Posts

Showing posts from July 22, 2012

In review--Power Drum Circles

Image
Christine Stevens Music Medicine The Science and Spirit of Healing Yourself with Sound Sounds True (publishing date: August 1, 2012) I joined my first drum circle at a Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle during the 1990s.   A master Brazilian percussionist handed out exotic percussion and drums, gave us a quick lesson, then off we went.   The drum circle took place in a large tent that vibrated with polyrhythms of the 20+ drummers and percussionist that gathered. While I felt self-conscious, I still enjoyed myself and all the drummers participating in the circle.   You didn’t even need to know the others’ names and still feel bonded to them. Flash forward to 2009, when I interviewed master percussionist Will Clipman, mainly known for his musical contributions to Canyon Records artists, especially R. Carlos Nakai.   Will opened up the world of drumming to me with his masterful global percussion practice and his debut solo album, Pathfinder.   Now, another mas