World Drums

Poststructural Pub
1

Just finished watching “World Drums,” from Bullfrog films. It details the '86 expo in Vancouver, BC, when John Wyre brought together 250 drummers and dancers from 13 different countries for a mass jam session.

I’ve seen it umpteen times and it never fails to make me laugh out loud and wonder if anything like that will ever happen again.

Tom

2

I haven’t seen the video. I have participated in drum circles many times. There is something to it, something that can connect people on a primal level.

I spent a brief time at Toyota, and they have a drum room where they store drums. At the car company, they use the drums for team building sessions.

3

God, that would be a work day from hell. I hate it when some warm and fuzzy HR type decides I need to take time out to bond with people I don’t like anyway.

Especially when they want to do it after work or on weekends and are not willing to pay for it.

Other than that, whacking on drums sounds like it would be kind of fun if I weren’t being made to do it.

4

Other than that, whacking on drums sounds like it would be kind of fun if I weren’t being made to do it.

It is.

'specially these…

5

If you can find it, get it. Trust me on this. It’s an “educational” video and as such it is ridiculously overpriced, (c. $60 for a 1 hr. show) but if you have the money it’s worth it IMO. There is something very encouraging about seeing master percussionists from, oh, Senegal, Pakistan, the Brittish military, Antigua, Korea, Bali, Canada, and so on get together, struggle through language, cultural, and stylistic difficulties, but really coming to appreciate and get a kick out of each other’s stuff, culminating in an amazing performance. By the end they’re all acting like old friends, even though they speak something like 13 different languages. Good stuff. Almost makes even a jaded conservative think that maybe music really can change the world.

Just the scene of the Pakistanis playing for a group of puzzled orcas at the Vancouver aquarium is worth it. Likewise the look on the face of the gamelan drummer when he gets to try out the American’s trap set. :smiley: I love it.

Tom

p.s. here it is: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/drums.html

6

and do they wear each others socks?