congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:09 pm**

Hi all!

Here's a pic from a recent gig in Tel Aviv. Amin is on the right playing oud, Shai plays bass on left. One of my brothers took this pic on his digital camera and another brother helped me post it when I visited him in Jerusalem. I plan to add more photos to this thread as they come in.

All the best to you all,

Yonatan Bar Rashi

Edited By yoni on 1122010995

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Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:16 pm**

Here's another pic from another show. Amin is on violin at right, Gili HaMeiri on frame drum on left. Also joining were Boaz Nikritin on flute and Yossi Jumbush on jumbush. The blur in the foreground is Israeli bellydance legend, Miri Alon.

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Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:46 pm**

Hey Yoni!
That's one helluva big darbuka! Now where did you get that thing? North African/Middle Eastern is my second favorite bag after Brasilian/Afro-Cuban. I do a bit of multi-kulti stuff and love to play chefti telli on cuica or masmoudi and karsilama on berimbau. These ritmos really lend themselves well to Brasilian instruments.
Hey if I ever get to Israel can I sit in with you guys? That would be quite an honor!

All My Best.

Berimbau

Posted: **Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:07 pm**

Hi Berimbau!

Yeah, that's a big darbuka. Called a dahola (bass darbuka). If I play with other percussionists they often like when I play the smaller, regular-size darbuka for doing lead, (like quinto or bongos in Latin percussion). But I like the dahola for its big range. This one I bought here but it's made in Egypt by the Alexandria company. I removed the plastic head and mounted a thin goatskin head on it for nicer sound. I must use the light bulb to tension it when playing at night, otherwise the humidity makes it loose, almost dead. Unless there is a sharav (a dry blast from the Eastern deserts which can last a few days); this weather conditon keeps it nice and tight with no need for the light bulb. Also, right now I'm in Jerusalem, which is on the edge of the desert and the climate is very dry, so I need no light in the drum here, day or night.

If you get out here of course you can sit in with us! It would be an honor for us as well.

All the best,
Yoni

Edited By yoni on 1121983325

Posted: **Fri Jul 22, 2005 2:31 pm**

I like the light bulb in the Dahola... That's cool idea... Thanks for sharing Yoni.

Posted: **Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:10 pm**

You're most welcome, Ivan! I first saw the bulbs used by two Turkish bros, Ahmet and Levent Misirli, amazing players of darbuka and dahola. The thin goat skin and fish skin (blowfish) darbuka heads just don't stay tight very long without being heated. In the desert and in dry spells here no heat is needed. Normally one can put the darbuka in the sun for a while or use a bulb, or campfire, by night.

The light bulb does eventually dry out the skin and, as I learned from Gilbert here on the forum, it can also destroy the shell of a ceramic darbuka if not used carefully.

The light came out too bright in these photos. It's not really that bright. 40 watts is enough, 60 if you want to heat up in a hurry. I also use colored bulbs like green and red for fun effect.

:;):

All the best,

Yoni

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:06 am**

Here's the only pic I have from one of my trips this last summer to the Czech Republic; someone emailed it to me.

A small, impromptu jam. On left stand a couple of Gypsies and you can see the hands of Gypsy accordionist/pianist Roman Horvath. In foreground is some of bass and head of Dezo Desiredu, another wild Gypsy player. On right sit a couple of tourists who "sat in" for a moment. And that's me on bongos, trying not to get distracted by de womenfolk.

All the best!

yoni

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:10 pm**

More pics to come, hopefully soon!

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:55 pm**

Alafia Abure Yoni!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings!

Wow! These are some really great pics! Especially when they are of gig's or jam sessions from around the world like this! Thanks so much for sharing and bringing the view to the rest of us! I've never gotten into playing an exotic drum like the darbuka, but it looks and sounds really beautiful (I've heard guys play it before). Keep on posting your pics, they look really great!

Many blessings!
Onile!

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 3:06 pm**

Yo very cool pics,

I particularly like the internal lighting effect, I am thinking...if you could use energy saving bulbs in congas etc....no heat and not much electricity. We dont have the benefit of desert winds in London. :-)

I have been given a Darbukka, plastic skin and 'comfort curve' aluminium body. Is there a website with some tips on playing it?
Sabor
Diceman

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:23 pm**

Hi Yoni....now looking at your face, it looks familiar to me, we probably sat on the same bench in Central park.....smile....here's a tip for your drum ...u may want to use :baby powder " on the head to keep the humidity away, it works... it's what tabla players use in India, and everyone knows how hot it gets there.....peace...."JC" Johnny Conga...

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:57 pm**

Onile, thanks for your enjoyment and feedback, and many blessings to you, too!

Diceman, thanks, I also try to be "energy conscious"... and I guess it's sad that pollution, deforestation and other waste can be caused in making and heating up drums... but it could be at least more "justified" than building bombs, plastic packaging and other modern stuff...
???
If you type darbuka or doumbek in a search engine, several sites come up with traditional rhythms and techniques. You may also find your "own" sounds, techniques and so on if you play the darbuka, or any drum, a lot.

Johnny, thanks for the great tip! I just used some baby powder and find it also stops squeaking sounds on plastic head drums in humid weather.
Yes, I bet we DID sight up on some Central Park bench, many moons ago...

All the best,

Yoni

Edited By yoni on 1132254051

Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:06 pm**

Well this is what I looked like back in 1974......just like D'artagnion...hahahaha....

"JC" Johnny Conga...

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Posted: **Thu Nov 17, 2005 10:29 pm**

Great shot!
I believe I did see you around!

Posted: **Fri Nov 18, 2005 2:18 pm**

Wow JC - Errol Flynn isn't it?

Baby powder is your answer for everything!

congaplace.com

Pic from recent gig - photo from trio gig