A spirited global tour of drum circle instruction for the classroom and community. My book includes a comprehensive DVD showcasing school and community drum circles. People who want to discover their life sustaining need to drum are welcome to let me take them on a journey of WORLD MUSIC. My book begins with the African forms of drumming and moves through diverse cultural forms of music/drumming from all around our world.

African, Cuban, Brazilian, Native, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Community
	The instructional DVD showcases the talent of people of all ages. Feel free to refer to the DVD with regards to the topics covered in the book. This book also provides educators and drum circle facilitators with ideas for implementing a music program or a community Drum Circle. I have also included positive evaluation methods. Discover your Spirit of Drumming.

I have been playing the Doumbek for the past 15 years. I really have come to respect the joy, love and the spirit that the Doumbek has had to offer me in the past two years. From January to June of 2004 I spent time in the hospital. I had a major brain operation and afterwards I had to relearn how to walk and to function both physically and mentally. Once I became well enough, with the permission and the encouragement from my beautiful wife Anna and my recreational therapist Sue, I had my wife bring in my Doumbek. Every night I began to practice and spiritually connect with my Doumbek. My doctors and therapists noticed a big change in my health conditions. I even noticed a tremendous improvement in my spirits and health.

Portable Drum "The Doumbek"

The other remarkable aspect of playing the Doumbek is that the Doumbek is very portable to carry around and play in a variety of different surroundings. It’s kind of like playing a flute for a drummer. * On a beautiful day my good friend Emilio and I met at a park, we sat together and communicated our ideas through playing our Doumbeks. Emilio is a talented Doumbek player who taught me a great deal about his approach to playing/teaching cultural specific Middle Eastern Rhythms. * After a performance of the Baladi Belly Dance, where I had the opportunity to perform with Emilio and his students, I told everyone to bring their Doumbeks to the planned reception at a café so that we could have a musical conversation. We had a fabulous time along with the cafe’s customers.

Book Summary

My book begins from proper sitting postion to hand positions, tone production, reading of music and into a variety of cultural specific Doumbek grooves that range from the traditional Balladi types of rhythms to other cultural forms of music that range from Chilean South American to African Dance grooves. The "Art of Playing the Doumbek" also provides Doumbek arrangements that can be performed with ensembles along with instructions to how to play the Riqq/Tar. An instructional DVD is also provided along side with my book. So that you can play along or observe how to play a wide variety of Doumbek Culturally Specific Grooves and to have FUN!

Boomwhackers can add a great element to your music program. Boomwhackers are melodic sized tubes of different lengths and colors that are tuned to the C Major Diatonic Scale. My book focuses on a variety of different ways of how the Boomwhackers can perform rhythm studies in a musical fun way, unison songs, interactive in group/ensemble environments. Actual ensembles compositions are also provided where a variety of drums/percussion instruments are added to explore World forms of Music:

Pentatonic Fantasy - Healthy Walk to an Ostinato - Juju Swing, Great Music of Nigeria - High Life Time of Your Life
	My book also explores the "Fun & Joy" through the use of the great affordable REMO Sound Shapes. Six REMO Sound Shapes = Six Rhythms = Drum Circle Fun! Plus the "REMO Sound Shape Rhythm Discovery" is provided to take your students to perform a six part REMO Sound Experiment. My book provides instructions to help teachers to guide their students to meeting great success.