Category: Blog
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PM Percussion: An Interview With Drum Builder Peter Musser
I recently went to the studios of Peter Musser in Petaluma, California to see what exactly he was up to and I was blown away by the incredible drums he is making! Anyone considering an “artisan” conga, a conga drum or set of congas from an individual craftsman, should definitely check out Peter’s work. Here… Read More »
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The Best Djembes: Professional Level Djembes And Where To Buy them
If you are in the market for a djembe drum you are faced with a huge variety of choices. There are djembes made in Africa, Bali and many different parts of the world. So what is the best djembe for you, for your needs and where do you get it? Which djembe drum should you… Read More »
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Skype Lessons On Line With Michael Pluznick
I am now offering West African, Afro Cuban, and Fusion/Hybrid hand drumming classes of all types on line via Skype. I encourage any one who wants to learn more about drumming and how to play drums to contact me. All levels are welcome. If you have always wanted to drum or simply want to enhance… Read More »
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The Ten Best Bongos On The Market Today
Who makes the best top quality high end professional Bongos? In my opinion it is almost always the smaller companies where there is one person in charge, personal attention to detail is foremost and the goal of the artist is more about making a solid great sounding instrument then being a mass marketed production line… Read More »
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The Best Used Conga Drums On A Budget and How To Find Them
If you are on a shoestring budget and need the best possible conga drum for the lowest amount of money you are best off buying a used conga drum. If you know what to look for there are some great deals to be found. You can often by two high quality conga drums on the… Read More »
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How to make your drum sound great! By Michael P with Ryan Manito Wendel
The best way to make our drums sound better, be it conga or djembe drum, is to play better. That […] Read More »
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Manito Percussion Has Great Skins For Your Congas, Bongos and Djembe, Too!
I was just going through Manito Percussions web page and thought these skins might be of interest to some of you. The skin on your drum makes a huge difference in the sound quality of your instrument and unfortunately many drums, even high end conga drums have the skins, (or “heads” as some people call… Read More »
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Axé Orixá is a film of the dance, drumming and chants of the Orixás
About the film: An illuminated film transmitting the dance, drumming and chants of the Orixás and their living presence in […] Read More »
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“Keepers of the Flame” is a documentary about the elder Cubano statesmen of Rumba
“Keepers of the Flame” is a documentary about the elder statesmen of Rumba who live in Matanzas and Havana. Francisco Zamorra Chirino, (“Menini”) and Pedro Aballi Torriente (“Regalado”) are two of these elder statesmen and co-founders of AfroCuba de Matanzas, one of Cuba’s preeminent folkloric groups. Both Menini and Regalado are the keepers of the… Read More »
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Gon Bops Rawhide Shekere Test Review
I recently got a hold of a Gon Bops Shekere as I was traveling and needed something very durable to withstand the rigors of my lifestyle. I would like to note that I also make Shekeres myself, but I always use hard shell gourds. The problem is that for me, gourds and traveling about do… Read More »
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Long time conga player tells his story, an article by guest writer Michael Schwartz
By guest writer Michael Schwartz I grew up in the Bronx during the period of time that the Bronx was going through an evolution. This is in the late 50’s/early 60’s. The neighborhoods were predominately Irish/Italian/Jewish, but were then starting to have an influx of Cuban, Puerto Rican and Afro Americans. My particular block, had… Read More »
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Conga Skin (conga heads) and Djembe skins suppliers list
Here is a list of skin suppliers. I am sure there are some other suppliers but this will give you a great start if you are looking for some new skins for your conga drums or djembe drums. If you have any suppliers you would like to add please let me know and I will… Read More »