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Inspiration

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:50 pm
by windhorse
Dear diary,
In the spirit of inspiring others with my own inspiration, I will continue to pour out these little monologues about personal growth and the growth of our local study group. We've recently acquired "Ritz" who was my closest friend/teacher's original drum teacher. He came back from NY a year ago; being dissapointed with the NY lifestyle, and preferring the Boulder way of life, he has gotten back into the Afro-Cuban drum and song practices with his old group - ours. Back when he was teaching Eric, I was still heavily into playing didjeridu and making my own didjeridu CD. So, I really never got to know Ritz. I had always heard that he was really cool, a great guy, good energy, amazingly adept musician, and great singer. Now, after having spent many hours and 5 or 6 days studying by his side, I now know what others meant when they gave him all those accolades. Definintely a great guy who brings a positive can-do spirit and attitude to the music! It sure is great to have him show up and become a foundational pillar with our constantly revolving group..
Last year we lost Dusty to his move to NCarolina.
We've also recently acquired a guy named Thom from Greeley. He's a music - percussion - professor at CU Denver, and plays in several orchestras. His big focus is Bata. He has studied mostly with Mike Spiro. The guy has amazing chops on bata, and an impressive depth of knowledge of calls and responses to practically every toque and orisha. Yesterday, he picked up the Iya several times and had Ritz and Dave on the other two drums, and ran through several salutes and toques. We had the bata in on the rumba a few times and spiced up the mix quite nicely.
He is obviously a great resource, and we're just scratching the surface of what he has to offer at our rumbas. Ritz, Eric, and I are planning on beginning a Saturday morning series of bata lessons which he will teach at my house on Oct. 4th. In the meantime, he's getting some good stuff from our repertoire, and we've gained yet another enthusiastic accomplice in our rumba studies.
We're playing at Dave's place in Rawlinsville, and out in our local park on Saturdays. Everyone is getting better all the time!! We're getting better at listening, finding spots to make conversations with whatever instrument we're playing, and we're learning to sing on parts we couldn't before..
Last week, we had many different people comment to us how good we are sounding, and how much they appreciate coming to the park on Saturdays. I guess the added benefit of practicing in public is that it provides a community service.
I hope that this inspires others to share their music and play the music with their hearts.
Dave

Re:

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:36 pm
by Congadelica
Phew!!!!!
What a weekend , we covered so much in 2 days and the evening performace went great.

Ill start with a brief description of what went down.

Saturday morning I roll up to the venue 09.30Zion arts centre manchester , My eyes were hurting with what I saw out side being unloaded from a van 50+ congas. batas .cajon .bombos .toys galore . we got started 10.30 am around 25 people are keen to get the go. Raz the arranger director tutor is an amazing guy , some of you know him and the work he does . He is a very understanding paitient and posotive guy . we started with variations Gauguanco all parts and Cajon cungo /tumba parts . I realised I was in good company when the groove started I was among some very talented Congureos /conguera`s .
we moved very fast ending the day with some of the parts of columbia with bata yah bata rumba . was a first for me and very pleasurable expierience .
next day we covered more Columbia parts and the coro . guiro section bell section too much for me to take all in , but ive found so much went in subliminally weird :shock:
I was given a part in the coro song for chango with bata . when the columbia started I moved to quinto for a real nice solo part there was 3 quinto soloistas , this was for sure a Folkloric Orchestra the way Raz directed the 2
Global groove 3 2008 3.jpg
bata rehersal .

Re:

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:42 pm
by Congadelica
next day we covered more Columbia parts and the coro . guiro section bell section too much for me to take all in , but ive found so much went in subliminally weird :shock:
I was given a part in the coro song for chango with bata . when the columbia started I moved to quinto for a real nice solo part there was 3 quinto soloistas , this was for sure a Folkloric Orchestra the way Raz directed the ensenble which flowed from Bata to columbia , variations of columbia then more bata rumba with guaguanco .and a hint of gurapachangeo .

This is a demo Raz did of guarapachangeo sounded great .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1BT0q3pMRc

and this is the Opener to the show when I get more footage ill tag it here
the quality is not best but it will gve you an idea of what went down enjoy .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uFUEzyTaok

Re:

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:51 pm
by CongaTick
nothing as exotic for me -- a week ago wound my way through working class burb with google map in hand for first time jam with a few people-- wound up in the backyard of a small row house sweltering in the heat accompanying some gentle and not so gentle folk-rock style tunes-- couple of guitars and a sometimes bass-- kids running around by the dozen---it was a roots sort of thing-- simple, honest working class in so many ways -- but a brotherhood amongst all four of us that sat sweating in the late summer afternoon making music -- then
last thursday night invted to sit in with DIRK QUINN band
http://www.dirkquinn.com/contact.html
for an opning set at large burban 1 hour opener and it was kickass fun-- invited back again for 1 hour festival gig at ENDLESS SUMMER JAM in Hammonton, NJ on Saturday
http://www.endlesssummerjam.com/
I yield the floor to those with far more exotic experiences... :P

Good drumming to be had..

PostPosted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:17 am
by windhorse
Wow! How many of you have seen the "Visitor?" I just saw it, and loved it.
Last weekend we had really nice first bata lesson with Thom, Eric, and Ritz here at my place, then a Rumba in the park next to the Zoo in Denver. Had a very busy week of teaching at school, then on Friday, yesterday, my kids had tests where everyone finishes about 15 or 20 minutes before each class period. I made them all stand up in rows and dance out a step 1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a,, and had two kids come up and play shekere "shik bum shik, shik bum shik" and cata "that 2 over 3 Christmas bells are ringing song", while I did a four drum bembe and sang.. I think it went off really well.. the kids seemed genuinly pleased and happy to have shared some music with me.. It's really a rare wonderful moment for me, as I teach Science which seems a bit impresonal and dry as a subject, compared to how much love and respect I feel for them.
We had our second bata lesson here today.. That stuff is twisting my head around - but not in a bad way.. :shock:
I'm helping a bit on the Onkonkolo and trying to learn a little Itototele. I'm very humbled, and feel like an old man behind the wheel of a new vehicle.. It's really tough stuff, and I'm letting it come slowly. The other guys are a bit more experienced, so I don't feel pressure to learn terribly fast.. We're currently learning Yolngo and Chachalokefun, and two roads into Ellegua.. Thom is really patient with us, and Ritz is picking up the Itotele like he was born with it in his hands... It's pretty cool to see that.. Makes me wish I was 20 years younger,, but no worries.. It's all good..
Our teacher Thom, is a friend I met at the Humboldt camp. He drives in from Greeley to play with us, so we're honored. We're paying him a little, and he appreciates that. He's a proffesor of percussion at CU Denver and plays in Symphonies, Orchestras, and ensembles all around the front range..
Anyway, we then had a rumba after the lesson, so Thom, Eric, Ritz, and myself were joined at 1:00P by Chris, and Dan.. We ripped it up! Whhoooweeeeee!!!
Man,, was that a good session!!! Thom was on fire playing the low drums today, after teaching us for a few hours and playing Iya, he was all warmed up to play a monstrous Bembe lead while I played a really inspired tumbao, Ritz on Kachimbo, and Eric on Mula. We sang a bunch of songs, and switched to a stick Bembe with Twinchin drums. Put the Twinchin away after that and played some rumba with Thom on the Salidor, Eric - Tres Dos, and me on quinto.. The dialogue was totally undeniable, along with 'old man' Dan on atomic clock clave.. , Then we played an Iyesa to finish off another wonderfully musical weekend.
Wow! Okay, to me it feels exotic,, but hey it's my own little world.. and everyone's invited!!!!

Re:

PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:08 am
by congamyk
Some of my recent drumming experiences.....

Playing pandiero with the Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans
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Playing percussion with JWB at the Chilifest
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This little baby wanted to play my drums at Mill Creek Park rumba
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The maestro Agustine at Loose Park
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Ibo and Pat at Loose Park rumba
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My friend Eric jamming at the community center where I teach percussion to children with disabilities
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More Community Center jam!
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Weekend street festival with Jesus and Agustine on the Westside
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It pays to be a musician when cute ladies blow you kisses
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House Party jazz
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Re:

PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:06 pm
by Mike
Awesome pictures full of musical life, true emotions and inspiration.
This is how drumming (and of course all other musical) experience should be like IMHO.
Thanks for sharing, Congamyk! :-)
Greetings
MikeĀ“nĀ“Conga

Yeah - Pictures good!

PostPosted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:08 pm
by windhorse
Yeah, that is good Myk!! I also like the pictorial diaries!!
Thanks.

Humboldt '09

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:59 am
by windhorse
The dates are now set for this year's Humboldt Sessions!!!!!
http://www.humboldt.edu/~extended/afrocuban/

West Coasters, don't know yet if I'm flying or driving, but I'll probably wait until April before looking for flights.

Re:

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:08 pm
by CongaTick
Though no pix---last weekend played with THE BROOZERS-- rock/reggae band and had a ball. Hands swollen to hell trying to overcome the loud guitars and pounding drummer. Despite my mics and mixer,sound guy couldn't give me anything on the stage monitor, so couldn't hear myself very well, but played on. Apparently house mix though was solid, since lots of compliments on solos. Our band was followed by Al and the Kaydas (Al Queda, get it?) who dressed in camo with ski masks and had guitars shaped loosely like AK-47's. One of their groupies dressed in head-to-toe black in the audience. They screamed their way through a set before my ears couldn't take it anymore. Crazy.

Re:

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:27 pm
by windhorse
Cangatic, congrats on making the sound good even you couldn't hear it!
How are your hands now?

Re:

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:52 am
by ABAKUA
Sometimes being a conga player is hard work....... 8) 8) :lol: :lol:

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Re:

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:09 pm
by CongaTick
Yeah. I really feel for you, Marcelo.

Re: Re:

PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:18 am
by congamyk
ABAKUA wrote:Image


I'm speechless over the curves behind that black dress. :shock:
Must be jelly cuz jam isn't that smooooooth.

Re:

PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:28 am
by ABAKUA
8)

Ok seeing as you like, here are 2 more of 'black dress' in a different dress :wink:

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