Day 6: Pyramid of Rhythm, a photo blog.

After a fun-filled, yet heavy night I woke up to get ready for our final Pyramid class. The day started with announcements from Kelvin as to what we should expect from this evening's perforance: A lot of energy and chaos was the crux of it...

It was then Mamady's turn to speak with us. By now we had spent five days learning new rhythms and phrases and carefully stacked them  one on top of another. It was now time to go over this from the top and iron out any creases.

After an initial, rather rusty run through we had to get ready to stand up and play because that's how it was going to be at the performance. Hence, we strapped up and got into our formation. On stage were the intermediate students, some of the advance students and the dununs. Below, right with the audience were the soloists and Mamady himself.

After two rehearsals, we got ready for lunch and departure in our carpool groups from the previous night. At lunch we met mother Robin from Bhoomi Sehat, the NGO for  whom we were playing and raising money. She is an extremely driven and down to Earth woman. I think a life dedicated to a purpose does that. She gleamed with a sense of calm and strength and carried it with grace and dignity. I felt proud to be able to give something back to the local social labyrinth. It was then time to leave. The venue, located in the centre  of the  city awaited us...

This was where we were to take centre stage. Sue marks the spot!

As the performers trickled in, I thought I could make the most of the waiting time and bring back some memories of the people I met from this times workshop... Here's Michi Henning from Australia...

The cool and calm, James 'Karinka' Kwan from Hong Kong... (He was the one who would solo after me. My slot was solo # 3 in the rhythm Kuruni. I was to start after 'Kay' from  China. Honestly, I don't remember how I did but all I do remember is Mamady's words... "Play for your country, carry your flag, like in the Olympics and play with joy." So after taking his blessings I played. There are many things I would do differently when I think about it now... But that is the fruit of practice and experience; fluency under tremendous adrenalin flow!

... Onward to team Japan, Ken Tokuda to my right and Hiroki Murai to my left. Both these souls led with grace and strength; inspite of a cold and flu, they marched on.

... With Djembefola and Djembe maker extraordinaire, Jeremy Tomasck. Some of you in India, (Satyajit and Bipin) shall have his djembes very soon...

... This is with the charming and supremely talented Tara Tucker, director of TTM Cairns. A little birdie told me we are going to get to see her soon this year... So, keep watching for more...

... All of us strapped up and took our positions on stage and in front  of the stage. From this perspective I was in front of stage to the extreme left and hence not in this photo but you get the picture... don't you...? The rest is history. I have no specific memory of the performance but all I remember is that each and every one of us played our hearts out and made sure that we gave it all our energy, happiness and love because that's exactly all that has gone into this week-long process of creation and learning...

...After the performance and after gradually winding down we made our way to Bebek Bengil, a lovely restaurant that served a special dish called the 'Dirty Duck,' which was fried to perfection and served with a sautéed and spiced piece of sweet lime that made the experience crunchy and juicy all at the same time. As if this was not enough, we were in store for a performance by our fellow student, Chatur's band. The band showcased music from Senegal and created the perfect ambience for some conversation and most importantly, some dance moves... Mamady and then Kelvin joined them for a song...

... It was only a matter of sometime before the TTM heavy weights joined the band for a section each... Next was Sekou's turn...

... Next was Jeremy... While all this was happening yours truly was leading what seemed to be a growing dance population with some Bollywood moves...

... Linda Nathan, Australia's second certified TTM teacher laying down some chops...

... Even Mamady could not contain the dancer in him; at least not until he passed the dancing groups on his way to the loo... Sekou did the honours on the Djembe... The party continued until we were all danced out and had our go at the Djembe and the Bollywood dance moves. Big up to the band for supporting us whole-heartedly and with vigour from the first note will the last... What followed that night back at the resort was a wonderful gathering of people from all over the world around the big swimming pool singing songs from their culture and sharing the joy and love that each and every one of us created ourselves. This would after all, be our takeaway from this workshop; the people, connections, memories and rhythms...

The next day, I woke up with groggy eyes and a heavy heart to see some of the people off, with whom I spent only a short while with but whom I have come to know and love very deeply... We set up a photo booth where all our goodbye pictures would be taken. This one is with Namory and Kelvin...

... Here's my brother from another mother, Derrel Sekou Soumah Walker...

... This is with Namory, sporting the Taal Inc. T and me sporting a "controversial" T; but my Indian friends, you'll know that it is completely harmless, isn't it?

... And finally, this is one with the Master himself. This time around I felt closer and more connected with Mamady. I begin to understand more and more what the Djembe is and what being a Djembefola represents and entails...

Thanks to Mamady and each and everyone present at Mini Guinea Camp Asia, Bali 2012 and all those back home in Pune from  Taal Inc. who support me, I walk this path with my head held high, keen ears, a heart full of love and a rhythm on my mind...

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Day 5: Kechak Ke-Chak Kech-Ak

A thousand apoplogies for my delay in prompt daily blog entry updation. But as Day 5 started every thing gathered a new momentum and required my 100% percent presence for total honest recall in this blog and in my future of Djembe playing. Hence it is for the greater good! So here goes; this is how Day 5 started...

After a fruity breakfast of champions, we warmed up to Djansa once again, trying to be graceful, despite our rusty joints and muscles. We then went on to dance to the rhythm of Sunun (a.k.a Goi), a rhythm of the Kassounke people from Mali and the Kaye's region. It is now a popular rhythm that is played in many festivals. The choreography was mellow in comparison to yesterday's rhythm, Soko. This was an intentional choice by Sekou so that we could concentrate on the djembe rhythms and most importantly, the pyramid class. Come to think of it, the past three days I have been waking up early, drumming, dancing and meeting wonderful people on the similar path all the time... I sure hope to continue this discipline once I'm back in India.

Immediately after the dance class, we had our advance class session with Mamady. We finished the breaks and the technique phrases for Tiriba (the rhythm played yesterday) in class today.

This is what Mamady has made it sound like with his ensemble Sewakan:

We had our up and down moments through the session. Each time the group faltered, Mamady did not spoon feed us with the hand order or the sound but told us what we needed to hear to dig deep within and bring out what was necessary to get the break precisely and correctly.

It is amazing how Mamady can hear he sound of every drum very clearly through the crowd and make his judgements very calmly and calculatedly. He knows when to push and when to be soft and tolerant. I sense this when he works with simple parts with students of different levels. The crux of our learning was (is) to be clear about what we are playing and not hesitate or second guess ourselves; else we leave the group behind and the entire purpose of the ensemble is lost.

The Intermediate class after us finished their technique phrases for the rhythm Sewa. From a third persons perspective, he was pushing both groups to achieve way more than their league and hence push themselves to truly get better that their playing before a Mamady Keita workshop.

It was a busy and administrative afternoon for me after the intermediate class. As soon as I was back in the resort I went to the class venue and worked with some of the intermediate level students with some of the pyramid rhythm phases. I remembered how important this was (is) for me when I did not get my head completely around a rhythm or a phrase and I had no mentor to go to.

It was then time for our almost final pyramid class before the last evening ur with all the participants and for the special occasion of being witness to a Kechak dance performance. We got around reaching the end of our pyramid structure. Due to the lack of a sufficient amount of time we managed to do four rhythms with breaks and respective techniques in the rhythms.

On a personal note I am happy to know that my efforts during the recent past are going noticed. More importantly, I am aware of the path that lies ahead of me and the discipline I have to inculcate to make that dream / ambition a reality.

We reached a lovely venue with a large sloping roof for our dinner, apart from getting photos with new friends and old, from all over the world. Mamady led the evening with a toast to each and every person present in that venue for having dedicated a fraction or great deal of their lives to the mission of the Djembe; an instrument that knows no boundaries and does not discriminate. His mission is one of spreading joy and peace and awareness of culture, of nature and it's great powers.

As we finished dinner the Kechak performers got ready and a large group of performers came to the stage while singing a highly syncopated acapela 'keChak ' , 'keChak ' part while one person kept a pulse with a 'Shirr Po' sound and depicting the entire story of the Ramayana, an ancient story from Indian Hindu mythology. Amongst the dancers were Lord Hanuman, Lord Ram and Ravana. They have a beautiful but slightly different version of the depiction of the Ramayana and I will point out this difference once I have done some basic research on the version I have grown up with. Until then this is what it looked and sounded like:

They looked so amazingly in sync with each other that their parts seemed almost random yet minutely precise.

Here's what they looked like:

As a result of impeccable planning by TTM Singapore staff, we were pre divided into groups to go and come back from the venue. Thanks to my chat with my carpooling group Suraya (queen of the Kenkeni), Zen and Fin (the documentary film shooting crew) on the way to the venue I learned a little bit about Malay, Indonesian and Chinese culture and especially predominant Hindu preservation in Bali.

As we got back to the resort, there was a buzz in the air all around. Everybody was bustling with energy. I could hear laughter in the horizon to my right, some muted djembe phrases to my left and some shouts of, 'Campei' straight ahead. Ten points for the one who guesses which sound I followed.

I will only say this and I quote Michi from team  Australia, "I haven't laughed as hard as I did on Saturday in a long time!" :-). Team Australia wins the 'Best Entertainer in an Overseas Djembe Camp' Prize.

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Day 4: A test of mettle

By now, the rate of perception of the days passing by is inversely proportional to the amount of sleep one gets. Every morning, eyes gets groggier and hands feel heavier but the smiles cannot be seen diminishing from each and every one of us...

We started with the second TTM curriculum class where we ran through some level 2 rhythms. We warmed up with Soli De Manian, which is the Soli rhythm of the Manian people (an ethnic group from South, forest Guinea, namely the Beyla and Kerouani regions)

We then moved onto one of my favorites, Soliwoulen. This is a rhythm of the Malinke people where a fetish maker (red panther) dances and frees a person or a village of evil spirits.

Next on the list was Djagbe, a Malinke rhythm that is usually played at the end of Ramzan or the Tabaski festival. This has now also become a rhythm that is played to welcome a visitor to a village.

The next rhythm to be payed was a rhythm from a higher level called Kontemuru. This is a Malinke rhythm from the Faranah region about a dancer who created his own dance and travelled from village to village spreading his dance and joy. This is a very skilled and acrobatic dance.

Going through each of these rhythms is such a boon, considering the wealth of experience and love that underlays the transmission of this knowledge. Obviously, one has to play these rhythms for a long period to actually get into the feeling of the spirit of the rhythm.

Next was the Inrermediate class's turn to play. They continued playing Mamady's technique for the rhythm Sewa. Here's where I tried to get some rest and also run through all we did so far considering there were only a few more days to go to end the workshop.

As the advance class session started, we learned the final technique for Koma (the rhythm we played during the previous class) and then moved onto Tiriba. This is a rhythm of the Landuma people from the North West of Guinea (Boke and Bofa regions). This beautiful dance created by a man called Tiriba. When he wore his costume, he would be called by the name, Tiriba. He would tour the villages dancing this dance. He would not play for money, but to spread joy. The second reason this rhythm is played is to mark the end of the initiation of young girls. Hence this is also a dance that is danced by the young initiated girls and their mothers. The popularity of this rhythm kept growing and now it's played by many other ethnic groups as well. As the heritage of a rhythm changes from east to west, apart from the feeling, the phrasing of a rhythm changes drastically. As a culture differs from another, so does a rhythm. Having said this, just as there are differences there are unifying factors that break all cultural barriers. The Tiriba Dununba pattern is hauntingly similar to the Dhol pattern played during the festival of Lord Ganesha in India.

Mamady then spoke about the use of the mind, heart and conscience along with the muscles while playing a rhythm or more importantly, a roll phrase during a solo. More than blisteringly fast solos what mattered was that one is voyaging as close to where the rhythm comes from to transmit the feeling of that rhythm to wherever one is at the present moment. Mamady then broke into a flawless, fluid and soulful expression on his Djembe to end class. Throughout this solo, it did not matter whether there were cameras or people gathering around him. What mattered to him was his village or land in Balandugu. Nature, he said, is above all. It inspires, creates, destroys and shows the way for everything. That's where he plays and makes he Djembe talk, like you and me.

Through lunch, I caught up with James Kwan (aka Karinka) from TTM Hong Kong. James is a very calm, centred and soft man. A multi talented musician, trombone player in Hong Kong told me how his journey with the Djembe started and how it was Mamady's excellence and humility that attracted James to him. He also told us how as TTM directors it is their responsibility to bring such people together to share the mission of the Djembe, of one world and one rhythm.

Today was our penultimate pyramid class and so as expected, things began to heat up. We finished the rhythm Fe' 2's technique and moved to Soli De Manian. I can't wait to bring this pyramid back to India and perform it with the Taal Inc. Rhythm Ensemble for their next gig. (heads up!)

After pyramid class we had our customary Mamady Q'n'A session over dinner. Here's when people get to know their master better. The topics discussed were the true qualities of a master djembefola, his philosophy and responsibility. Today with the viral nature of the djembe there are many quacks in the name of djembefolas and it is our duty to be clear as to our intent of learning. It is important to know if one wants to learn the traditional, street or ballet style of playing. All said and done, this process that Mamady is taking us through is rooted in tradition and built for the future.

Mamady told us about his journey as a Djembefola since he was 12 years of age. He had to leave everything he knew since he was the youngest, most talented Djembefola in the region and was selected to play with Harry Belafonte's ensemble and so he packed his bags and went to train with his fellow selected musicians. Soon after things changed and he was a part of Ballet National Djojliba that travelled touring the world bringing West African music to the world. Mamady has been on the move all his life, in body, mind and spirit... A true dedicated master.

Speaking of dedication, since time was short, Sekou wanted to share with us (the bunch of enthusiastic dancers) as much info and dance moves as he could. It was decided to have a night dance class. Kelvin, Jeremy, Namory, Hiroki, Sue, Bing and Michi stayed back after their harrowingly long day to drum for the class. We danced the rhythm Soko. This is a Malinke rhythm from the Faranah region and is a pre initiation rhythm; a rhythm and dance that's performed once the date for circumcision has been decided.

We finished With class at about 11:30pm, tired, sweaty but pumped and ready for more. The atmosphere was full of positive and conducive learning vibes. Like Jeff (from team Australia) said, "We'll sleep when we're on the plane!", as we went through the vibrant and elegant coreography. Unlike most folk dances from back home in India, West African dance is way more physically challenging. Musically and rhythmically it is very beautifully syncopated, so much so that a dancer and a djembefola will not even consciously know the complexity of his or her achievements. It must be so to retain its charm and beauty.

I decided to wind down with some cultural exchange with team Korea (led by Namory), Jeff, Kumbana, Nini and Benjie.

Tomorrow morning we prepare for our last dance class and our final day of intermediate and advance level classes.

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Linda to be the second person from Australia to be certified as a TTM teacher by Mamady Keita today. Good on her for her courage, calm and hard work.

With a mind full of rhythms, a heart full of joy and some Bali moonlight, I bid you, goodnight.

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Day 3: Dance baby dance!

Dance class started 15 minutes earlier than scheduled so that we had time to cool down before our Djembe session with Mamady would begin. Very thoughtful, but this meant a half hour less of sleep... (A sacrifice well worth it as you will soon discover). With groggy eyes, I went to the breakfast buffet and decided to be smart and have only fruits so as to fuel my body with the right nutrients to make it move gracefully and rhythmically...

We started with a warm up routine with the rhythm Djansa. This one is one of my personal favourites and I pretty much danced my way up to the venue. Sekou is a perfectionist and it shows it in his every mannerism. Having said this, he makes sure that everybody in the class is with him, leaving nobody behind. This is what makes a great teacher.

'If you can talk you can sing, if you can walk you can dance!' This was put to test today for all of us. There students of all levels in the class. As a first time participant, apart from the basic moves (which were achievable), I was trying to absorb as much of the micro movements of the smaller sets of muscles that made the dance step come alive. "Lead this step with your rib cage," said Sekou. I couldn't even begin to fathom how this was possible, as I start realizing the existence of new muscle groups in my body.

We then moved to a super groovy rhythm called Sente, of the Nalu ethnic group. This is a baby-christening rhythm. Almost all ceremonies that have to do with a baby or infant are done in witness of Sente. Up until now I thought that keeping track of the pyramid class patterns were difficult, but the choreography, purely because of my lack of exposure to the same, sure took the cake. I find it extremely important that a Djembefola knows the dance and the dancer knows the Dunun and Djembe parts. Only then does the rhythm come together. As we performed the steps with the breaks, this realization became clearer and clearer.

The session ended with the entire group being divided in two halves and a final run through of our short sequence followed by a customary salute to the musicians who supported us through the class providing live energy through their playing... This is something I am used to considering that it is the first thing a Bharatnatyam dancer or a Kathak dancer (traditional Indian classical dances) will do before starting his or her performance. Oh what a beautifully invigorating way to start the day...

After a quick cooling down session (for me = bath) I quickly made my way back to the class for the advance class with Mamady. We immediately started the Malinke rhythm of 'Koma'. This is the name of a mask that belongs to a secret community of the Mandingue. In Guinea this rhythm is not allowed to be played without the permission of this community. This is the reason Mamady did not teach this rhythm for a large part of his teaching career. The unveiling of this mask could be seen only by the members of this secret community. This experience is said to be the most powerful fetish that one can find. The spirit of the mask is said to protect the village from evil spirits and is used for healing. The rhythm is a traditional one but the technique has been created by Mamady himself.

* In my last blog I had put up short MP3s of the rhythms played. Now, since I am blogging from an iPad I find it difficult to sort out all the format conversions and things to put everything up given the time constraints. I will however, do this once I am back in India in one consolidated blog update.

After our class, just when I thought I would get some rest... I heard Mamady start the rhythm 'Sewa' with the Intermediate class. Whether it was the rhythm or my insatiable hunger for djembe rhythms, i still don't know but I soon found myself beside the class lawns practising my dance moves courtesy Mr. Sekou from Portland.

Later, Koumbana my roommate (who has been christened so by Mohammed Bangoura after the great Sangban player Kumbana Konte) and I went around town on my royal steed in search of the best percussion instruments Bali could offer us.

We made sure to get back in time to fortify a decent seat for the Pyramid class. Before I continue, a special mention must be made to Kelvin and TTM Singapore (Lila Drums), the TTM directors and the Bhanuswari Resort for the impeccable care taken for every minute detail in terms of the organization of this entire workshop despite mental and physical fatigue. Hats off to you all.

So far in the pyramid class we finished Kudani and Kuruni. Today we added Fe' (number 2) and some wicked technique patterns from the heart of the Wassolon Region, from where Mamady hails. It took us a while to get past the last humdinger of a half-loose-flam roll phrase but all's well that ends well and this called for some celebration. So, after dropping Sekou to the TTM villa (since he wanted to get a taste of a Bali bikers experience), team Australia (represented by Jeff, Robin, Simone and Jack) and team India/China (yours truly and Kumbana) decided to treat ourselves to some jazz at the bar in Ubud.

The evening was full of Latin passion, salsa, West-African dance practice, down beats, singing and a whole lot of muffi... Pardon me, monkeying around.

I couldn't think of a better way to end the long, physical workout of a day but by having a dip in the pool that was outside my room.

God bless Bali and the wonderful energy at this Djembe workshop...

This brings to 50% of our workshop and once again time is flying by like it does during most pivotal times in life.

Anisu everybody!

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Day 2: The time of reckoning and a taste of things to come...

My day started nice and early today. I caught an early breakfast and got ready for our first TTM level assessment class. This class is dedicated to students who want to have a structured learning experience with the TTM grading. It is a well thought of curriculum and helps categorize the rhythms in a way that makes it easy to learn and for students to feel small successes along the way.

This class was taken by the TTM directors. We started off with the basics and went through the level one rhythms first. Each director took turns in teaching/demonstrating the rhythms. Each director exuberates a certain calm yet dynamic energy; one that implies a long journey within to find one's rhythm and learn and accurately transmit the art of Djembe playing. I personally got to learn a lot about their individual teaching styles and methods.

We made use of time to go through rhythms until Mamady came in. It was then time for the intermediate class. Mamady taught them the warrior rhythm of Sofa with some of his introduction technique and breaks. Koumbana (my roommate from China) and I could hear the drumming from the privacy of our rooms. We could even record the parts clearly; some advantages of 40 drummers playing at once.

In the mean time I was preparing myself for the Advance level batch. I knew that Mamady really pushes his students, no matter what level they're at but even more so when the stakes are higher. Since I am on the path to certification I knew that I had to push it. This was my way of testing myself. Honoring self choice, students are given the first day as a test. If Mamady feels that one does not belong in a certain group he bumps him/her up or down depending on their over or under achievement.

As the students took their seats I could sense the heat in the air. Mamady held no quarter as he started 'Lekule', a rhythm of the 'Gerse' ethnic group from Southern Guinea. The original instrument of the Gerse people is the 'Bala', an instrument similar to a medium sized djembe, made out of cow or antilope skin, with many tiny djembes attached all around it. The story is that there was this great Gerse percussionist who came up with and dedicated many a rhythm to his wife. He also sang her many songs. His wife's name was 'Lekule'.

The Dunun section is an adaptation by Mamady. The djembe rhythms were themselves the not very common ones... But it was only until he started his solo technique that things really started heating up. Many a googly was thrown, there were many forehead cringes, many embarrassed smiles but at the end of it all I think we all came through more realistic about our own level in the whole scheme of things. There's always more to learn and newer milestones to pass... What's most important is doing the best one can do every single day and the rest takes care of itself; mainly because, the reason say, a harvest rhythm is played is to celebrate a great harvest, or motivate the farmers and not to secretly judge the level of another as they played. Only joy was and shall continue to be the reason the Djembe speaks... Like you and me.

I felt happy to get through the advance class knowing that I can apply myself to keep achieving more and being as clear, precise and accurate about the material that I perform and pass on to my students.... Because, there are miles to go, before I sleep!

After a heavy lunch and some rest, Koumbana and I went through all we had done before to make sure we would be prepared for the Pyramid class to come. Our pyramid class started with Malinke language course 101. Here's what we learned:

Isogoma / Isoma: Good Morning (when said to one person)
Aisogoma / Aisoma: Good Morning (when said to many)
Initele: Good Day (when said to one person)
Ainitele: Good Day (when said to many)
Inigura: Good Evening (when said to one person)
Ainigura: Good Evening (when said to many)
Inisu: Good Night (when said to one person)
Ainisu: Good Night (when said to many)
Tanate: How are you?
Tanacite: I'm well / fine
M'ba: Thank You (to be used by men)
M'se: Thank You (to be used by women)

P.s. I'll be testing my students randomly in Malinke..., so be prepared!

We continued our stacking of technique patterns during our Pyramid class for Kudani and added a new rhythm called Kuruni. The performance is taking shape well as we gear up for our local performance on the 5th of August. Already we have a very supportive audience in the happy hotel staff all singing djembe breaks and air drumming... Let's hope we have the similar effect on the Balinese audience who comes out to watch us.

After class Tara and I went to visit Mr. Aan, our djembe maker. His family hosted us with such love and grace that we had to show our love, the only way we knew how to... By playing Djembe....

After a long ride along the Balinese countryside, in the search for the famous, 'Big Baby Statue,' we got home in one piece without ending up on another island entirely.... Phew.

Tomorrow I have my first West African dance class with Sekou the super fit, calm, hawk eyed TTM teacher from Portland, USA. I can't wait...

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Day 1: Welcome, Pyramid Class and Fun

There was excitement in the air today. I guess my body sensed the start some something new; of something familiar yet fascinatingly new.

I rented a motorbike and went to visit Mr. Aan to see the progress of the djembe I'd be using for the duration of the workshop. Karthik and Ameya, my students from India, if you're reading this, one of you lucky boys is going to get this djembe. It is a well carved and well crafted djembe. Since the skin was just put on today I'm waiting I'll it dries completely so that I can give it an extra yank to bring out its true potential sound. Here's what it looks like:

Just before returning to the resort, I met Hirotaka and his friends from Japan at Mr. Aan's djembe shop. Needless to say a goodbye mini drumming session broke loose. Ah, the wild and free spirit of a Djembefola!

With the djembe on the Balinese version of a Scooty Pep, I returned home to find the entire TTM crew having threir lunch at the resort. What was a quiet farm resort was bustling with sounds and many a rhythm to be... Apart from Mamady Keita himself and the immediate TTM family it was superbly pleasant to meet friends from Singapore 2010. Pat, Mok, Sue, Germaine and of course he official go-to couple for this years workshop, Nick and June.

I narrated to those who knew me and my work from the last two years, how the Djembe community in India is growing gradually and is getting more and more aware and Inshallah, shall see such an international gathering in the flesh, in the not so distant future. "It will happen," were Kelvin's encouraging words.

We had a few hours until the fist evening's Pyramid class by Mamady Keita. After walking to the workshop area and taking in the calm before the storm...

... I decided to spend this time meeting all the people I could. The workshop saw around fifty five participants in total. The sheer number of people gathered for this workshop speaks so clearly about the magnetism of the Djembe and of Mamady of course. Countries like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Poland, Belgium, Singapore, Australia and India (!) were represented in the workshop... It seemed like a UN peace gathering.

after the initial welcome note, introductions and announcements of the structure of the workshop, in true style Mamady kicked off the first Pyramid class with a piece called 'Kudani.' This is a performance that he has dedicated to his grandmother. From the start of the accompanying rhythms we felt the heat of the pieces to follow

The Pyramid is all about precision. It is a performance based on a triangular stacking of rhythm after rhythm, phrase after phrase. It is a true test of accuracy, memory, and excellence.

The phrases made sure were on top of our game and and constantly vigil, but most importantly I realized when I missed Mamady thw most was when he said, in the most earnest voice to all of us, "Don't rush and don't late!!" (Michi, my friend from my two previous MK workshops, and I looked at each other and shared a knowing smile.)

We reached the end of day 1 and were told to move to the main lobby for a welcome dinner and a special Balinese dance performance. We were surprised oh so pleasantly, as beautiful dancers took centre stage with equally colourfully dressed musicians supporting them. The had traditional instruments with them. Some sounded like the West African Balafon. I will find out their original names and out it up as I know them. The percussion instrument that one of the musicians was using, looked and seemed to be played like the Dholki from India but sounded very low pitched in comparison.

The dancers sure knew how to get the crowd going by making each one of the gentlemen, and some select women, from the audience come and dance with them one by one. Here were some of the highlights, Mamady, Sekou (our African dance teacher for this workshop) and Jeremy at their dancing best! Needless to say, Sekou took the cake.

After a long day of welcome, rhythm, delicious food and frolic, it was time to rest and prepare for seven more days of such promise. I leave you with what Mamady explained to us about the Pyramid concept. He said that even though a hundred drummers play with two hundred hands, it should sound like one very big, heavy handed drummer is playing; it should sound like ONE.

Come. Drum. Be One.

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Day 0 - Arrrival and Settling in...

This year's trip started with my customary one day Singapore visit and halt at my parent's place. Its always wonderful to have a home away from home, was my first feeling as I walked home from Bedok MRT. After a long walk at the East Coast park, a scrumptious meal and catching up with an old friend from school, Sanket, it was time for bed and preparing for my departure to Bali the next day.

There's something about this place, Bali. Right from the scent of incense sticks at the Airport to the streets where ancient statues and temples sneak up you, there's something about this place that reminds me of home. I observed in Indonesia something that I find slowly dwindling in India, the dignity of labour all around; Despite other 'Indian' conditions of amount of people, traffic and chaos. there's a certain kindness and calm in the air, all around and in the people here in Bali, a deep-breath full of which I could sure use at this moment...

My first Indonesian word courtesy my driver Dewa who came to pick me up: 'Sukshma', which means, 'Thank You,'... Lovely isn't it?

After an hour long drive from the airport, even though it was dark, as I walked into the beautiful Bhanuswari Resort, I could feel the vast paddy fields and trees everywhere. One week of drumming in paradise this is going to be... I think I was the first participant to arrive and be welcomed by this banner:

I woke up this morning and postponed my urge to swim and had some yummy food followed by my other urge to go sort out my Djembe for the workshop and for the wonderful community of Djembe drummers that is gradually building back in India. And since this would be my only free day before the workshop, it seemed like the perfect time to do so... Thanks to my friend and TTM Cairns Director, Miss Tara Tucker (Drum Up Big), I was led to the calm and composed Mr. Aan who, at first sight seemed like a man who knew what he was doing and was true to constantly improving himself at the ever evolving art of Djembe making.

Now would be a perfect time to say something about these amazingly talented Balinese wood carvers. I'm positive much has been said about them in the past but seeing it live and up close is another experience altogether. Even as Wayan, my bike rider/tour guide showed me around and took me to Mr. Aan, all I could see oh so often were wood carvers everywhere; all sitting and chiseling away at their soon to be works of brilliant handicraft.

I got back in time for my first authentic Indonesian Mi Goreng. Words shall fall short in describing the whole-ness of this meal so i'll let my iPhone camera do the talking... *Chomp Chomp*

As all of this is going on I can't help but keep imagining what lies ahead of me in these seven days to come. This will be my third chance of learning from the Grandmaster Mamady Keita. Singapore 2010, and San Diego 2011 were my first two opportunities. Lots has changed since the first time I met Mamady; my understanding of the Djembe and all it represents has widened, I have gotten to know this community of drummers that has dedicated its life to spreading this vision far and wide - all inspired by one man who has made the Djembe an instrument without borders. I have observed the journeys of some of these crusaders, I have seen and heard the stories of the rest. Almost each experience shows clarity, courage, hard work, struggle and finally success. These are the assistant teachers for this workshop:

The one who has made Mini Guinea Asia a reality, TTM Singapore - Kelvin Kew
TTM Fukuoka - Hiroki Murai
TTM Hong Kong - James Kwan
TTM Cairns - Tara Tucker
Certified teacher and Mamadys manager and djembe maker extraordinaire - Jeremy Tomasck

And those I will have the pleasure of getting to know in the seven days to come:

TTM Mishima - Ken Tukoda
Certified Teacher - Sekou Soumah

I will be updating this section of the blog as regularly as possible and look forward to exploring another realm of rhythm within myself with you all...

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Yamini the Songbird

The rain Gods have finally blessed us and on this occasion I'd like to introduce to you an extremely sweet and melodic personality. The sweetness of her voice is surpassed only by her smile, Yamini, our singer.

This is what she had to say...

Yamini Lavanian

Good things do happen.

My journey with Taal Inc.

I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. I won many competitions but then thought something was missing. I picked up a guitar and started to write my own music. Since I am from a defense background I was always on the move which restricted me from taking singing or guitar classes so I taught myself how to play and sing. I’ve moved a lot and met many people and heard so many different beautiful sounds. The world and all my experiences with so much travelling helped me compose. All my inspiration to compose my music came from nature and my experiences.

But nothing has been as exalting as being a part of a family that thrives for music and helping others. I was a part of several bands. I was first called by Varun around 2 years ago when Taal Inc. was about healing through the metaphor of the drum circle. But then we thought that bringing in melodies to all those beautiful rhythms would amount to much more beautiful music.

To be a part of a band and to be a part of Taal Inc. are two different poles.  Taal Inc is like a family. We are all a big fat happy family.

The work we do is not only healing for others but also for each one of us as well. Stress, angst, depression, any sort of negative energy is instantly taken away! It’s quite amazing. And to be a part of such an amazing family, I consider myself to be one of the very few lucky ones. To have such caring friends who look out for each other through every single walk of life. I feel blessed to be a part of this family.

The music we make is not only healing but also so diverse. We amalgamate all sorts of folk tunes with West-African style drumming. And that’s not all; we mix all sorts of different genres and sounds from all over the planet. Sounds you’ve never even heard of before. Starting with African, Indian, Japanese, Australian and some absolutely new sounds we create out of the blue ourselves. Adding flavours of the east and the west and all parts of the world to our music.

We hope to bring different parts, sections, diversities and people of the world closer by our music. The biggest reason I love Taal Inc. is because of this. It’s because of how our work brings so many different people together and helps heal with our therapeutic music.

I believe that the world comprises of positive and negative energies and when in a drum circle I can actually feel the positive vibes and energy all around me, engulfing me and expelling all the negativity out.

From the first gig I did with Taal Inc. I knew that this would be my family who I can count on always, for anything. The happiness I get by touring around the country spreading our music and healing people cannot be compared to anything. Not only has Taal Inc. made a huge difference to help people, made some new amazing therapeutic music and brought all kinds of different people together, but it has also helped me in so many ways. I am lucky to be a part of this family and I am a happier person today because of Taal Inc. :)

By Yamini Lavanian

Sing Sing Sing...

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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Karthik Iyer, Guru Poornima

I often wonder where I'd be if it wasn't for my teachers and gurus... I am slightly late in publicly acknowledging my gurus in my life but I would like to offer my thanks and  my present to Mr. Zubin Balsara, Mr. Sanjeev Pandkar, Mr. Chandrashekar, Mr. Joshua Banks, Mr. Iqbal Azad, Ms. Tara Tucker, Mr. Quinn Reesor, Mr. Famoudou Konate and the one and only Mr. Mamady Keita. I was told by the great man to always put everything one learned from one master in one bag and keep putting learning's from different teachers in different bags. Whenever I wanted to express myself all I had to do was look into my bags and speak with clarity, authority, humility and joy. I salute you, my teachers.

The Masters and I (From left: Famoudou Konate and Mamady Keita)

I was very touched by this next person's gesture on Guru Poornima and before I introduce you to the third member of the Taal Inc. family I'd like to tell you a little bit about him. He's the most soft spoken and quiet individual you'll meet. He absorbs everything in class like sponge and plays it with finesse and style after... He's got a heart of gold and here's what he had to say about his journey with Taal Inc.:

My journey with Taal Inc. - Karthik Iyer

This world of music is truly fascinating. I have always tried to be an intricate part of this world but didn’t get too far. My first attempt was the guitar at school and then the drum kit in the school band. But fate had other choices for me I guess. But the very small stint that I had in my school band somehow sparked my interest in rhythm. I started and continued playing on tables, utensils, washing machines (my favorite for the base) and basically anything that produced sound. Somehow I did not channelize or take the initiative to go in for formal training and I lost a lot of time in all the mundane challenges that life posed – college, career, job and all that. But fate did have something special for me – marriage, yes – I got married to Sunita, who is an accomplished Carnatic vocalist and is also trained in Hindustani music. I still remember singing a ‘gaana’ tamil song (tamil rap) for her family and playing on a table. And believe me, they were impressed, but somehow I felt I was not being able to justify having a partner who is so good in music and in return I just was an audience in all the shows she performed. I somehow wanted to, someday for her to be in the audience and me performing. That thought started me off looking for an instrument to learn and play. My dear friend Nattu, who is a musical prodigy, and with whom I have had many many kitchen orchestras, encouraged me to buy a Djembe and he said “this instrument will suit your style of playing”. I really didn’t understand what that meant, but the very next day I bought my first Djembe. I was really very excited and even shot a small video to show-off my new talent. I look at the video now and realize how lame it was.

Cutting the intro short, I was taken by surprise when Google presented me with www.taalinc.net as the top result for Djembe classes in Pune. I immediately got in touch with Varun and even shared my video (Varun, please tell me that you laughed your guts out when you saw it). The following week I was in High Spirits – literally – my first formal Djembe class and when Varun taught me the proper position to hold the Djembe, I realized that I had a long long way to go before I can achieve what I had in mind. I was sort of dejected at the thought, but the next few months were a great learning experience. Varun facilitated our first Student Ensemble and yes, I had my wife in the audience; although it was a very small performance, it still holds a very special place in my heart and I can never express how thankful I am to Varun and all at Taal Inc. A few months later, Varun gave me the opportunity to play with the Junk Percussion Ensemble and that again was a very special moment and event to cherish and remember. It was during those practice sessions that I met with the very talented Agneya, Dhir and Abhijit. During the course of the many drum circles, classes and performances, I got introduced to Solonie, Amar, Janak, Rahul, Jyoti, Elaine, Shekar and the other members that make up the Taal Inc. family and suddenly I was surrounded by a group of talented and friendly individuals. Their support and energy is awesome and is the backbone of this beautiful family. Taal Inc. also gave me the opportunity to learn from Tara Tucker and Quinn Reesor which was an amazing experience.

Drumming with Taal Inc. has been an out of this world and very rewarding experience for me. I have been through many hurdles in the recent past – on the work front as well as medical front and Taal Inc. has been a major part in magically helping me overcome the problems I was facing. Drumming does heal, trust me. I began the journey with Taal Inc. without a purpose in mind, and after a year and a half, I think I have taken a few small steps in the direction I want to go, contribution to music, which ever form – learn, play, perform, facilitate, write, participate. At the end of it all, the satisfaction I get is something priceless.

I dedicate this to Varun, my wonderful master on the day of Guru Poornima, how better can it get and after all “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires. - William Arthur Ward”. Varun, you truly are an inspiration.

Thanks Varun. Thanks Taal Inc. Wassa! Wassa!

– Karthik Iyer

Karthik (first from left) playing with the Taal Inc. Junk Percussion Ensemble

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.

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