Since everyone with a beating heart already "has rhythm!” anyone can drum. That could well be the motto of the drum-jam, held the first Friday of the month at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord.
This past Friday evening, 16 people showed up... of all ages.
Freelance Producer Cheryl Senter went along and sent this audio postcard.
Transcript:
It's 7:30 p.m. at the Concord Unitarian Universalist Church and the first round of drumming is coming to a frenzied end.
(Sounds of many drums beating faster and faster, a woman sings, before coming to an end)
Dee Elswick (drum leader)
I think I cut that off too soon!
Bill Whitney: No, That was long enough for me,(laughing all around). We're at the Concord U church and we're here to drum, (drumming in background). I'm a mechanic, I'm the bash and howl variety, I really like to get into it, but I also mellow down for the spiritual side.
Dee Elswick: My name is Dee Elswick, now that's my married name, here at church, I go by Swan. It's the knowledge that there is fundamental vibration through everything and the drums just kind of help reconnect you to that whole universal experience. I sound like a wacky hippie don't I.
(drumming, laughter, someone says "you are a hippie")
Walter Ruh: Walter Rue, I'm sixty-two. Oh, I'm retired now, but I was a firefighter in the city of Concord. Twenty years, got my retirement, now I'm just enjoying life... what's left of it. (laughter, drumming)
The basic philosophy of the drum is from birth you hear the heart beat of your mother and that's what we all start off with, the basic drum beat.
Dee Elswick: (Drumming, talking) When I drum I feel a multitude of different things. Um, healing, um, peace, passion, connectedness, re-connectedness, community, um, happy, very very happy.
You can't come away from a drum circle not happy unless you’re really trying hard. (Laughing)
(Group discussion as to how to start the next session of drumming)
Anyone want to start me up?
You’re supposed to start us up, (laughter).
I could do that but we wouldn't be happy with the results, (laughter)
Drumming slowly begins.
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