How is a Community drum circle different from regular African or other traditional drumming situations?
Many cultures have long and distinct musical traditions, and the goal is not only the making of good music, but the preservation/transmission of the culture in a relatively traditional form. There is a way to do the music, and a way not to do it. Only experienced and authorized drummers are supposed to play, and there is a prescribed method of getting to that position, usually study with one of the master drummers. This too is a rewarding musical experience, but it’s different from a community drum circle. Examples of this would be African drum & dance classes, a Cuban style rumba, or perhaps a belly dancing event, with doumbek and sometimes riq accompaniment.. A community drum circle, in contrast, is often a fun, multicultural, mixed level, group music making event, with freely improvised rhythms, and the music is created on the spot, in the moment. There is no ‘audience’; everyone is welcome to play, dance, or listen as the mood strikes them. Bring a drum if you have one. It’s a jam
