by onile » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:08 pm
Alafia Abures del Tambor!
I hope that you are all well and in an abundance of blessings!
I do recall back in the 70's here in Phx. AZ, en el parque del Encanto (Encanto Park), we used to conduct Rumba jams on Sundays. I was usually the first person there with my instruments, and slowly other drummers would show. The interesting dynamics in a rumba jam are that all levels of talent show up, some to perfect their skill, others to learn more, but ultimately it's a synergy that takes place and everyone gets to eat at this drumming smorgesborg (sp?)!
We no longer have them however, seems the old drummers, not me, didn't appreciate when the "Marialito's" (Cuban refugees during the 70's) came into the picture with their incredibly cool rumbas, rumba columbia, guaguanco, and singing, that it blew away some of the drummers and they stopped coming. I found it incredibly cool to be there to learn more authentic rythms. The drummers that would get together at the rumba jams prior to the Marialitos, could not break a rythm down to the individual parts, guaguanco, yambu, etc., they were more comfortable with playing the bastardized parts on two and three drums. I miss those jams, I learned quite a bit from them.
Odabo!
Tony
Que Nsambi les acutare pa' siempre!