body and arm muscles/ligaments exercises - Fit & Groovy

[Simon B]

Keeping well, thanks Yoni. How's Israel? Are you busy musically?

Simon B

[GuruPimpi]

Hector!

I know what you mean by pains, though I got pains more often in my knuckles and below the fingers in the outer side of palm (up right on the left palm (I'm left handed). Many of times I played without mic (djembe) on house parties in clubs... Geez, I got one huge blister... Even playing with drummer in our band which many times becomes loud (all the band) I momentarily don't have the mics... Can be real pain in the hands. Even better and better techique can't help. I see today that I developed too powerfull strokes and I am doing now really much more on softer touch and relaxed, not tensed position of whole body. It gives me the motivation in a way, cause I see what I can get out of my drums much easier but when comes to extra power boosting loud tribal grooving, I get that too

I appreciate my knuckles much more, cause you know, we'll be old one day and I hope artritis won't bug me...(Yeah, right ):D

Nice to see good replies!

Groove Masters: We Are And We Hold the Force Of Cosmic Dancing!!!

Primoz

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... uPimpi.jpg

[yoni]

Hi again Simon -

I'm doing fine, too, thanks. Busier than ever, musically. Described one of my shows in "Open Discussion" under "concert tomorrow". That was a yearly concert they give me at a nice hall usually for classical concerts. I have a weekly gig in Haifa where I play drumset and sing 50's rock -n- roll and rhythm & blues - so funny, doing that kind of music here in Israel, but that's what they want there at this old restaurant/beer hall, the oldest in Haifa, with a great crowd of down-home working class types. The place is jammed to the point where they're turning away about 50 people a night - I kid you not. The players joining me are super - one young Tunisian kid, David Adda, plays keyboard so wild he should be arrested. We do also jazz and Latin jazz there and I switch off on percussion. We stretch out the rock-n-roll and just about all the music is "full gas" - super high energy.
Been on that gig 2 years now, and feel very lucky for it.
I play "straight ahead" jazz on set at another place nearby weekly and local ethnic music on darbuka with several groups at all kinds of weddings - Jewish, Muslim and Christian (the strange reality here is a far cry from BBC and CNN). In about 2 months will be the "Bumbamela" festival where I'm scheduled again to be an "inviting artist" of the ethnic stage. These festivals are real mob scenes, and remind me of the atmosphere in the US during the 60's (except for the trance djs which can get overbearing by 5 am). But the ethnic stage is great, a musical marathon going on for 3 days with many of the best players in the land.

When I'm not playing or doing my part-time janitor gig I am with my daughters or with my muchacha, or walking in the woods, building instruments (flutes, lately), or just relaxing... How I love returning to peace and quiet after gigs.

Well, THAT was an earful, but you asked and I had some time to write. How's music going for you in England? I can't believe it's as cold there as it is here now, but I guess it is. I'm freezing my arse off.

All the best,
yoni



Edited By yoni on 1108074490

[yoni]

Hey GuruPimpi!

Great photo! Are you appreciating your knuckle pain or just enjoying the show?

All the best,
yoni

[Simon B]

Well Yoni it's interesting hearing about the real Israel, a more cosmopolitan place than, as you say, the foreign news coverage suggests. I'm not gigging on percussion since I was sacked from the house band I played with at a jazz club in my city - they got a very talented new drummer and I think the band-leader thought that this meant that percussion became unnecessary for the sound (and his wallet). Sat in on reformed local Latin group the other day on bongos - enjoyed that; have to see whether it leads to anything. We live in hope!

Simon

Simon

[yoni]

Hey Simon!

Isn't that crummy when people decide percussion is more an extra than a main instrument?! Things will definitely pick up - I can feel it! Yay for hope, and still the most and best gigs may come when least expected.

All the best,
yoni



Edited By yoni on 1108425939