Halloween weekend 2008!
The best Paralounge yet!
The 13th. Paralounge Drum Gathering was the best one yet! We had some very special guest. The weather was phenominal! The campground was humming with human spirit. Everywhere you looked was drums and smiling faces, and children. The Paralounge exceeded 500 adults in attendance, and their children everywhere playing and laughing.
Rhythm Church was hosted by special guest, Arthur Hull. Arthur brought a whole new experience to the Paralounge. Rhythm Church was a beautiful Sunday afternoon fellowship brought together through rhythm and intent. There were no drums allowed during this beautiful soundscape of chimes, bells, and gongs. While it was a lot of fun, it also worked on new senses within the circle. It explored new musical ideas and experiences.
Arthur Hull facilitating at Paralounge
Arthur had all kinds of wonderful drum circle games to play. These games encourage participation and sharpen listening skills and creativity.
Those who attend know why we call it a "Drum Gathering" and not a "Drum Festival". We have created a family re-union for the community. We have watched the children grow up together. We see the next generation of drummers and community leaders maturing.
The children workshops are a special part of the drum gathering. We know these children are our future. We have come together twice a year for many years now. We have watched the children grow up in the drum circle. We are priviliged to have access to such great instructors. The children are having a great time, and getting some education and musical training also. It's beautiful! Thanks Steve Turner for giving such a great workshop for the kids, and conducting such a great performance with them.
Big thanks for Steve Turner and Giving Tree Music programs. Steve did a very wonderful thing during the childrens performance. He invited the parents to honor the drummers, as they do in the night time drum circle. So the parents danced as the children drummed! It was awesome! The kids smiled and laughed as they played the drums. The childrens workshops and performance time is essential to the Paralounge structure. It gets the entire family involved with music and rhythmic foundations.
Anthony Harper brought in a huge collection of Tibetan Bowls to share with the participants. He passed them out and filled the room with singing bowls. It was a great experience.
Many thanks to Arthur Hull! We were very honored to have Arthur attend and participate at the Paralounge Drum Gathering. Arthur travels the world and brings his programs to many cultures and institutions. The Paralounge Drum Gathering participants had a great time interacting with Arthur during his workshops and personally throughout the event.
As Rhythm Church progressed, more and more people began to move in and get closer to the new sounds. Rhythm Church has no religious intent. The Paralounge uses this workshop to explore more subtle sounds and musical sensations. Many of the instruments used would not be able to participate in the freeform drum circle.
Arthur Hull travels the entire world. He is host and instructor to many drum circle and rhythmic events. He has over thirty years experience in drum circles and ethnic music study. One of the most respected members of the drum circle community made the statement that the Paralounge Drum Gathering is a unique event that is bringing a community together in a way that he has never seen before. That means the members of this community have something to be very proud of.
We were very happy to have such a historical presence at the Paralounge Drum Gathering. Taiwo Duval was an original member of "Drums of Passion", with Baba Olantunji. He gave a very interesting presentation and played his Ashiko for the audience. His life stories are important to the community. Taiwo is living history that tells the story of the birth of African drumming in America. We were proud to be host to Taiwo, and thank him for his time. We are humbled by your services to our community and world music.
Not all of the workshops at the Paralounge Drum Gathering involve drums. The drum circle community has many interest in rhythmic activity. The Paralounge conciders Crystal Bowls and Tibetan Bowls as part of the rhythmic family of instruments. The Sound Therapy workshop introduced participants to vibrational meditation. The didgeridoo is a great instrument to use when covering the body with deep vibrational messages. Lindsey Dank demonstrated the Didge Bath. Jessica Stull demonstrated the Crystal Bowls.
The Paralounge Drum Gathering is a chemistry of workshops, community interaction, educational training, and musical exploration. Giving the oppertunity for participants to learn about the cultural aspects of music is great. Experiencing the music of other cultures is beautiful.
Actually touching and playing those instruments is an experience that will last forever. To know what an instrument looks like, then hear it played, then reach out and touch it, play it, and really experience that moment, that's a learning experience!
See the children growing up together and becoming active musicians and community members, children sitting next to parents and grandparents during workshops, children on stage performing, and children dancing in drum circle. That's family!
With an entire community of people coming together twice a year to learn and interact with each other, you must expect the magnificent results we have achieved. You can hear it in the music, you can see it in the community, and you can begin to feel the effects on the world around us. If you take the time to research and observe, we, as the drum circle community, have the potential to bring positive change to education, music, art, and cultural activity. We may be on the verge of a "cultural phenominon". There was a time before Jazz. There was a time when Rock & Roll did not exist. There have been moments in history that dictate the rise of new musical expression and cultural moving rhythms that evolve life itself. What we have here is nothing new. We practice a rhythmic expression that is as old as humanity itself. Modern Music is based on Caveman technology. We are merely opening the door for an old tradition to return to the loop, bring the circle back around, find our roots and evolve from it.
Thank you to all the wonderful people that support the Paralounge Drum Gathering. We are humbled by the generousity of the community. We look forward to seeing you all soon.
Safe journeys.