Finally—after what feels like forever—my first book, ‘Magic Carpet Seduction,’ has been published and is now available on Amazon. Yay! It’s been a long road getting here. I can’t even remember when I began the book. And the crazy journey it’s been will be the subject of another post. For now, I’d simply like to…
Got a minute (OK–1.5 minutes!)? Then, check out this video I made of a parade at the Yogyakarta Arts Festival–aka, Festival Kesenian Yogyakarta–which I recently saw in Indonesia. I created it so that you’d have a quick vicarious sampling of the colorful cultural experience I had. Note: My favorite part is at 0:30–the jesters! (Video…
Liked part 1 of this series? Here’s the exciting conclusion, this one focusing on dilemmas and dramas. This post is set up the same way. I share the details of the situation I found myself in and pose the “What would you do?” question. You share your answer and then, later, I’ll most likely share…
Like to travel off the beaten path? Enjoy hanging out with the locals? If so, then perhaps–like me–you find yourself having some truly amazing experiences. Rewarding moments you wouldn’t trade for anything. Of course, immersing yourself this way doesn’t always go smoothly. There are sometimes cultural clashes, dilemmas and even dramas. And they can be…
My hands come down on the once-soft animal skin, now stretched tightly over a tree trunk, producing a deep bass tone that momentarily takes me to West Africa.
The rhythm is familiar to one I learned from a Guinean master drummer once—one that would call upon the spirits of the ancestors during certain types of celebrations.
Yet as I follow the lead of my teacher, master drummer Jabbar, I’m reminded of the fact that we’re on an entirely different continent, playing drums with Latin names. I’m laying down a bass line on a primero and he’s soloing on a primero, which has a higher sound.
