Drum Circles...

On my mind... Drum Circles... I think that when (if) things calm down in my life and I catch up on some stuff, I would love to be a regular at a drum circle. A drum circle is simply a bunch of people gathering together and making music together--usually with hand-drums and other simple percussion instruments (though violins and flutes are not unwelcome). The point is to make music together--it's a performance in the sense that there isn't usually much of an audience, per se, just different levels of participation in the music making itself.

This an ancient practice, and is the common way that people learn to play the drum in aural cultures. You simply show up with your drum and listen to the rhythm and find a place in it. You watch, and eventually imitate, more skillful players.

Probably the best known Drum Circle in Toronto is Drummers in Exile. They meet every Tuesday night downtown, and are open to anyone who wants to attend. They have a pretty modest budget, and have a pay-what-you-want policy.

Here is an example of what they sound like (a track they called "sometimes"):


Here is another example entitled "Galley on Chug":


It looks like a lot of fun!

-t