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..
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!!!!