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"Rise Up" by Barabajaba.

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Your First Djembe Rhythm

The Rhythm Reference Project

This is an amazing audio and notation encyclopedia of every djembe and dun dun part for 50 Rhythms!

Tasumakan

The late Great Pello EL Afrokan, our teacher

The legendary Pello El Afrokan teaches us Mozambique in Cuba 1985

Pello El Afrokan

 

In 1985 we traveled to Cuba to learn about Cuban culture, study the music and experience the Cuban lifestyle. We were young and looking for musical and cultural adventures . While staying at the hotel in Havana we met Pello el Afrokan in our lobby. We told him about our quest to study Cuban music, rhythm and dance and he took our small group of friends on [...]

Shekere demo excerpts from "How to Play Sekere (Shekere) volume 2

Excerpts from How to Play Sekere (Shekere) by Michael Pluznick

The Sekere is also known as Chekere or Shekere depending on where you are and who you talk to. This is a 2 hour DVD on many different aspects of how to play a Sekere (Shekere) including playing with a group of players, playing traditional style, non traditional style and with a band or popular music as well. [...]

How to Play Afro Haitian Rhythms: Yan Valu by M. Pluznick on Toca Elite Pro Series congas

Afro Haitian drum lesson

How to Play Afro Haitian Rhythms: Yan Valu by M. Pluznick form an up and coming soon to be released “How to Play Congas” DVD! Wade Peterson (seconde) conga, Ben Issacs 6/8 long bell, boula (up beats with sticks) Ray Titus politos This is an example of how to play the Yan Valu rhythm pattern on conga drums. Also has the casse (break) and rhythm movemnets. Played on on Toca Elite Pro Series [...]

Afro Cuban

Afro Cuban Class: quinto lock

Michael Pluznick and friends on Toca Elite Pro Series congas! This video excerpt from How to Play Conga Drums shows the top secret “quinto lock” or solo ride pattern that fits or locks in between notes of the guaguanco rumba pattern, in this case a Yambu or slow Guagunaco. Michael first demonstrates the pattern hand over hand or “even handed” style then shows the traditional hand pattern Afro Cuban style. From the soon [...]

Much Fun @ Bali Treasures retail store and drum factory in Ubud Bali Indonesia

raw shells are beautiful

If you are a drummer or musician or just love percussion and you are ever in Bali  (or on line) you owe it to yourself to check out Bali Treasures. I was recently in Ubud Bali  where I had the pleasure to meet the owner  of the Bali Treasures retail store Ed  A. Balma. Ed also is owner of  what is probably the worlds largest djembe manufacturing company. We went there afterwards and [...]

Amazing and athletic dancers solo and perform at traditional "Dununba" drum and dance party @Kemoko Sano's

doundoumba

Very athletic and amazing dancers solo and perform at a “dununba” community drum and dance celebration. Dununba  refers to “strong mans dance” as it was originaly called and used as. This djembe drum and west african dance party takes place at my friend and teachers house, the late, great and legendary Konoko Sano of Ballettes Africans fame.

Bali: Afro Cuban Folkloric drumming

michael p on congas at barabajaba show puna hawaii

Excerpt from a recent Afro Cuban conga drum and percussion class given by Michael Pluznick in Raymond Rauchs art studio in Ubud Bali Indonesia. This video featurs the rhythm named “Comparsa” (aka “Conga) from Havana Cuba.

Thai multi percussion dance performance group

This Thai Mixed Mulit-Percussion troupe plays a little bit of everything in this live performance in Bangkok, Thailand. Filmed on Canon 7D digital camera. They play all kinds of cool percussion instruments, miscelaneous percussion, hand drums.

Epic international drum jam on Khao San Road Bangkok, Thailand

Last night there was an epic drum jam on Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand. There were drummers from all across the globe! We got permission to play right in front of the police station because “King”, the local police chief is a big fan of Eddie Tamba our Liberian master of ceremonies and djembe fola.

Eddie Tamba of Liberia represents on Khao San Road Bangkok, Thailand

The drum jam had originally started [...]

M and M in Bed! More Funny Found Percussion Pt.2!!

M and M explore found objects and home made percussion instruments in the bedroom. See how many different found objects you can recognise! CLICK THIS LINK TO HEAR OR BUY OUR NEW CD: http://www.myspace.com/rhyt… http://www.reverbnation.com

Barabajaba Live in Puna: “Maracatu”: Brazil meets Hawaaii!!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barabajaba

This video is: Barabajaba Live in Puna: “Maracatu” w/Lisa Dixon and her Brasilian dance group. Taken at a performance @ Kalani resort in Puna (Pahoa) Hawaii and it features Brazilian drum and dance with Boaz Hashimoto Martin playing lead drum *(quinto) or solo.

Silence the inner critic

Silencing the inner critic.

For most of us when we are drumming , practicing and playing we are playing to an imaginary critic. Often this critic is saying, “you are not good enough”. I have learned over the years to simply not pay attention to the critic or whatever negative images or feelings that may come up while playing. Or we can be playing against someone who was at or in a playing situation. [...]

Mali baby naming community party with African drumming and dance

Mali baby naming community celebration and west african drum and dance party part 2. These are my friends and teachers from Mali performing for the baby naming ceremony.  MC is playing a cow skin headed djembe drum. Siaka Doumbia is playing dununba.

Thai Chi on Koh Samui Island Beach, Thailand

A Thai Chi devotee displays his skills to the music of Michael Pluznick and the Small Village Ensemble from the the CD, “Dancers Journey” available on CD baby. This music features the legendary Arthur Hull and percussionist maestro Kim Atkinson!

Spectac (big show) in Conakry Guinea

This video features master drummer Jaques, a unique djembe player  performing with his friends and piers in a West African drum and dance extravaganza!

“Havanah Cabana” from Heat Beat CD by Michael Pluznick

Havana Cabana is a new percussion song on the CD entitled Heat Beat by Michael Pluznick, and features Michael P on congas, cahon, caha, bongos and other misc. percussion and drums in a rumba albierto (open rumba) or invento pattern/concept.

African dance: young boy shows his great dance moves in Conakry dununba party

This video was shot at a dununba djembe drum and community dance party in Conakry Guinea my friend and teacher, the late great Komoko Sano took me to on my musical and percussion study tour to Guinea. Each dancer at a party takes a turn to show off their “stuff” or dance moves. If someone really likes your moves, they run out and give you money, which is the custom. Also, at the [...]