What is rhythm and how does it relate to me?
We all have rhythm, rhythm is within all of us, and it’s around us all the time. Take a look – moon and stars constantly rise and fall in a universal rhythm, when we talk, walk, march and sing rhythm flows, in the kitchen - the washing machines makes noise in rhythm, in nature – birds sing and a stream flows, in rhythm. But most importantly within our very bodies a natural rhythm continually plays a orchestra of movement and song that makes up our bodies, our heart is constantly beating in rhythm Boom-boom.. Boom-boom.. In fact we had 9 months of rhythmic training in the womb. The mystics and philosophers say that everything in the Universe is in vibration, from the cells of our bodies to the wood in your desk; the only thing that distinguishes wood from metal is the frequency of the vibration.

Why don’t we have access to rhythms and drums like other nations?
There are many nations on the planet who know and use the power of rhythm for community building, healing, consciousness enhancement and expressing the joy’s of being alive. For example: In Brazil once a year people gather on shrove Tuesday to enjoy the Carnival, a bonanza a colourful costumes, wild parties and powerful rhythms and music. These rhythms and music have a history; they are the culmination of a mixture of cultures when slaves from Africa mixed cultures with Portuguese and Local Indian Tribes fusing to create Samba. Africa has a very powerful tradition of rhythms and music which we call a Rhythm Culture. West African cultures use rhythm in nearly every part of their lives, rhythm is used during weddings, during births, at funerals, it signifies special occasions like the harvesting of crops or bringing in of a catch of fish from the sea, rhythm is also used to heal sickness or just for fun in weekly parties to celebrate life and strengthen the social bonds of community. Musicians don’t learn from schools, but the music is handed down from generation to generation orally and by example.

In the West we lost access to sharing rhythm when during the Inquisition, playing drums was considered part of witchcraft, the Church deemed playing drums too threatening, from the ideal of only finding access to spirit from their appointed go-betweens and all drumming was banned, on punishment of hanging or burning. Thereafter drumming survived only as a way to inspire armies to fight harder in marching bands.

How do we get access to rhythm and express our natural inbuilt rhythm that is part of everybody’s heritage?
A new culture is emerging in the west. A culture where expressing you natural rhythm for life and each other is not only allowed by widely accepted and encouraged as a fundamental basic human need and right. In America the late Babatunde Olatunji arrived many years ago and brought the culture and rhythms of his home nation of Nigeria to the people, from then on the spirit and energy of this wonderful music spread, this great work was carried on by many others who arrived from their native Africa bringing with them their rhythms and music. African drumming is spreading worldwide and the Djembe drum has gained special significance as an instrument of choice for the now growing community of non-professional hand drummers. This community is being fuelled by the steady stream of master drummers making their home in Europe and the west, people like Famodou Konate and the best know drummer internationally, founder of drumming schools and subject of videos and books – Mamady Keita who now resides in Belgium.

A Rhythmically Empowered Community?
In the West not only are we taking to rhythms and music from other cultures by we are steadily creating our own. A new movement is starting a movement of people who just want to have fun playing rhythms and sharing community. These new enthusiasts don’t only look to the drum for inspiration, but play a whole host of instruments like bells, wood and shakers collectively called percussion. They use voice and movement too, to complete the circle of drums, voice and dance. They are guided and directed by outstanding leaders who are called facilitators. A Facilitators job is to guide the circle until his job is redundant and the circle becomes a self-facilitating percussion orchestra. These drum circles are not performances (where you watch and appreciate on a mind level), they are not workshops (where you are taught and learn as a student), the are experiential empowerment rhythm circles, where everyone is regarded as equal, every one is welcome, there are no age limits, ability limits or discrimination of any sorts. This is the age of the Community Drum Circle.

What is a Community Drum Circle?
As individuals we are born unique, there is no one on this planet that is exactly the same as anyone else, however it is only in the respect of our differences and the acknowledgment of our oneness that man ever finds true peace. The game we are taught to play in this world is the game of separation, from the time we are born we learn to find reasons and excuses for our separation, we learn to judge and divide by colour, age, gender, nationality, what state you live in, income level, intellectual level, religion you believe in, and any other divisive instrument we can create or conjure to keep us separate from our fellow man. This part of the game has for far too long been given dominance, however we are also realising that these disempowering beliefs and experiences no longer serve us and how we are going to grow in peace as a world consciousness is by finding ways to experience our Oneness while still respecting our unique individuality, cultures and beliefs. Can you imagine a world where everybody is able to celebrate their uniqueness while Experiencing the Spiritual Universal Truth of our Oneness with each other and the universe. Well in a Community Drum Circle that can be experienced within the space of a two hour event on a very deep and profound level. Not only can a Community Drum Circle be deeply gratifying on a Spiritual level but you can extract whatever level of appreciation and meaning from it that you care to choose at the time for example in a community drumcircle one person may experience the Fun and enjoyment of being able to play like a youngster, another may find the event hugely stress relieving, and other may find that powerful emotions are brought to the surface and allowed expression in a safe and comforting environment, while another may have a deeply spiritual experience of freedom and communion with a personal deity or god. All experiences are valid and to be found in a Community Drum Circle, where the event is made up of the individual energies that each person brings to the circle. From the young girl of 7 years old enthralled by playing a stick on a coloured drum, to grand mother finally finding expression in her 1 beat gift to the circle, to the advanced drummer and workshop enthusiast who displays his technical abilities on the Djembe drum to the enjoyment of the other participants.

According to Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead: “The Drum Circle is a huge jam session. The ultimate goal is not precise rhythmic articulation or perfection of patterned structure, but the ability to entrain and reach the state of a group mind. It is built on cooperation in the groove, but with little reference to any classic styles. So this is a work in constant progress, a phenomenon of the new rhythm culture emerging here in the West.”

Where would you find a Community Drum Circle?
Community Drumming is slowly gaining popularity in the UK. Already in the United States you will be able to find a community drum circle in nearly all cities and towns. Arthur Hull who is widely regarded as the Founder of the Worldwide Drum Circle Movement has been facilitating rhythm circles around the world for the last 30 years. From his home town of Santa Cruz, California he spreads his message of community. His time is now spent tarvelling the globe training an ever growing community of Drum Circle Facilitators – Enthusiastic leaders who are spreading the message of drumming and its ability to move and inspire. Arthur Hull has been visiting the UK for the last 10 years and in 2001 in conjunction with Somesh De Swardt founder of Drum Jam been running courses to train Facilitators in the skills of how to successfully facilitate groups of people using the tools of rhythm. He is the author of a hugely popular book – Drum Circle Spirit and Video – Drum Circle Facilitation both can be purchased by contacting Drum Jam.

“There are over 6800 different languages, dialects spoken in the world,
but there is only one that is universally and implicitly understood, no
matter where your passport resides. For centuries, community drumming has been an integral part of social, religious, and spiritual fabric of cultures throughout the world. Whether it's to communicate, mediate, celebrate or inspire, drumming has an unmistakable power to move. Because of rhythm people are capable of reaching different, never before imagined places. No other instrument is so available for participation and pure unadulterated enjoyment.”- Arthur Hull

Who is Somesh De Swardt and What does Drum Jam do?
I founded Drum Jam in 2001 after deciding that my hobby of drumming and percussion was slowly dying because I had no-one to drum with! So I organised a Community Drum Circle in Brighton and went to great lengths to advertise and promote it, inviting local drum teachers from the UK and Africa to teach and perform. It was hugely successful and the over 130 people had a great time. This led to further monthly events that although not as well attended due to my commitments with full time work and lack of time to market where still greatly inspiring and fun. In February 2002 after completing a Computer Support contract with an employer I decided that I would create a new life for myself doing something that inspired me and gave me a sense of fulfilment. So I went into full time self-employment. The company has gone from strength to strength and employs several facilitators part time. Drum Jam do work in numerous communities, from education like schools, universities and colleges to Teambuilding with Corporations and conference events to working in the health sector with disabled and elderly participants. Wherever I take this work people love it and want more!

Somesh De Swardt
Drum Jam
Tel: +44 (0)1245 260307
http://www.drumjam.co.uk
http://www.masterytelevision.co.uk