Miami drums

Supporting Earthdance on Miami Beach
TIME: 6 till 8PM
dance for the Earth on the beach at 85th & Collins
Global OM at 7PM with Happy, then drum & dance for the Earth

A year ago, I started this blog to share information and drum related events with the percussion community in South Florida. Thanks to this, I had the pleasure to meet many drum enthusiast that wanted to do just that in this part of the planet -as well as people from far away and with the same interest.
So… a year has past, since then, we had drum classes, workshops, drum-circles, presentation and an very active community of commentators, they wanted information about the upcoming drum activities. I feel happy that the purpose of this blog has been full filed in some way, at least by reaching people and information.
As always, there are some new set of goals for this new blog year, to perhaps achieve a little more, including more collaborators, reviews and more information on local and remote activities… But for now, let’s enjoy our happy birth date together, shall we ?

Thank you all … dear blog reader, subscriber and spam seeker !

I normally keep all the information and data for Miami Drums, “drum only”, but good local music in Miami is worth mentioning. I’m of course referring to Artofficial, a local band that has been playing around town for little over a year. They’ve released a new album in May called ‘Stranger’, and if I’m not mistaken it was created and mixed at Audacity studios up in Hollywood, Fl .
I’m friends with Keith Cooper, Artofficial’s saxophone extraordinare. I have witnessed many live shows either at I/O Lounge, the Band Shell and Jazzid and I have to confess that the band musicianship is amazing. Their live performances are extremely powerful and a fun event to go to.
If I’d have to find a common ground to define the band, I’d set them between Jamiroquai, The Roots + some Miami-South Florida local flavor. If you want to check them out live, here’s their myspace page with their upcoming shows.

I’m pasting their new video – Big city bright lights –

Saturday from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
This event repeats every week. Fern Forest Nature Park (in the picnic area) 201 Lyons Road South Coconut Creek, Florida
Contact phone: 954 984 4183
Rain or Shine, drum circle is always on!
The park closes at 6pm. We will be druming about 1 1/2 hours and will be using the pavilion on the right side just before the first parking lot. Walk to the pavilion. Listen for the drums.
Fern Forest is a small park and parking is limited so car pooling would be a good thing to do.

from Randy Robinson:
100+ drummers for big huge drum circle all day on Labor Day Monday
September 3, 2007 from 8:00am to 8:00pm
Pavilion 3 at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park 3109 East Sunrise Blvd at A1A Fort Lauderdale Fl http://www.floridastateparks.org/hughtaylorbirch/
Bring drum, chair, food, drink, blanket, umbrella, grill and a positive mental
attitude. This is an open drum circle – play what you want. Beginners to
advanced.
$5 plus park entrance fee
Vendors call (954) 839-5732 to make arrangements

Malick Faye will teach a West African Drum Ensemble Workshop
This Sunday 8/12/07 at 2PM
FIU Biscayne Campus Academic 2 Bldg. Rm. 220
3000 NE 151 St. Miami Fl. The workshop includes 2 hours of instruction in several West African rhythms.
Workshop participants are invited to stay and drum for the Delou Community Dance Class which follows the workshop.
Workshop fee is $50
Malick will have a performance quality drum for sale.

Open drum circles will be held from 5PM to 7PM on both Saturday AND Sunday at Peacock Park in Coconut Grove this weekend (8/4 and 8/5). Bring your drum. Bring a chair. There may be some extra drums available

Let’s hope for great weather both days!

thanks Mark

Miami drums blog is all about gathering information from local drum circles and drum activities around South Florida. Today I’m posting a special treat, from my home town, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The band name is “Bomba de tiempo” the literally transition is ‘Time bomb’ and it fits perfectly for this heavy weight percussion ensemble. The 17 piece group is conformed by a range of percussion instruments that
include Djembe, campanas and even brazillian surdos. The idea behind the performance is fresh and challenging, the director, Santiago Vazquez, has created a percussion sign language to communicate with each section of the band. The entire show is based on improvisation. Each performer is lead by Vazquez, who triggers different sounds, and tones while creating this hypnotic percussion feast.
I was very happy and surprised to find out that my old percussion teacher, Gabriel Spiller, plays with the Bomba de Tiempo. It has been a long time since I play with him, nearly 10 years…
Their shows include special guest, such as piano legen ‘Lito Vitale’ and bassist extraordinare ‘Javier Malosetti’. The band has just released a new live album, that is been distribuited by Vazquez label…wonder if we’d be able to get it here…!
I’m posting a small video from them, there’s some background info-in spanish- but you get a feeling on how their shows are…

yes, that’s right. Every Saturday instead of Sunday.

Check all details here!

Malick Faye is a Master Drummer from Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. He comes from a family of Griot drummers. In 1988 Malick won the National Children’s Sabar Competition and in 1991 he was recruited into the National Band of Senegal. Malick has had the opportunity to play with such professionals as Doudou N’diaye Rose, Curgy and N’daiye M’baiye. He toured with these companies throughout Italy and Europe. In 1996, the Faye family Sabar Drum Ensemble was contracted by the University of Arizona to perform at an official Super Bowl XXX concert called, “Share The Dream”.

Sunday July first, from 3Pm to 6:30Pm
This is a paid class [$10 per person] @ the goddest store in Hollywood, FL