Drummer Kenne Thomas has written a nice book on Middle Eastern rhythms and it has been released in USA.

I haven't read it yet but it looks like a great resource for those who are interested in dumbek, riq and Middle Eastern rhythms.

Here is Kenne's website, where you can see how to buy the book.

http://www.mninter.net/~thomasjp/book-DumbekDance.html

DRUMS OF ILLUMINATION

DRUMS OF ILLUMINATION
Women and Frame Drums from Around the World

with
ALESSANDRA BELLONI, JUDY PIAZZA, MIRANDA RONDEAU, DANA MAMAN

Workshops and concert honoring the feminine and healing power of the drum
Saturday & Sunday, November 7 & 8, 2009

For women and men; no previous experience necessary

Workshops:
Saturday, November 7th
1:00 - 3:00 Miranda Rondeau - Introduction to Frame Drums
3:30 - 6:00 Dana Maman- Brazilian Pandeiro
Concert – Saturday – 7:30 (Concert fee $15) ... Also featuring special dancers

Sunday, November 8th
1:00 - 3:00 Judy Piazza - Egyptian Riqq (Tambourine)
3:30 – 6:00 Alessandra Belloni – Southern Italian Tambourine and trance dances

Fees: Two days, including 4 workshops & concert, $ 125
One day, $75 (includes concert)

Payment at the door: accepted by cash or check
For pre-registration: Mail Check / MO to Judy Piazza, PoBox 1825,Ojai CA 93024,
( 248) 563-0049; judypiazza@gmail.com

LOCATION:
REMO Recreational Music Center
7308 Coldwater Canyon Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91605
(818) 982-0461 ~ contact Mike or Jerry
www.remo.com

Alessandra Belloni - artistic director, internationally renowned
tambourine virtuoso, singer, dancer, actress, author - REMO artist -
www.alessandrabelloni.com – www.youtube.com/alessandrabelloni

Judy Piazza, internationally known and recognized for her
extraordinary talents, skilled teaching, and generous spirit.
www.resonanceandrhythms.com / www.myspace.com/judypiazza

Miranda Rondeau, Devotional singer frame drum artist, and teacher
passionate creator of online Women Frame Drumming about WDF
www.myspace.com/womenframedrumming / www.myspace.com/mirandarondeau

Dana Maman – Musician involved with capoeira and Afro-Brazilian
drumming for over 10 years, studying primarily under Mestre Amen Santo
www.danamaman.com.

--
Event coordinated by:
Judy Piazza
Resonance & Rhythms
248-563-0049
www.resonanceandrhythms.com
www.myspace.com/judypiazza

Scholarship available for NAFDA West

I committed to the NADFA West event happening this weekend in LA, and I've already paid for my slot. But I can't make the event now. So I am offering my slot as a scholarship to someone else. If you wanted to come, but couldn't afford it, here's your chance! If you know someone in the LA area who might like to attend, please forward this message.

Contact either myself or N. Scott Robinson for details.

email: mike DOT oitzman AT gmail DOT com

Complete details about the event: http://www.nafda1.com/

NEW SEPTEMBER DRUMMING INTENSIVES with Marla Leigh

Experience the magic of drumming...

In these special drumming intensive, Marla will explore:

• Frame Drumming in upright and lap style playing.
• Traditional Middle Eastern and Sufi Rhythms.
• Moroccan & Ghanaian Drumming & Rhythms.
• Introduction to Solkattu (South Indian Rhythmic Vocalization).
• How to easily improvise in all meters.
• How to notate for hand drums.
• Gentle Yoga stretches to prepare your body for drumming.

Frame Drums + African Drums provided. All Levels Welcome

DETAILS:

Beginning Intensives:
Saturday's, September 5 & 19, 1-4pm

Intermediate Intensives:
Sunday's, September 6 & 20, 2-5pm

Location:
Private home in Topanga, CA

Fee:
Only $95 for two, three hour class sessions
$50 single class supplement

Special Discount:
Bring a friend, and each receive $10 off
(applicable for both full registration & single classes)

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED TO ONLY 8 PEOPLE.
PLEASE RSVP ASAP TO SECURE YOUR SPACE AS THIS CLASS TENDS TO FILL UP QUICK!


TO REGISTRAR:
Please send payment via paypal to marla@maraleigh.com, or mail a check to
Marla Leigh, Po box 293, Topanga, CA
If you are going to send a check, please email Marla to let her know to
expect it

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT MARLA¹S WORKSHOPS:

"After taking Marla¹s class, I now love drumming so much, I want to quit my day job"
-Susan Sheldon

"Marla is a patient, inspiring and wonderful teacher"
-Martha Lane

--
Marla Leigh Goldstein, MFA
Percussionist, Flautist, Composer
http://www.marlaleigh.com

Peyman Nasehpour's Tonbak, Dayereh and Daf Classes and Workshop

When: Sunday, Sept 6, 2009

Time: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Where: Elternschule Farmsen-Berne
Bekassinenau 126
Hamburg, 22147,
Germany

For more info: http://events.kodoom.com/en/43250262/Peyman-Nasehpour-s-Tonbak-Hamburg

Iranian drumming classes and workshop for all levels. Tonbak, Dayereh and Daf classes and workshop by Peyman Nasehpour

Peyman Nasehpour, born in Tehran, is a tonbak, ghaval and daf player, tabla researcher and the oldest child of maestro Nasrollah Nasehpoor (vocalist and master of radif repertoire of Persian art music). He has a Master’s Degrees in pure mathematics from Tehran University and has played along great musicians such as Habil Aliev, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Majid Derakhshani and Peter Giger.

Links:
http://performers.kodoom.com/en/Peyman-Nasehpour
http://events.kodoom.com/en/43250262/Peyman-Nasehpour-s-Tonbak-Hamburg

ART OF HAND DRUMMING AUGUST WORKSHOPS

ART OF HAND DRUMMING AUGUST WORKSHOPS!
Explore the tools to be creative and confident drummer while learn drumming styles from the Middle East, Africa and India with Marla Leigh!

Location: Private home in Topanga, CA

Beginning Class:
August 3, 10, 24, 7-9pm

Intermediate Class:
August 12, 19, 26 7-9pm

Fee: $80 for 3 class session, $30 single class

Drums provided. All Levels Welcome

More information:
http://www.marlaleigh.com/ArtofHanddrumming.htm

PRIVATE LESSON SPECIAL :
Marla is offering a 15% discount if you purchase 2 or 3 lessons in advance (for the month of August only)

David Kuckhermann has a new advanced frame drum DVD series out. Here's a trailer:

N Scott Robinson on Tour

I caught a concert yesterday with N. Scott Robinson and Mark Holland who are out here in California touring for their new album: Wind & Fire.

Mark plays Native American and other world flutes and Scott plays his collection of world percussion on the album. I've been listening to the album all day while I've been working. It's highly recommended.

They still have a few tour dates left. Check either of their websites for more details.

Riqq Classes in LA

Evan Gavriel Fiske will be giving some riq workshops this summer in LA:

Riq workshop series Los Angeles 2009

Wednesdays, July 15, 22, 29 and August 5

Beginners 7-8:30 pm

Classical, cabaret and folkloric holding positions
10-12 essential Middle-Eastern rhythms
Development exercises, finger rolls, odd-meter rhythms and more
Learn a new instrument this summer!

Intermediate 8:30-10 pm

Focus on classical technique and finger rolls
Advanced development and independence exercises
Rare traditional and long rhythms such as 13, 14, 16 and 19 beats
Focus on solos, accompaniment and the full sonic potential of the riq

Classes $25 each, or $80 pre-reg for all 4

Classes at Studio Iqaat in Eagle Rock
3515 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

To register or for questions email: gavrielsdrum at yahoo dot com. Evan will also be available during this time for private lessons in Venice Beach.

Evan is originally from California, and lived in Egypt for most of 1999 and 2000 and much of the class material is based on his studies there. For the last 7 years he has been based in Israel.

Check out his website: www.drumwise.net

Visit with Kobi Hagoel

I was able to find some time to met Kobi Hagoel in Israel this weekend. I traveled by train from Tel Aviv to his home in a small town outside of Tel Aviv.
Israel is an interesting place. I am glad that I was able to visit Kobi and experience how the "rest of Israel" lives, so that my impressions of life in Israel weren't skewed by experiencing life only in Tel Aviv (which is a big city, with all of pros/cons of a big city...).
Kobi welcomed my into his home and his studio (which happens to double as a bomb shelter...). We spent lot's of time working on Riq technique's (I was woefully out of practice...) and then some time on rhythm's. Again I was reminded of how fast a player Kobi is. He is well practiced and articulate in his style.
Near the end of our session, I pulled out my Native American Flutes and we jammed for bit.

NAFDA North 2

NAFDA North 2 - Cooperman Frame Drum Festival - Oct. 2-3, 2009 in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA

WEB: http://www.nafda1.com/nafdanorth.php


$100.00 per person for all workshops & concert (not including travel, lodging and meals)

Director: Todd Roach



Oct. 2 - Informal Concert / Jam Session

featuring all artists & special guests

Free


Workshops: Oct. 3, 2009

Patrick Graham - Mediterr-Asian Tambourine Techniques

Todd Roach - Frame Drum Compositions

Shane Shanahan - Modern Lap-style Bodhran Techniques

N. Scott Robinson - Riqq Techniques

Randy Gloss - Pandeiro Techniques



Oct. 3 - Concert - 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

(Open to the public - ticket required - $12.00)


Featuring

Todd Roach, Randy Gloss, N. Scott Robinson, Shane Shanahan, Patrick Graham with guest musicians: Mac Ritchey (oud) & K. S. Resmi (Carnatic Vocals)


RESERVATIONS: nafda1@gmail.com

Broken riqq

OUCH! Unfortunately, I went to pack my riq for my trip to Israel and I discovered that the fish skin head had pulled away from the shell. Looks like no riq for this trip. I talked to the guys at Cooperman today and I am shipping it back to them for reheading. I am going to go with the weatherking head this time, the fish skin is too temperamental.

NAFDA West

NAFDA West - California Frame Drum Festival

October 17, 2009 - North Hollywood, California, USA

REMO Recreational Music Center
7308 Coldwater Canyon (1/2 block North of Sherman Way)
North Hollywood, California 91605 USA

$100.00 (US) - all-inclusive for workshops & concert (lodging, travel
& meals not included)

RESERVATIONS: nafda1@gmail.com

Workshops: Oct. 17, 2009

9:00 am - 10:15 am - Dror Sinai - Introduction to Tar & Bendir

BREAK - 15"

10:30 am - 11:45 am - Houman Pourmehdi - Techniques & Rhythms of Persian Daf

BREAK - 15"

LUNCH on own - 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

1:00 pm - 2:15 pm - N. Scott Robinson - Modern Bodhran Techniques

BREAK - 15"

2:30 pm - 3:45 pm - Brad Dutz - Pandeiro Techniques & Rhythms

BREAK - 15"

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Randy Gloss - Kanjira Techniques

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Abbos Kosimov - Uzbek Doyra Techniques


DINNER on own - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Concert: John Bergamo Tribute

Oct. 17, 2009 - Concert - 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Doors open: 7:30 pm

(Open to the public - $15.00 at door - cash only)

Featuring:

John Bergamo Dedication,

Hands On'semble (Randy Gloss, Austin Wrinkle & Andrew Grueschow),

Abbos Kosimov,

Houman Pourmehdi,

K. S. Resmi (Carnatic Vocals) & N. Scott Robinson,

Dror Sinai,

Miranda Rondeau,

Brad Dutz


--
North American Frame Drum Association, Inc.

WEB: http://www.nafda1.com

NAFDA South

NAFDA South
[Editor's note: updated on 5/1/2009]

NAFDA South - Southern Frame Drum Festival
September 12, 2009 in Kennesaw, Georgia, USA

WEB: http://www.nafda1.com/nafdasouth.php


Hosted by

Georgia Center for the Arts / Murray Arts Center
2250 Stilesboro Road
Kennesaw, Georgia 30152 USA

$100.00 per person for all workshops & concert (not including travel, lodging and meals)

Director: Dave Holland

Featuring:

Workshops by

-Yousif Sheronick - Modern Bodhran Techniques

-Matt Kilmer - Ocean Drum & Kanjira Techniques

-N. Scott Robinson - Riqq Techniques

-Randy Gloss - Hand Held Frame Drum Techniques

-Rafael Pereira - Pandeiro Techniques



Evening Concert with (Subject to Change):

-Winthrop University Percussion Ensemble

-B. Michael Williams

-Todd Roach

-The New Aiyê Project - André Rievers (guitar & vocal), Rafael Pereíra, Juan Bonini (percussion)

-Paul "River" Guerguerian & John Vorus (didjeridu & electronics)

-N. Scott Robinson & K. S. Resmi (Carnatic vocals)

-Matt Kilmer

-Yousif Sheronick

-Randy Gloss

RESERVATIONS: nafda1@gmail.com

Frame Drums and Singing ~ Private Lessons and Workshop

with Rowan Storm
Athens Greece, 27 April - 23 June 2009

Frame Drums and Singing
~ and other Middle Eastern Percussion
~ Private Lessons and
~ Frame Drums and Singing Workshop (more info soon)

Private lessons for percussion instruments including:
- Frame Drums: bendir, tambourine (riq), daff, and Rowan Storm Dayereh, now in production at Cooperman Drums
- Darbukka, (dumbek or tumbeleki), tombak, finger cymbals

- For beginners through advanced
- Learn efficient technique, empowering you to play for many hours with stamina and confidence
- Learn to play with authority and power, from the most basic to complex rhythms
- Learn to improvise and stay grounded 'in time'
- Learn to play with ensembles of traditional music
- Learn to play with percussion groups
- Learn to sing and play simultaneously, with songs from Armenia, Greece, Turkey, Iran

- Greek, English, Persian languages spoken

ALSO:
30 and 31 May
Frame Drums and Singing ~ Weekend Workshop
with Carpet Concert
~ more info coming soon

Please contact
rowanstorm@carpetconcert.com
0030 210 3643685

NAFDA Canada - Canadian Frame Drum Festival

NAFDA Canada - Canadian Frame Drum Festival - 6 spots left!

Cost: $90.00 Canadian (or $75.00 US dollars) for all 6 workshops and the 2 hour concert.

Event is all-inclusive only - pay one price for entire day
(does not include travel, meals or lodging).

RESERVATIONS: nafda1@gmail.com

June 14, 2009 - Sunday

at The Royal Conservatory
273 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1W2 Canada

Workshops - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

with Trichy Sankaran - South Indian kanjira, Ziya Tabassian - Persian daf, Patrick Graham - Mediterr-Asian Tambourine, N. Scott Robinson - modern bodhran, Steafan Hannigan - Irish bodhran, Alan Hetherington - Brazilian pandeiro.

Concert - 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm (open to public - $15.00 per ticket)

featuring: Trichy Sankaran, Todd Roach, Thamima Sousa de Carvalho, N. Scott Robinson & K. S. Resmi, Cairdeas (Steafan Hannigan with Saskia Thomkins and Elizabeth Barlow), Patrick Graham & Gary Diggins, Alan Hetherington & Wagner Petrilli and Escola de Samba de Toronto.

WEB: http://www.nafda1.com/nafdacanada.php - ENGLISH

http://www.nafda1.com/nafdacanada2.php - FRENCH

__________________________________________________________

NAFDA Canada Frame Drum Scholarship - APPLY NOW!

Awarded to a one deserving Canadian university percussion student to cover the workshop & concert cost of NAFDA Canada frame drum festival (90$ CAD total value). To apply, applicants should send proof of student status (meaning a copy of your university ID and a recommendation letter from your private teacher at the program you are registered for on university letterhead in English), a short 3-5 minutes video demonstration (DVD-R minus video in NTSC format only) of your percussion ability with a letter stating your full name, address, e-mail, and experiences and interest in hand drumming. The winner will be decided by vote by a panel of 3 judges drawn from the NAFDA Canada artist roster with attention given to university percussionists with a demonstrated hand drumming ability who send in complete applications by the deadline.

DEADLINE to apply: May 15, 2009

Winner announced by e-mail - June 1, 2009

Send completed applications to:

Patrick Graham
308 Murray Street
Greenfield Park, Quebec
J4V 1N7 Canada

I will be in Israel in May

I will traveling to Israel for 10 days next month. I am looking forward to connecting with Kobi Hagoel and others. Drop me a line if you're in Israel and want to get together and jam, I'll be bringing my Riqq and several Native American style flutes with middle eastern tunings...

Amazing Darbuka Solo

Check out this kid:

Cooperman Artist Series Riqq on eBay

There's an auction for a Cooperman Artist series Riqq:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250382348751

It's not particularly cheap, especially with the $67.68 shipping...

Tamburi Mundi 2009

Tamburi Mundi - huge international frame drum festival in Freiburg,
in Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg - Germany

Info: info@tamburimundi.de

Web: http://www.tamburimundi.com/circle/index.php? ?
option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=100026&lang=en

Featuring workshops & concerts by:

• Glen Velez & Lori Cotler
• Ramesh Shotham
• Hakim Ludin
• Andrea Piccioni
• Murat Coºkun
• Todd Roach
• N. Scott Robinson & K. S. Resmi
• David Kuckhermann
• Joss Turnbull
• Michael Metzler
• Gilson de Assis
• Nora Thiele
• Michael Metzler
• Thórralf Schuh
• Bruno Spagna
• Shakir Ertek
• Sattor Fozilov
• and more!
  

Vendors - Cooperman, Anklang Musikwelt, and many others!

NAFDA North 2 - Cooperman Frame Drum Festival 2

NAFDA North 2 - Cooperman Frame Drum Festival 2

Get this event on your calendars now! It will sell out again this year!!

WHEN: Oct. 2-3, 2009 in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA

COST: $100.00

Reservations: nafda1@gmail.com

Info: http://www.nafda1.com/nafdanorth.php

Workshops by:

• Patrick Graham - Mediterr-Asian Tambourine Techniques
• Yousif Sheronick - Lap Style Frame Drumming
• David Kuckhermann - Tar & Hand Held Frame Drum Techniques
• N. Scott Robinson - Riqq Techniques
• Todd Roach - Frame Drum Compositions

Concerts on Oct. 2 & 3, 2009

Featuring: Yousif Sheronick, David Kuckhermann, N. Scott Robinson &
K. S. Resmi (Carnatic vocals), Patrick Graham, and Todd Roach & Mac
Ritchey (oud).

NAFDA Canada

NOTE: The date has been changed! This is a revised post!!

NAFDA Canada - Canadian Frame Drum Festival - June 14, 2009 - Sunday in Toronto!

Featuring artists from Canada, India, Ireland, USA, and Iran.

Location:

The Royal Conservatory of Music
273 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1W2 Canada

COST - $90.00 Canadian ($75.00 US) - all-inclusive (lodging, travel &
meals not included)

RESERVATIONS - nafda1@gmail.com

INFO - http://www.nafda1.com/nafdacanada.php

Workshops: June 14, 2009 - SUNDAY - 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Trichy Sankaran - Kanjira Techniques & Style
Patrick Graham - Mediterr-Asian Tambourine Techniques
Ziya Tabassian - Persian Daf & Dayereh Techniques & Rhythms
N. Scott Robinson - Modern Bodhran Techniques
Alan Hetherington - Brazilian Pandeiro Techniques & Rhythms
Steáfán Hannigan - Irish Bodhrán Techniques & Rhythms


Concert: June 14, 2009 - Sunday - 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Featuring

Trichy Sankaran & Suba Sankaran,

Steáfán Hannigan (percussion, uilleann pipes, tin whistle & laptop)
with Cairdeas: Saskia Tomkins (fiddle, nyckelharpa), Elizabeth Barlow
(voice & harp), Oisin Hannigan (bodhrán) & dancers Eile Hannigan and
Ayisha Hannigan,

N. Scott Robinson & K. S. Resmi (Carnatic vocals),

Patrick Graham & Debashis Sinha (percussion & electronics),

Ziya Tabassian,

Todd Roach,

Alan Hetherington & Escola de Samba de Toronto,

& Alderville First Nation Drummers (all-female singing frame drummers)!

VENDOR: Cooperman will have a booth with frame drums for sale.

Glen Velez San Francisco Frame Drum Intensive Training

Glen Velez
San Francisco Frame Drum Intensive Training, sponsored in part by Cooperman

Three Weekends: February-May 2009

Join Grammy-award winning musician Glen Velez for an intensive training with the frame drum. This 3 part weekend series will explore the wide range of frame drum techniques which form the basis of Velez's playing. Included in the series are detailed exercises and systematic approaches to developing the sounds and finger manipulations needed to produce the extensive array of musical forms and rhythms used by Velez in his performances.

Students will learn methods for enhancing their sense of steady pulse by using vocalizations and stepping. This use of voice and simple body movements effectively increases one's feeling of groove and syncopation. As an important support to our drumming we will use overtone singing to increase our awareness of breathing as well as drum language to accelerate our learning of new rhythms. Frame drum techniques from the Middle East, South India, Central Asia and South Italy will be thoroughly covered in the classes. We will learn how to master the individual styles, as well as incorporate them into a hybrid frame drum style, while using our new knowledge to examine and develop drum compositions. As a group we will discover the potential of the frame drum as a solo instrument, a drum ensemble instrument, and as an instrument for meditative self reflection.

INFO will appear here: http://www.ciis.edu/publicprograms

Event contact: publicprograms@ciis.edu

Glen Velez: http://www.glenvelez.com