Male

I have been studying & performing Arabic Drumming for the past 5 years, and now I am teaching an Arabic Drumming Class here in S.L.O., Ca, at the World Rhythm & Motion Dance Studio. I have been drumming for 20 years now, and at the ripe old age of my late 30’s, I am happy to announce that I am back in school (Cuesta College, with an incredible music dept.) pursuing a degree in music. Also, I have the great pleasure to play with the Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble, under the direction or Dr. Ken Habib, as a community member. Within 2 quarters of playing with them, I have worked my way up to the lead percussionist position. Please consider attending our upcoming concerts in winter and spring of ’08 at the Pavillion in the Performing Arts Center. As well as playing with the full ensemble, a few of us perform professionally as a ‘Tahkt’ (small chamber ensemble), again under Ken’s direction. In recent months, I have both been drumming for the the belly dance troupe SaJa (Jenna & Saundra), and studying percussion with Armando (Uncle) Mafufo, which have greatly inspired me to bring my abilities to a higher level.
Besides teaching the drum class, I also offer private instruction on hand percussion in a variety of styles and instruments, drum set, and the all-time crowd favorite- Didjeridoo. Within the past year or so, I’ve had the opportunity to perform in a wide range of venues such as with: Rudolf and Friends at the Clark Center, Café Musique at the Boatzart Festival and InglishFest ’07, and most recently as a guest artist playing Didjeridoo with the Cal Poly Wind Ensemble, at the Performing Arts Center under the direction of Bill Johnson.
If that wasn’t enough to keep me busy, in the past 5 years I have also been facilitating Recreational Drum Circles. These are the type of drumming events that are all-inclusive, all levels of experience- even none whatsoever! In fact, those are the best participants, because where they firmly believe they have no skill or rhythm, we facilitators have the immense pleasure to prove them wrong! We get drums into peoples’ hands, show them how to get the variety of sounds, then make it a fun and playful experience. Recreational drumming reduces stress, raises immunity, builds community, & balances both hemispheres of the brain (states usually only achieved at will by Yogi Masters, but by the lay person during sleep, deep meditation, or sex). I am starting a Recreational Drum Circle, with the help of Bruce Ogilvie, one of the core drummers from Marsha’s African Dance Class, at World Rhythm & Motion Dance Studio.
To support all these endeavors, my main employment for the past 7 years has been working with the furniture maker, Roger Combs, of Atascadero. I am involved with the high end / fine art furniture creation process from milling raw sticks of lumber to the finish coats of oil. While I truly love the craft and take great pride in the furniture I help create, the physical toll is at times too much for my previously injured body. Years of pre through post adolescent skateboard & mosh-pit slamming (I did start as a punk-rock drummer) didn’t help, but it was getting hit by a car on my motorcycle several years ago that almost really did me in. For this reason, I am back in school and hopefully in a short while, I will be able to earn a living with my intellect and even better, my musical talents, instead of my back and brawn. Thanks for visiting my page here and check back once in a while for updates.
LET THE RHYTHM HIT ‘EM!