Greetings One and ALL!

In Regards To: The Paralounge Southeastern Regional Drum Gathering held on
8+9AUG2K3, in Live Oak, FL, USA.

WoW! What a wonder filled opportunity to jam with so many talented and
enthusiastic folks in the Heaven on Sacred Ground that is the Spirit of the
Suwannee Music Park.

Please forgive me for not deleting my feeble attempt below at Thanking
ya'll personally (I started to), if I get these names wrong or leave any
one out 'cause I couldn't remember yours I hope and pray you trust that I
truly enjoyed your unique spirit and will never forget your visage.

Here goes. Especially warm to me were Clint & Sheree and Mike & Cheri and
Big J of the Paralounge <http://www.paralounge.net/>, Jeff of West Palm
Beach, Anthony a founding member of the Melbourne Drum Trybe, Steve and
blessed it I can remember the name of the other fellow of the Rhythm
Festival folks of Jacksonville, and Scott of "A Different Drum" in Saint
Augustine, plus of course, the folks from the Gainesville Drumming Peace
circle... Samadhi & JoAnn and their out o' town friends (drawing a blank on
Their names), and Baba M'kente, et al.

For those of you that I didn't exchange names with, I am that fellow that
was playing the strange kit with the long PVC tube drum sticking out of it
and mini Djembe first night and xylophone, Gankogui bell, and full bore
Djembe, Saturday night.

The performance groups, Jerrod's Door of Ft. Lauderdale, Rhythm Festival of
Jacksonville and the Ksun folks of Ghana, West Africa, were splendid. The
bottom end of the latter two groups, AKA the "owners of the groove" were
especially inspiring....

With the "booming box drum" of the Ksun folks inspiring me in yet another
way, I need to make one of those things! The construction of which I had a
chance to check out, first a picture of it is available at
<http://yin-yang.com/kusun/src/hmjam1.jpg>. It consists of a 3/4" plywood
box open front and back. On the front, or "business end" of which tacked to
the outside of the box with moulding strips was a large goat skin. Inside
was a picture frame kind of arrangement with a large screw to push this
frame outward tensioning the skin. The player sits atop this drum using
both hands and bare feet to sound and damp the sound in a most excellent way.

The dancers, ah, the Dancers... were so alluring and lovely that I couldn't
watch and play at the same time!

Down side, I suppose everything has one, and I am hesitant to describe
these minor faults, as I truly had a wonderful time and only do so in hopes
that future events of this nature may avoid them. Any Ideas?

I am easily confused and briefly some aspects were a bit frustrating for me
and others I talked to, several "heavy hitters" surely great drummers in
their own right, could take a clue from the fact that JAH gave us two ears
and one mouth. 'Nuff said about that, I pray, and I've coined a term to
describe such situations, I call it "Ca-ca-Phoney!"

Additionally, as this was a "drum Circle" it is important, I think, so that
the group can remain tight, is to face inward towards the center in a
single layer, so that others in the group can see everyone's hands. At one
point our group was like an amoeba during cell division, with several
standing Djembe players clustered around the Djuns effectively closing that
"cell" off from the rest of the circle.

Also, to play Djuns, or Bell is an awe full (wae past some) responsibility,
one I personally undertake with great trepidation and as much humility as I
may possibly muster.

In retrospect, I could have overcome my shyness and been more social... and
much as I would love to meet more drum friends, some comfort to me is that
such interactions would have taken me away from the drumming which is
probably a more real and from the heart expression than small talk
conversation, any who.

I am already looking forward to the next edition of the Paralounge
gathering, these folks are fun!

I hope this Helps!
Thanks for Ev'ryt'ing!
Drumming Peace, R
<http://home.acceleration.net/clark/DrumO/Drum0.html>
+++++++
"The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how
to listen."
- Duke Ellington

"A monk asks: Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?
The master answers: Yes, your awareness of the wonders of nature."
- Angelus Silesius

"Hospitable people are also good listeners, which explains why listening
has long been considered one of the most important habits to cultivate if
we wish to get closer to God. In my own life I've found that when I am able
to listen carefully enough to anyone, listen to them with my full heart,
then the walls of separation come crumbling down. Martin Buber believed
that such *active listening* is not only the secret to fulfilling
relationships between people, but a vital passageway to faith."
- Phillip L. Berman in The Journey Home

"Just as the eyes are for seeing and the ears for hearing,
peace is for perceiving blessings."
- Nilton Bonder (The Kabbalah of Envy)

"Likewise today, native people are encouraged to inhale the sweet smells of
the earth, see things in perspective, listen to both sides of every story,
and to speak only half as much as they listen."
- Evan T. Pritchard in No Word for Time

"Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on Simplicity."
-Plato (The Republic, Book 3, 400-D)

"If your mind goes blank, don't forget to turn off the sound."
- Red Green (Canadian humorist)

"Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together."
--Anais Nin

"A spontaneous act of generosity, performed with unselfish grace is an
example of moral beauty, as are certain acts of courage; genuine modesty is
a possible example, as is selfless love. Some people appear to possess
moral beauty as others possess physical beauty. Although moral beauty may
be a natural gift, it is nevertheless more likely to emerge and flourish in
societies that appreciate and encourage it."
- Yi-Fu Tuan in Passing Strange and Wonderful

"The eight words of The Wiccan Rede, Fulfil
'An it harm none do what you will.' "

"Don't let your enthusiasms die, but treat them like bright and dim lights
on a car. When you're around people, maybe you should put your dims on a
little more. When you're alone, turn on the brights. The brights want to
search the land to see as far as they can. They have a fierce power to
penetrate. The dims are a bit more subdued but they seem to be more proper
and sensitive around others."
- Jose Hobday in Simple Living

"The best way not to drown is to ride the wave."
- Deepak Chopra (Author: "The Path to Love")

"If you're not listening to the person next to you, you're just beating
stuff up."
- Airto Moreira
+++++++

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