Month: December 2009
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Daily practice tips
A good friend and long time drummer recommends that students play every day. Some people think that means they have to sit around for hours at a time but he say’s even five minutes to connect with your instrument (in this case the djembe drum) makes all the difference in the world. You are building… Read More »
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“Havanah Cabana” from Heat Beat CD by Michael Pluznick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdisHZIdY-4 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. Read More »
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“Giant Step” from Rhythym Harvest CD by Michael Pluznick
World Jazz Music from the Michael Pluznick CD entitled Rhythm Harvest by Michael Pluznick with composition by Michael Hauser and alittle help from Joel Lindheimer. This video features shots of the band and their travels performing music around the globe including Asia, Hawaii and Thailand. Read More »
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Listening to learn
Many drummers new to the art of djembe music think that they must play and participate in a drum circle, jam or dance class as a way to learn to drum. Most experienced players will tell you something different. By going to a djembe session or African dance class and sitting on the side watching… Read More »
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“La Mar” from the new CD “Miles Dean” by Michael Pluznick
This song is called La Mar , new world music and ethnic jazz by percussionist michael pluznick and guitarist joel lindheimer from the new CD, “Miles Dean”. The photos were taken in and around Northern California and beyond. Read More »
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Rythym Intergration CD: “Bembe” Guido 6/8 by Michael Pluznick
This new song is called Bembe Djembe from the Rythym Intergration CD. The peace is the Afro Cuban folkloric “Bembe” or Havana style Guido 6/8 by Michael Pluznick with Afro Cuban traditional Santos (Santeria/Lucumi/Yoruba) chants by Priest Pedro De Jesus and family. Filmed in and around California coastline by Michael Pluznick. Chris Walker lead drum,… Read More »
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Bolokada Conde and our west african drum and dance group: “Konkoba”
This is a performance of our group with master drummer Bolokada Conde, “les Percussions Melenke at the Mill Valley Theater. We play 3 different Konkoba drum pieces tied together and and West African dancers Nabe Bangoura and others from Ballet Merveilles come out as well. From left to right:Rafael, Sean Areneda, Michael Pluznick, Mohamed Kouyate,… Read More »
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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… Read More »
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Fantastic Balaphone, djembe & dunun players in Conakry, Guinea
I was walking through the streets of Conakry, Guinea, West Africa in a section called Mantomlido, where the artists live and play drums, when I ran across this fantastic group of balaphone, djembe & dunun players rehearsing for a big “spectac”. A real djembe lesson to watch for all who want to learn djembe or… Read More »
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Practice in front of a mirror
By practicing in front of a mirror, you can correct mistakes in posture and form. It also helps you to see where you’re holding tension in your body and you can see if you’re making strange facial expressions (like me – for example in this YouTube video). Also, looking at your image in the mirror… Read More »
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New West African Drum and Dance Music Recordings
Check out these newly-released field recordings from Africa. All of Michael’s profits from these albums will go directly to the tribes in Africa that created and performed the music. CDs can be purchased online from EarthCDs. Read More »