The very first djembes made from staved Siam Oak as opposed to being carved from a solid piece of mahogany or hardwood.

There's a new djembe in town and it rocks! Back in November of 2006 Tycoon Percussion partnered up with Dancing Drum, a company based in Santa Barbara that specializes in the drum circle and educational market. They expressed to Tycoon the need for a high-quality but affordable djembe and so together they embarked on creating one, hence the name: "Tycoon Percussion - Dancing Drum Signature Series".

These drums are just absolutely amazing both sound-wise and through their appearance; I can say without any reservations that these djembes sound great! You can view some video clips of the drums being played right here.



They created a huge buzz at the NAMM show back in January, and were used in the annual Remo drum circle! As a testament to their quality, Remo's drum circle coordinator himself put these drums in the very front row.

Made from sustain-ably harvested Siam Oak hardwood, the Dancing Drum Signature Series Djembes are designed from the inside out, with sharp, defined contours, to produce tones that have a deep bass, rich mid-tones, and crisp highs. They're the very first djembes that are made from staved Siam Oak as opposed to being carved from a solid piece of mahogany or hardwood. Not only does this make the drums much more environmentally friendly, they make them sound great as well. The skins are pre-selected hand-shaved natural goatskin so every kind of material used in the production of this drum is absolutely top-notch. That is what separates them from other drums on the market.

Available in three sizes, the Dancing Drum Signature Series Djembes offer an exceptional combination of professional quality, value, and sound.

Next: 7. How To Start A Drum Circle

Labels: african.djembe, dancing.drum.signature.series, djembe, Djembe.Buying.Guide, drum, goatskin.head, NAMM, siam.oak, tycoon.percussion

New York psychotherapist and drum facilitator Robert Lawrence Friedman, writes in his 2000 soft-cover book, "The Healing Power of the Drum: A Psychotherapist Explores the Healing Power of Rhythm," how individuals through drumming can attain psychological, physiological and spiritual wellbeing. Clocking in at 208 pages, the book is both a personal account and an introductory guide to the subject in which he quotes many leading authorities on their experience drumming in different settings.

"The Healing Power of the Drum" is an easy to read and non-technical book that presents readers with ways they can achieve increased health benefits from the activity of drumming and shows innovative ways to enhance their own wellness. The author explores drumming and drums, such as the djembe and conga, from a multidimensional perspective, explaining the drum's ability to release anger, create joy, alter brain rhythms, induce trance, and create empowerment. The book includes cutting-edge research how Alzheimer patients have been able to stay focused for short periods with a drum in their hands. The book also discusses research into brainwave studies concluding how drumming has positively increased attention span.

Robert Friedman is currently president of Stress Solutions Inc., providing stress-management seminars to corporate clients and is also affiliated with the St. Barnabas Health Care System in New Jersey.

Labels: book.review, conga, djembe, drum, drumming, robert.friedman, the.healing.power.of.the.drum

Below are some quick but useful tips on starting a drum circle. Good luck!!

1. There is a lot of information already out there on the web about how to start a drum circle. Google it.

2. Buy a drum - You'll need some sort of hand-drum or percussion instrument in order to start or join in a drum circle. A djembe is a good, reasonably inexpensive and practical choice as a beginner drum, and you may also consider investing in a few small but cheap alternate percussion instruments, such as egg shakers or claves.

2. Advertise - flyers in your local drum stores, used cd stores, used book stores, holistic groceries, massage schools, coffee shops - places where new-age types will hang out.

3. Be patient. It takes time to grow these things. Don't worry if you don't have a lot of people. Get started with just a few and meet once or twice per month. Grow it gradually.

4. Get help. Don't try to do it all on your own. Hold an interest meeting for the first session and get volunteers to help you spread the word and shoulder the responsibility of organizing, advertising, coordinating space, etc.

5. Network with all the other drummers in your area - spend time chatting up the guys working in the drum stores; they'll help you get the word out. Here is an excellent resource in finding and hooking up with other drummers in your area: Drum Circle Meetup.

6. Attend local events and festivals and play outdoors every chance you get. People will ask what you're doing, at which point you can give them more information. Never run out of flyers! I had Kinko's run me little quarter sheet tear off pads. I can leave them on counters in local handouts and easily tear off one to give to anyone interested.

7. Start a Myspace group or a Yahoo group so that you don't have to manage an email list on your own computer. Let it do the work for you.

Always remember to have fun and keep an open invitation to new drummers!

Labels: djembe, Djembe.Buying.Guide, drum, drum.circle, drummers, hand.drum, hand.drumming, percussion.instrument

The following is an unbelievable story I recently read regarding women in Africa who are literally being disowned by family members for playing the drums. That's what many members of the Amazones (The Women Master Drummers of Guinea) have to deal with in their native African homeland of Guinea.

The instrument of choice in The Amazones performance is the djembe. Traditionally played by men in Guinea, the djembe is forbidden for women to even touch. Several of the women in the group have been shunned by their families, where in one case a mother of one of the djembe players not only disowned her but told her to look for another job, and even burnt her performance costume. It's wild to think that this is happening in the 21st century. "The mind couldn't get it that the woman decided to do this," said the Amazones' founding director Mamoudou Conde.

Conde said he encouraged the Amazones, a group of up to 14 women, to push past the criticisms and to stick with the djembe. "One of the reasons for bringing the girls on this instrument for me, is really to speak out," Conde said. "Part is a fight for African women and their rights." Conde added that after nearly a decade of performing worldwide, the women's families are starting to see inspiration in the group's determination, and even young girls are becoming exposed to the instrument.

"Many girls now are picking up some of these instruments," Conde said. "They see their mother doing something they want to do. This really gives girls courage and ability to do what they want to do.

Labels: african.djembe, amazones, djembe, drum, drummers, guinea, percussion.instrument

A drum circle is any group of people typically playing hand drums and percussion in a circle. It is a rhythm-based event where a diverse group of individuals and instruments are gathered for the common purpose of empowering a community with creative self-expression in a group music making experience. Rhythmical expression is as ancient and unique as man and found throughout the world, represented in art, celebration, meditation, and wellness situations. Drum Circles are commonly used for social gatherings or to promote wellness in populations such as nursing homes, assisted living, at risk youth, mentally or physically challenged, and various community situations. Other instruments and dance can also be incorporated into the drum circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance. They can range in size from a handful of players to circles with thousands of participants.

A Community Drum Circle is a place for individuals to express themselves through the use of drums and percussion instruments. These instruments are accessible to a multi-generational and multicultural community. An individual can express himself or herself through the instrument without much skill or technique, becoming a part in the group song. The use of different instruments (drums, shakers, bells, etc.) allows the group to experience a metaphoric relation of the unique individuals involved in creating a diverse spontaneous rhythmic song, fun for the whole group. As the groups' sounds evolve, participants begin to hear the rhythmic interdependent relationships creating the songs. Conversations through rhythmic pulses emerge as the community becomes connected beyond the music produced.

Types of Drum and percussion instruments typically found in a drum circle include:

Ashiko
Bongo
Cluster Drum
Cajon Drum
Conga
Dhol (type of 2-headed drum)
Djembe
Doumbek
Drum Sticks
Jug Drum
Shakers
Tambourine
Timbales (sometimes)

Labels: ashiko, bongo, cluster.drum, conga, dhol, djembe, drum, drum.circle, drum.sticks, drums, hand.drum, percussion, percussion.instrument, tambourine, timbales