinea music rather well. When I took a leave from study and moved myself into application, it eased up for me. I prepare myself and my crew for a performance. We work it. We make arrangements of songs we’ve practiced and many of those songs are from the Guinea tradition with which those of us in the room are most familiar. But when it comes time to ‘go out there’, we remind each other of how much pleasure we get playing music together. We enjoy each other’s company. We trust each other enough to be able to express our own voice in our own time.  The drum was the common introduction, but the friendships developed have a deeper resonance….

I really want to thank the people who came and played with the most zest I have ever heard! I’d be proud to take you guys anywhere! Our ensemble today was Pam Lane, Erik & Cheryl Carruth, Don ‘the Don’ Silva, Candace Garmon and Luis Cubero. And the guests were blown away [yeah, yeah] by our remarkable didgeridoo playing friend Barry Sherman.  Thank you URS for inviting us back to play.

Filed under Playing Together · Tagged with , , , ,