Random Jam with an American Brass BELL Band

 So...I went to the mall on a normal average day, to meet the family for a cup of coffee at Mugg and Bean...when suddenly, in walks an American Bell Band and starts to set up.

For those of you that know me...I ALWAYS have a drum with me, even my son takes his drum everywhere with us...so without any hesitation, both the Nicholson Drummers ran to fetch our drums and joined in!!!!

 It was such a fun 30mins of jamming with this group...they also did an Acapella of a Xhosa song, which surprised me very much

 At one point I quickly tightened up their one and only drum for them, and gave the one girl a quick 5minute lesson on an interesting rhythm for her to learn...

What an amazing random meeting of people...thanks to all those that were there, and the audience loved it just a much, thank you for the shouts of approval, applause, and cheers of encouragement!

Charity Drumming at Downtown Music

 I did a gig at Downtown Music in George.

This gig was the 3rd Annual Charity Gig for Child Welfare, that I've organized and hosted.  EdenFM(a local radio station)was also there and played several spots live on air...

This is my friend and fellow drummer, Zane...we did a Djmembe Duo using Polyrhythms to make music!

 My Son, Axel Dean Nicholson, the next generation drummer attends ALL my daytime events...this is his "impressed" face when the jam goes well!!!!...

 Here is a nice angle of the EdenFM radio Jockeys...

We had a great day and even though we did not get much funds in from the event, we had a great public response...even from callers phoning in on air...

It definately got some interesting statistics from the Child Welfare out to the public ear.

Axel at just under two years old, kept going to my banner and pointing at the pic of me...then pointing at me....obviously loving seeing two "Drummer Daddy's" in the same place at once!!!!

He even did a bit of posing at my vehicle...little dude knows how to do the cute thing hey!!!!

I am back with a vengeance!!!!

Hi there,

I have been very quiet over the last year or more building up my business, am now the proud owner of a very successful drumming business!

For more info please contact me on 078 295 8482 or email daniel@djembeman.co.za

WATCH THIS SPACE - Lots of very new and very interesting things coming up!!!!

Daniel

Djembe drum lessons at Afrovibe Backpackers

This is my drum lessons:

We get together at Afrovibe Backpackers in George every Sunday night from 5h00PM
And I teach some rythms.

Here are some pics from last sunday....


keep checking...more to come soon!!!!

My Sister Tiffany

My sister showing off her rythm...

Love ya tiffs

new base rythm

try this at home

Bev, her son-in-law and I

playing 2 djembes at the same time

yup I seem to have managed to get these rythms right...

Bev's rythm

My friend Bev...jamming at her house in East London

jam session

I had a kiff jam session with my brother and a friend.
I didn't have a drum with me so I ended up playing a coffee tin....

Richard Pipe

My good friend and drumming mentor is Richard Pipe from East London
reskinned my djembe for me with a senegalise goatskin

This clip was taken in front of Macdonalds in George

and more....

We met this Great musician, a operatic singer, Evan.
We didn't know the songs he could sing so we ended up just randomly singing notes,but it sounded o.k

more Monks clipz

playing more than one djembe at a time

This is at a party at Monk's in Wilderness.

My brother and a friend have formed a band...the next time I have a chance I will upload some mp3 tracks,for now though here are some vidz

Monk's party with my brother

Hi There....

Recently I had an amazing jam session(turned into party) at Monk's in Wilderness, South Africa.

It was Myself,My Brother Cole and a long time friend,Auret Van Heerden.
Me on my Djembe's,Cole on Guitar and Auret on bass....Tho we all had a turn to jam each others instruments.

I apologize for the quality of the video's but I'm using a small 2mp Nokia camera phone(If anybody wants to donate a cheap digital camera to the website, it would be greatly appreciate it)

Hi to all.....

Hi,

I am sooooo sorry that I have been neglecting my site for a while...been away to eastern cape(photies coming soon)

Here's a few new updates......

Drum Lesson....in the car!

Sometimes I like to sit in my car with the windows rolled up...

The base of the drum resonates sooo nicely in such a small space.
I also find that teaching yourself to play in such a limited space gets your wrists to naturally do what you want them to do...

Try it, and let me know if you get the same effect.

P.S
Forgive the sound just a little bit...vid was taken with my cellphone

Drumming at Cactus,South Africa

I enjoyed playing a couple of rythms at Cactus,a mexican restuarant and pub in George,South Africa...unfortunately the owner didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the people there, so I had to can it after a couple of rythms...

Muhammid....Sorry it took so long!!!

Hey there,

This is Muhammid.

He was at Zanzibar(Club in South Africa) when I bumped into him.

All the way from Egypt, heres Muhammid

Drumming at Zanzibar club in S.A

Hi there,

I LOVE my drums...I take them wherever I go.
As you can imagine, lots of other people love them too...so I get to play in all sorts of places.

This is a club in George,South Africa called Zanzibar...here are a couple of clips for you(Hope to see you there sometime...)

AND SUM MORE...

This clip has got My brother Cole(guitar) My friends Dane(guitar) and Auret(guitar)
Jamming at the Botanical Gardens in George.

You may not believe this but we had never even played together before...we all just jelled so gr8 tho.

Hi all, I managed to get a cable for my phone so heres a few clips I would like to share with you...

This is my buddy Dane, we were just chillin...note the slippers... and jamming along.

I loved this tune so much it is currently my cellular phones ringtone.

KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE...NEW STUFFS COMING SOON!!!

Hello to all, and a heartfelt thenx for your patience.

I have not got a digital camera anymore and that has been a real bad loss as I am struggling to upload new clips.

Hopefully I have managed to arrange a data cable for my Nokia 6600 cellular phone, and next week Sunday I will be uploading all sorts of stuffs from my phone.

Once again...please feel free to e-mail me pics and vid clips and I will only be too happy to share them with the rest of us fellow drummers...or send it to me via facebook, just look for "danmish"

Thankyou
Daniel Nicholson of "djembedrumparadise"

I MISSSSSS HAVING A COMPUTER

Hi there to all....

I apologize that I have not added anything to this blog in a while....don't worry tho' cos I have not forgotten it, I have just had a temporary setback.

Please bear with me until further notice.

And please remember to e-mail me clips or pics of you doing your thing, and I will post them up as well.

Thankyou again....keep posted
Daniel Nicholson

Drum Circle with Master Drummer

I am Really Sorry about the quality of these clips, but the sound is great...
I hope you enjoy it....

Master Drummer at Play1

This is Peter, a Master Drummer from the Wilderness area, with his Band.
His brother,Eugene, is playing on the Kit drums.
Peter's Djembe is miked up and sounds amazing.

Master Drummer at Play

This is Peter from the Wilderness area(Garden Route)

It was absolutely amazing to drum along with you, and thank you for the awesome Vibe You and the Band brought to us on Sat.(Big Blu,Mosselbay,S.A)

I hope we get some more clips from you.
Daniel

Reggae Band at Big Blu

This Brilliant reggae drum band was brilliant...
They played at a bar in Mosselbay called Big Blu, in fact that is where our weekly Drum Circles are held, so all the Drummers came together and jammed with the band.

The two in the centre of the last pic are brothers,both drummers and their other brother(Also a drummer) makes and sells Djembe Drums...my Drum comes from him!!!!

Drum Circle in Mosselbay,S.A

DRUM CIRCLE AT BIG BLU IN MOSSELBAY,SOUTH AFRICA

We have a Drum Circle at a bar right on the beach in Mosselbay, called "Big Blu"
We play every second week on a Sunday or Saturday...

Anyone is always welcome to join us.

Drum Circle in East London,S.A

These are all photo's from one of our weekly Drum Workshops, held by Richard in East London,S.A at a pub called "Imbizo". As you can see the pub has a very African vibe to it which is perfect for Djembe Workshops.

There are a few Experienced Drummers at this particular event. The Lady playing the Big Djembe is also a Master Drummer,(and my very best friend) Beverly.
As you can also see we even have a regular Rastafarian(Bra Gift Watchman).
This Djembe was carved and skinned by Richard,Please e-mail me if you are looking for a drum made by him...his drums are of awesome quality, so good in fact, that some of his drums have even been exported to Germany.
...And of course, no Drumming event would be utterly complete without my BEAUTIFUL Wife with her GORJIS smile(I'm scoring points folks,hehehe).

Master Drummer in East London,S.A

This is my good friend Richard...A Master Drummer from East London,S.A.

Richard has a weekly drum circle at a pub called "Imbizo" or you can find him at "Sugar Shack Backpackers" on the East London Beachfront.

If you ever DO go and introduce yourself to him, tell him I say "Hi"

Caught Free-stylin by my Wife

My Wife caught me jamming my Djembe to a track on my Hi-fi,(Max Normal - Hazel's Joint)

This is a great way to learn and memorize new rhythms for yourself.
Enjoy

Interesting fact about neckline

Interesting story:

The Africans often believe that a skin on a Djembe Drum(which is a real animal) carries on the spirit of the animal.

That line is the neckline of the animal, usually the piece directly above the heart.

A Djembe that has been skinned correctly will have this line as close to the center as possible.

Thus when you play on left and right of the heart, the animal can sing out to the nature it remembers.

Interestingly enough...if the animal was weak or sickly,the drum will have a flat small sound.
If the animal was a big,strong and healthy one,the drum in turn sounds loud and good.

Hand Placement on a Djembe Drum

HAND PLACEMENT:
(REFER TO CLIP OF 3BASIC NOTE ON A DJEMBE DRUM)


Here are 3 pictures that show you where to hit the drum for each of the three basic notes.

Here is a pic of a base note:

Hit the drum in the center, with a cupped hand.
Don't be afraid to hit the drum hard, but listen so that it doesn't begin to become just noise.

The Middle Note:

Hit the drum just off center(left/right,doesn't matter which)
The best note will come from a spot between the centre and edge of the drum.

The Treble Note:

Hit the drum on the outer edge,
I get the best sound by smacking my hand on the side of the drum and letting my fingers bounce on the skin...you a very loud "Twang" sound.

Djembe Drum Paradise: Caught Free-stylin by my Wife

Djembe Drum Paradise: Caught Free-stylin by my Wife

Free-style drumming on a small Djembe

I decided to have a break from teaching....hehehe,I'm a fussy guy and had to re-take these clips quite a few times to get the angle right...

Here is a couple of rhythms played together...

Tribal Rhythm2

This is the Tribal Rhythm that My friend Bev taught me....it comes straight from the Transkei in South Africa. Its a typical African Tribal rhythm found in far apart villages.

If you want to know more about the Transkei go to www.wildcoast.com.

I hope this clip is easy to understand.
Dan

Tribal Rhythm1

This is a tribal trance rhythm I learnt from my 61yr old friend(Beverly) in East London...

The trick of this rhythm is to keep playing the same rhythm without any change for as long as possible...its quite easy to get lost in the rhythm as I hope you will find out.

In my next clip I will give more detail in how to play this Awesome rhythm.

Kids having fun2

Its amazing how young kids have a natural rhythm in their souls.
These two have never touched(or even seen) a Djembe Drum before, but look how easily they synchronize their rhythm and tempo.

Kids having fun

These kids had a blast learning to play the Djembe Drum, and so did I.

I especially want to thank their Moms, who gave me permission to post photo's of their children on my blog.
Ek së biae dankie dat "Die Mama's" my permissie gegee het om hierdie fotos of my blog te sit.

Ek hoop Julle kry dit reg om die fotos van julle eie rekenaars af te laai. Die maklikste is net "Copy and Paste!"

Ek hoop dat Julle die fotos geniet.
Daniel