Djembe Days

So Long July!

2011-08-10T02:10:00.000+02:00

Up, up & higher up!

Midyear crisis month is how a friend described July & I so have to agree with that description. In 8 years of business, July 2011 was the strangest month Talking Drums has experienced - the valleys & peaks could be compared to The Mariana Trench & The Himalayas!!

We hired our Djembes to our "opposition"; had a very enjoyable session with an online car sales company & used the high school hall stage to play with a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization which enhances international understanding & friendship through educational, cultural & humanitarian activities - with participants from Egypt to the USA, we had such amazing fun!

The Quilt!

I want this TV!

Moses Mabhida Stadium is incredible - I behaved like a total tourist! The client's spec was something totally alien to us, but from the feedback received, we obviously did it right.

We drummed with 34 Super Heroes - The Hulk was scary & he left green body paint all over 1 of our Djembes! The Mario Brothers - 2 ladies - were given cowbells in the percussion part of the session & the "conversation" they had while all the other instruments were being played was brilliant. Congratulations Young Managers.

Neighbourhood watch participants can sort of be split in 2 - those that participate & those that sit & watch! This was an interesting session as I worked with those that participated, in everything I asked them to. Some of the folk on the other side did participate, but as this session was a surprise item on the meeting's agenda - Neighbours Working Together - I think they wished it had actually being itemised! It amazes me that people are wary of doing something new - take up the challenge, play a little, have some fun & let your hair down!

Believe it or not the most fulfilling session so far this year, for me, was the first session of August with cerebral palsy children & their caregivers. Some of these children were neglected because of their status - parents like that need to be sterilised. We have worked with challenged participants previously & the utter joy their faces show always makes me teary eyed. The session was such a success that we have been asked to visit them every month. These types of sessions are structured for Mike & I only, for the participants it is an opportunity to express themselves & be free.

Another hire of our Djembes, this time 200 of them! Mike & I accompanied the drums & experienced Industrial Theatre for the first time – what a blast! The Djembes were placed under the theatre seats; well that’s where they were supposed to be! The staff unashamedly used them to voice both their negative & positive responses to the MD’s speech & were then invited to use them interactively during the production. Needless to say a whole slew of new ideas started their journey in both Mike’s & my brains! Watch this space!

Apologies in advance for the sound quality - we video in a wide variety of venues.

That’s it for now – July is done & dusted & I am looking forward to August’s surprises.

Breaking the Mold

2011-07-04T19:24:00.000+02:00

So here I am again & July has just started!

June can be a bit of a strange month, what with schools going on holiday & some parents getting ready to go on holiday with their children. Our calendar depicts this in the convoluted variety of school; corporate; single & double bookings. Looking at June’s calendar makes me wonder what everyone has against Mondays – we did not work on 1 of the 4 in June!

We travelled inland to Ixopo; down the South Coast to Glenmore (190 kilometres from home), to Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Alpine Heath & up the North Coast. Our participants ranged from Grade 0 students to Mr Price’s accountants!

We made music with the Colla Voce Youth Choir, who were in KZN on tour & also for some R&R! This was quite possibly the most musically advanced session we have facilitated – the participants were playing the rhythms that we normally end a session with about 15 minutes into the session! Mike was in his element, calling rhythms to the choir that normally I only hear Cyngen & him play! To end our afternoon, the choir treated us to one of their repertoire – sans instruments. I have no idea what they were singing about, but, with my eyes closed, I stood there with a lump in my throat & tears rolling down my cheeks. What an incredible range of voices.

The drive to Alpine Heath was stunning – snow on the Drakensberg & clean, crisp air. It was actually not as cold as I expected it to be, until we started carrying the Djembes out of the hotel & packing them into the car. You have no idea how many stars there are in the night sky until you look up into a sky that is pollutant free!

About 350 new participants were introduced to interactive percussion over 6 sessions on the morning of 21 June – these little ones ranged in age from 6 to 10 years old. It was the first time Talking Drums had work-shopped their school & from feedback received, it will not be the last!

Sometime in April, Mike received an email from a prospective client asking if he would custom make a Djembe. Several emails back & forth & the final colour & design were agreed on. Trying to find an old fashioned sign writer to do the design the client wants, is like trying to find hen’s teeth & until the design is completed, the Djembe cannot be finished. I don’t really like painted wood, but even I have to admit that this Djembe looks amazing!

Till next time - Listen to the Rhythm of Your Heart

How to Make a Djembe the Talking Drums' Way!

2011-06-29T20:19:00.000+02:00

At the beginning of the year, a Grade 12 student from 1 of the schools we work at approached Mike to make his own Djembe. In order to track his progress & as proof that he actually made the drum, we have photographed every step of the manufacture.

After choosing the planks, plane them

Cut to size

Outline the template

Cut the shape out

1st of many slats

Jointing the slat

Painting the slats with glue

Slats glued, now make them form a circle

After making a slatted circle, glued & kept
together with rubber bands, you tie it up!

Success!

Flatting the flute

Rounding the bowl

Varnish time - 1 of many coats

Wrapping the rings - all Talking Drums' Djembe rings are painted matte black & then wrapped with cloth

A little bit of help

Varnish curing

That is how far this young man's Djembe has come - a couple more coats of varnish, some more sanding, rings, string & skin (goat vellum) & Doug will have his own hand made, perfectly playable Djembe!

School Photos You Won't Mind!

2011-06-29T00:48:00.000+02:00

Talking Drums works with a whole lot of schools all over KZN. Primary school students' workshops run for 30 minutes, with Grades 6 & 7 also being offered 45 minute sessions, which include percussive toys. High school students are offered a 60 minute session which includes percussive toys being used by the students to create their own rhythms! The look on the children's faces, whether junior or senior, when they realise that they are making music is why I go to work everyday!!

1 of our schools in Northern KZN

Probably the best ever outdoor venue & a great bunch of Grade 9's!

Pietermaritzburg Botanic Gardens

Percussive Toy Time!

1 of the charitable organisations we work with

Pre Primary Camp Out!!

Pietermaritzburg students are incredibly musical - such fun1

These little ones have drummed every year of their school career!

Mike & I - we sit when we work with little people

Country school we have visited every year since 2005!

This sign says it all!

These little ones experienced the Djembe for the 1st time a week ago!

Concentration!

Grade 7 students who have drummed every year of their school career!

Corporate Time in Photos

2011-06-28T03:51:00.000+02:00

KZN Action Netball - 186 participants having a whale of a time!

Drum maker; facilitator; husband!

Yes, I really do enjoy what I do!

Marc Kress & Cyngen Chananie

Son & Father's hands

My hands

Tracey Chananie; Marc Kress; Cyngen Chananie; Mike Chananie; Mark Whittaker; Mandla Matsha & MC Ravi (ECR)

Mark Whittaker & his "toy" stand

Cyngen & Mike Chananie

I think I took about 20 photos of the snow!

KZN is stunningly beautiful

Sunset on the way to Alpine Heath

Sunset over Tala Private Game Reserve

EEEEEEK!! HORROR OR HORRORS

2011-06-03T14:28:00.000+02:00

Was Googling for information today & got stopped dead in my tracks at this statement, & I quote:

“Having only a few drums limits the drum's social efficacy as hand drumming is essentially a group activity.”

For those of you that are language sensitive, please stop reading now – BULLSH!T!

Okay, you can carry on reading!

Yes, the Djembe works extremely well in a group situation – I should know, it is what Talking Drums is all about. However, how did the person who made the above statement improve their skills – by playing in a group? I think not – in fact I can categorically state DEFINITELY NOT. As a hand percussionist, you will pick up interesting solos, rhythms & time signatures by playing in a group – but how do you make them your own? By playing them by yourself!

As a facilitator – yes the person who made the statement does the same job as Talking Drums – we practice by ourselves to ensure that firstly, we do not sound awful; secondly that what we play is musical & lastly that we can play over what the participants are playing, e.g. solos.

I am so tired of people talking absolute rubbish about hand percussion:

NO, we do NOT call up the spirits or ancestors. Talking Drums uses 4:4, 3:4 & 6:8 rhythms, as those are the most prolific time signatures.
NO, we are NOT tree huggers or hippies – Talking Drums appreciates the Earth, but we are a professional company whose members dress & behave professionally – we even wear shoes!
NO, we do NOT arrive hours before we are booked & then proceed to drink and/or eat on the client’s account.
NO, we do NOT charge the client for the time we are at the venue, Talking Drums charges for the number of participants in the session & of course, petrol.
NO, we do NOT bring an entourage – Talking Drums brings the necessary number of staff to successfully complete the session.
NO, we do NOT use a CD in a boombox & only allow you to play when the narrator says so!! Participants are interactively involved in Talking Drums' sessions from the minute the session starts - no time to sit back & pick your nose! We do NOT do karaoke drumming!
NO, we do NOT put “BABA” in front of our Christian names as that is an insult to the MASTER DRUMMERS, NONE of whom have originated in South Africa.
NO, we do NOT refer to ourselves as “DJEMBEFOLAS” as that term, once again refers to MASTER DRUMMERS – “Traditionally, as today, in Africa an individual needs to spend MANY YEARS accompanying his master in ceremonies & other festivities before becoming a REAL Djembefola (Djembe player). Today in the communities of the "western civilization" learning to play the Djembe generally involves finding a MASTER DRUMMER & having private lessons or lessons for small groups of people. Players generally need to learn the basic sounds & traditional rhythm samples (4/4 & 12/8) to be able to follow classes. MANY YEARS of playing & learning are needed to be able to produce a sound that is comparable in its quality to that of a MASTER DRUMMER” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe

NB: Capitals & emboldening by me.

I am astoundingly horrified by the status Djembe plonkers give themselves – ego is not required. Mike, Cyngen & I have been playing the Djembe since 1999 & we are continuously looking to better our skills; improve the content of our sessions & increase our knowledge of not only our instrument, but the music that is & can be played on it.

Trying to convince Corporate South Africa that interactive percussion is an awesomely funtastic way to bring their staff together is hard enough without having to contend with the above.

There are NO winners or losers in Facilitated Interactive Percussion – there is the team, working together to create their own session of music. That is Talking Drums mission!

“Thunderous bass; hysterical tones; sharp, clean slaps; whip like flams and waves of rolls - the sounds of the Djembe insinuate themselves into your musical journey – whispering to you and all those beside and around you of your heritage. Speaking all languages, bridging all ages, including all nations – this drum is "Speechless Communication"”. www.talkingdrums.co.za

“An experienced Djembe drummer can coax enough sound from his drum to make it seem like an exchange between several drums is taking place, when in fact just one drum is speaking.” www.talkingdrums.co.za

Blogging & Hand Percussion

2011-06-02T16:58:00.000+02:00

So it appears – according to comments received – that I can tell a story! I have always had this niggle that someday I want to write, not sure what, but I want to put fingers to keyboard & watch the letters form words on my monitor, like I am doing now.

Aunty Mim's Childrens' Centre

April finished on quite a high note for the business. We had some awesome musical fun with Junior Splashy Fenners & then came home to 2 sessions on opposite sides of KZN on the Tuesday & then Wednesday’s 500 strong session! The rest of April was spent recuperating, watching the Royal Wedding & then May started with 1 of my daughter’s telling me that Bin Laden was dead – Go USA!

50 tables x 10 guests per table!

Setting up & sound check

So far May has been an admin & manufacturing month – me doing the admin & Mike in the workshop making more Djembes, which it appears we are going to be using as we have 2 confirmed bookings for sessions with 300 participants each!

Mike & Cyngen popped down to Durban to assist 1 of our schools with their Djembe repertoire – they’re travelling to the UK in July with the choir & want something different. This they definitely received.

Friday 6 May was a very, very important day – Cyngen left home at 6am & travelled to Estcourt from where at about 11am I received a 2 word text message – “I PASSED” Learner’s Licence & licensed driver no longer required!

Mike & I visited 1 of our regular pre-primary schools where again we had such fun with the children – they are so open to exploring the “new”. Friday took us to a new school, for us & literally – they have only been open for a year. Because they are still so new, the number of students per grade is small, so we “chameleoned” our session so that children from Grade1 to Grade 5 could be grouped together & Grade 6 to 10 could work together. Evolution is incredible!

Saturday afternoon took Mike & Cyngen to a group of belly dancers for a Djembe playing workshop – Mike came home with a whole CD of music to learn! Evolution in play, again!

Off to the Midlands for a birthday bash where the birthday boy wanted a drum circle! Only problem was that the bonfire in the middle took up just about the whole circle & when they lit it & it started going, uh oh, hot bum! We ended up grouping everyone on one side of the fire with Mike & I dancing around trying to avoid getting set alight! A very pleasant, chilled evening with good food, good company & an awesome B & B to boot!

So Monday arrives, the 1^st day of the week of elections – yes, I know you can only vote on 1 day, but it sure takes a long time for it to get over & done with. Publish the results & let’s get on with life, we have places to go & people to drum with!

Thursday night & we load every single Djembe in the house minus the bass drums, percussion toys & our personal Djembes into 2 trailers & our car – bed time!! My alarm goes off at 5:30am on Friday morning & neither Mike not I hear it! 10 minutes before Marc Kress arrives, Mike sits up in bed & says my name – you know when the cartoon character sits bolt upright in shock – that’s what I did!! Coffee, bath, hair, dress & ready to go x 2 people in 20 minutes – not bad!!

Off to 1 of our favourite private schools on the North Coast to “play” with 300 educators, what a way to start the weekend. Set up took about 30 minutes – the 3 of us work well together!

I have no idea why that ONE Djembe is standing in the middle of nowhere!

218 participants played on Djembes & the rest had maracas; bell trees & wood blocks – no hiring in of extra drums, means we were able to keep the cost down for the client, quite a saving when you’re working with 300 people.

Saturday found us at Tala with a group of international guests, none of whom had ever played a Djembe before! One of the best parts of my “job” is introducing people to hand percussion & seeing the expression on their faces when together we make music!

The 2nd group - venue, Selborne Golf Estate & Spa

Another week of admin & on Friday night we played, made music & danced with about 100 moms, dads & their children. I love working with children – under the age of “I know everything” – they are so uninhibited, expressive & open to try new stuff & the beauty of that is that mom & dad literally get dragged in too! It was awesome watching moms & dads get up & dance with their little ones, pick their munchkin up onto their lap & help them play the Djembe & all this on pre-school chairs! Small children allow us to retreat to a time of playing, being silly & doing stuff that, as “grown ups”, we have somehow conditioned ourselves into believing we can’t do. That is the beauty of interactive drumming – nobody is watching you, except us so that we can help. As adults, we appear to require permission to play & as facilitators, we give you that permission before the session even starts!

June has started quietly & I’m not sure if I should be grateful or not as next week’s calendar is scary!! One of our Pietermaritzburg school’s takes 3 days of 8 sessions a day & on 2 of those days we have corporate sessions as well. We are going to be all over KZN this month & I promise I will take the camera & try to take as many photos as I can.

Till next time – Listen to the Rhythm of Your Heart!

Splashy Fen 2011

2011-05-18T21:39:00.000+02:00

Yes, I know Splashy was at the end of April, but here goes anyway!

Our annual family holiday arrives whenever the Pope decides Easter will happen, which can be anytime from mid-March to the end of April. Does the man not understand the differences in the weather over these 2 months!! The couple of days before our departure were wet, grey & miserable – oh yum, a wet, muddy Splashy. The night before we left, Wednesday, 20^th April, the heavens opened to such an extent that Auntie Mim’s Children’s Tent was just about washed away, with John & Mim inside!! We also heard that the Tribal Village got their fair share of rain as well. When it rains in the Underberg region, it really, really rains.

My darling son (Pfffffft) woke us at 5:30am on the morning of 21 April – I’m still having nightmares about this – and we arrived at our soon to be home for the next 4 days just after 8am. Splashy’s infamous entrance road – red clay mud – had not yet dried, so the cars were being allowed in with a 2 minute gap between each one. Excuse me Mr Moron Bakkie Driver Behind Us, that 2 minute gap was done for a reason – so you don’t drive in our trailer and so that if/when our car slips and slides backward, our trailer does not end up on your bonnet!! Pedro was watching the cars come in from the corner of the bottom camp site & as we slid past, I’m sure I saw visible relief on his face – there were about 20 cars behind us!!

We found the new camp site – on the other side of the Tribal Village’s fence - & the men in the family decided this was a good spot! Needless to say I reminded them of this comment every time they complained about inconsiderate people bashing away at 3am!

Camp was set and it was time for coffee – small problem, the attachment for our gas bottle that we were supposed to buy in Underberg had not been bought because we went through Underberg too early! Thank goodness for coffee shops and after coffee I went to sleep!

Lunch time on Day 1 – Burger Express – Legend Burger of epic proportions! They split the packet that the burger is served in and it’s still too big! No complaints from me – bacon, patty, egg, fried onions & cheese – what more could a hungry girl ask for? Sprite Zero please!

At this point Splashy looked a bit quiet, people were still arriving and others were probably still at work, but the sun was shining, the ground was drying & we were bumping into people we know. Off to see Mim & John at Auntie Mim’s Children’s Tent to finalise arrangements for percussion with the children over the next 3 days and to confirm the Easter Bunny!!

Thursday evening and off to the Splashy Marquee to see The Brasstitutes collaborating with a band that obviously did not make an impression, I can’t remember who they were – Ooops & no it wasn’t the wine, I didn’t have any while I was at Splashy, well not on Day 1 anyway!!

Sitting at our campsite later we watched as a solid line of lights travelled through the entrance, down the hill & then up the hill. Either these folk are past masters at the art of setting up camp in the dark, or they slept in their cars – the main thoroughfare filled up quickly!

Day 2 and the first interactive session with Junior Splashy Fenners in Aunty Mim’s Children’s Tent – a smallish group, but what fun! Even Mim; John & Pedro (the storyteller) joined in! The 2^nd session had a couple more participants & the word was spread that there were 2 sessions a day with Sunday’s session being for Mom’s, Dad’s & Juniors!

Friday & Saturday were spent wandering around, listening to awesome music, drumming with munchkins, eating seriously good food & sitting round our camp fire drinking coffee & liqueurs.

Now about this fire – Mike & Cyngen went wood hunting on Thursday and came back dirty, tired but with a full trailer! Cyngen then spent the next couple of hours pulling blackjacks off his socks, jeans, t-shirt & shoelaces. Mike took his socks off & they stood up all by themselves! On Sunday afternoon when the wood situation looked a bit iffy, I burnt them – they kept me warm for at least 10 minutes!!

Saturday night, as usual, was the best ever – The Rudimentals & Goodluck in the same tent! Mike & I stood about ½ way back & it was amazing – the crowd was brilliant, the music was mindshatteringly, fantastically awesome!

Sunday dawned bright & early with The Easter Bunny going off to Aunty Mim’s to hand out Easter eggs and the plane that was supposed to fly over Splashy and bomb us with marshmallow eggs had the common decency to wait for me to wake up so I could dive for cover!

Splashy starts to wind down on Sunday with people packing up, camp sites being emptied of bodies, bags & bottles & piles of rubbish left behind. This really annoys me as there are dirt bins everywhere & the rubbish truck comes around every day to take your black bag & give you another one – USE THE DIRT BIN BAGS or does your home look like your camp site?

Sunday night in the Grant Erskine Marquee was incredible – Margaret’s Daughter; Jack Mantis Band & Dan Patlansky, one after the other. If Mr Patlansky ever puts his guitar down, I will wear black for a month.

Supper was take out again whilst wandering around, bumping into people we know & then back to our camp site for what we hoped would be a relatively quiet night – YEAH RIGHT! As far as I know, the noise curfew for Splashy is 2am, not whenever the idiots bashing; pounding & breaking Djembes decide to stop. I am so glad we drum with Junior Splashy Fenners. People who have no respect for a musical instrument should have their hands cut off!! It was so gratifying listening to all the bitching and whining about sore hands. I just wish I’d had a recorder of some sort so that I could post the cacophony of sound that kept our camp site awake until 4am.

Mother Nature is to be thanked a zillion times – the sun shone the whole weekend except for 2 tiny showers. The free showers (Radox) were hot and no queues in sight and everywhere you looked there were banks of porta-loos with cleanup staff on duty 24/7. If I had to mention anything that stood out for me over the 4 days, it was clean loos & cleanup staff walking the festival continuously, picking up the rubbish.

Congratulations to Pedro Carlo for once again hosting the best event we attend!

Want to find out more about what we do?

A Little Bit of W(h)ine!

2011-05-10T18:55:00.021+02:00

We all have moments of whining about something that annoys or irritates us & we mutter or shout about it to anyone who will listen - commonly known as venting! I tend to go for

a walk down our driveway & yell at the trees or threaten my plants with being uprooted.

If I had to do that this time, we would probably have had a desert landscape by the time I was finished!!

About a week before Splashy Fen, I was contacted by an event co-ordinator - not from South Africa nor South African & asked for information regarding facilitating an interactive session with 500 guests at an awards function. Obviously this was something that Talking Drums wanted to participate in, especially seeing as Richard Ellis had kindly recommended us as being “The Drumming Company” that would be able to professionally cope with this size gig.

I should have put the phone down after that request - that was phone call No. 1!

By the end of the day & probably 6 or 7 phone calls later, I had magically become an "event co-ordinator"! A foreigner in SA, not knowing anyone, arranging a function for 500 people with various artists performing at various times during the event, brought out the helper in me. The next day brought a slew of phone calls & by the end of the day, a meeting had been arranged for Thursday morning at 1 of the hotels near Gateway - a mere 140 kilometre round trip for us! By the end of the meeting - breakfast was good - I had a list of various artists that I had been asked to contact, 17 to be exact!

The specification for the event was still up in the air, which was a bit scary, as we were also trying to prepare for Splashy & facilitating sessions.

The first formal quote was emailed with an almost immediate response being received - too expensive. What did they expect with 17 different acts? On instruction, this was reduced to 13 & another quote was emailed. You guessed it, too expensive. Mike & I start to feel a bit leery of this whole "episode" so I send a final programme, now cut to 7 acts, accompanied by our terms & conditions with 1 extra - Payment in Full to be made by no later than 5pm on the day before the event. I contact all the performers & advise them of what I have done - this phone call was probably about my 6th or 7th to each of them! By this stage it is 2 days before we have planned to leave for Splashy, & I still do not have confirmation of ANYTHING!

Another email is sent advising that confirmation of the performers must be given per email before 5pm on Wednesday 21 April & should this confirmation not be received, I will advise everyone that NOTHING is happening. That seemed to have the desired effect & confirmation of 6 acts & Talking Drums was received. I also advised in that email that from Thursday, 22 April through to Monday, 25 April, I would not be available either on cell or by email - someone must have whispered it in my ear, as Vodacom reception was dismally appalling for the entire time we were at Splashy.

Splashy will be blogged about later, suffice to say that on the way home, driving toward Underberg on the tar road, we must have hit the right incoming signal spot, because I thought my cell was going to explode!

I think there were 17 text messages that were received - I responded to the last one reminding them that I had been away & on my arrival at home, I would respond to everything! I have just counted all the emails & text messages received over the 14 day period leading up to the event - emails = 38 & texts = 67!!

So the day arrives & 282 Djembes, in 2 trips to Sibaya, leave our house. The other 220 were collected from Durban. As this is a dinner function,

there are 50 tables of 10 chairs & guess where the Djembes had to go? You’re right again – under the tables! The co-ordinator was horrified by the fact that we offloaded & placed the Djembes under the tables – “artistes don’t do that kind of work” – Welcome to South Africa!

As Talking Drums was the first item on the programme, after the opening speech, we set up our instruments & did a sound check – we had time as the function was only supposed to start at 6pm. Was that not on the invitation – guests had already started arriving by 3pm!! As the doors to the venue were partially open, they just walked in, only to be “accosted” by me & advised that they only had to arrive at 6pm! Not sure if the coffee shops at Sibaya had a bigger turnover that day, but I must have sent about 100 guests through to the Food Court.

Slowly but surely the venue started filling with staff; crew & our guest percussionists

– Mandla Matsha (Djembe); Marc Kress (Bass) & Mark Whittaker (Percussion Toys).

Ravi R (ECR DJ) arrived & we literally walked into each other – awesome stuff, as we had drummed with ECR 10 days previously! The man is a consummate professional – explanation to follow!!

Finally the doors to the venue were opened & I am eternally grateful that I was nowhere near. A tidal wave of perfume; after shave & flesh sort of flowed through – 750 people arrived to an event that had invited 500! There were babes in arms; shorts & t-shirts; crocs; slops & the seriously overdressed! The culture of Africa – when invited to an awards ceremony, the whole family goes with you, even though the invitation has only your name on it!

With standing room only, the evening began & thank goodness we were backstage as we would not have made it to the stage had we been anywhere else. Ravi introduced us & Mike asked everyone to look under their tables to find their Djembes. It was time to play! Our half hour session was interesting to say the least – from what I could see probably only the 1^st 3 or 4 rows actually participated in the interactive session. The rest of the Djembes had bums on them!!

At the end of our session, an announcement was made that those who had not received an official invitation had to leave the venue – CHAOS! I think the calmest person in the room was Ravi R & he made the announcement. Due to overcrowding, the venue was no longer considered “fire safe”. The security staff at Sibaya are seriously professional & absolutely amazing when it comes to crowd control & looking after the performers. The uninvited guests’ behaviour after this announcement was disgusting. They gathered at both the front & back entrances to the venue, pounding on the front doors & bending the plexiglass back doors! Welcome to Africa!

Once the situation had calmed down somewhat, the function continued & it was at this point that I was advised by 1 of the waitrons that bums were on drums! I am sure an expletive was ejected & that steam shot out of all my facial orifices. Time to collect 502 Djembes from wherever they might be in the venue. For some unknown reason, only Talking Drums’ Djembes were being used as bum rests – size & height perhaps?

With the help of the waitrons, the collection started & I am pleased to say that 95% of bummers gave up their “seats” without any fuss. The other 5% had to deal with Cyngen & I – not a pleasant experience for them, particularly when I am told that there are not enough chairs so what must be used? Definitely not one of Talking Drums handmade Djembes – get your bum off my drum! Would you sit on your guitar – hmmm don’t answer that question!

Finally all Djembes are accounted for & are safe in another room until the function ends & the venue empties – but dinner is about to begin! My comments regarding the guests behaviour at the buffet will be left to your imagination, suffice to say that all 3 buffet tables were emptied within a half hour or so. Remember there are 500 invited guests!!

The evening is over & Mike, Cyngen & I start moving the Djembes from the back room to inside the venue, gridding them to ensure that all hired Djembes are accounted for & separated into their respective groups. 170 Djembes arrive home at 2:20am on Thursday, 28 April & the 3 of us collapse. Mike, our domestic & I offload at about 8am & start the next trip back to Sibaya to collect the balance. 200 Djembes are returned to Durban & the final load arrives back in Drummond just after lunch time. We offload, recount & realise that over the past 24 hours we have moved 2500 Djembes!!

To all the professional event co-ordinators that Talking Drums has worked for or interacted with, we take our hats off to you! I will never, ever again shake my head at the 6^th phone call you make to us, nor the 4^th change of plan that you send to us – it’s the customer that did it!!

2011: From the Beginning!

2011-04-20T00:06:00.023+02:00

It's April and once again I have some catching up to do - probably brought on by the answer I received when having asked someone to read this blog and give some advice. Her advice, and I quote "BLOG MORE OFTEN"! Hint taken, so here goes.

January was a sort of quiet month, only 6 booked clients, but just shy of 500 people drummed with us! A top Pietermaritzburg school's prefects; a collection of Head Prefects and their deputies; the educators of a very posh school on the North

Coast; an entire school in the Midlands; the new Grade 8's of another North Coast school and the cherry on top, 130 bankers! Zimbali was the venue for the bankers and I am quite sure that the estate had never experienced anything like the session we had! The ballroom was filled with Djembes;

maracas; bell trees; wood blocks; triangles and various other percussive toys and our weekday, straight-laced bankers rocked the place! What a way to start the year. Oh and we sold another 10 of our handmade Djembes to another top school!

February presented itself with Suncoast booking a "Valentine's Day" performance, so Mike and Cyngen with Djembes and Congas in tow, duly gave them a whole different outlook on love and percussion!

The new volunteers from a Californian university drummed up a storm in Pietermaritzburg, literally -

it rained after their session! We performed and facilitated a session outside Moyo at uShaka for a group who wanted to include a fire poi dancer and a fire breather! That was a bit different as the session was put on pause for the other performers, with the participants accompanying Mike and Cyngen with maracas and bell trees. We

spent a day in the Berg drumming and making music with another school and 3 days later had a

wonderful session with a group of counsellors and medical practioners who deal with HIV/AIDS. we were also introduced to Docklands Hotel - what a perfect venue with really helpful staff. We left that session to interact with a group of 6 year old's at a birthday party!

2 days after this double, 130 Djembes travelled down the South Coast to one of very few outdoor sessions. Acoustically, outdoors is not good and for this one we were competing with the ocean! The feedback from this session was great except that a couple of the participants came away with very pink hands!

The next 2 days were spent at 2 schools on the North Coast, one celebrating a cultural day and the other a regular who welcomes their new Grade 4's by booking each class an interactive session.

Off we go again, down the South Coast, this time to interact with a group from a very large insurance company. This session was a surprise for the group and yes, they were surprised! A very timid start ended with the group asking if they could drum for longer! That's a definite positive.

February ended with an amazing evening - mellow atmosphere, Errol's famous Bean Bunny, fantastic barmen (thanks Andy for taking care of me & my guys) & the most incredible, soul soothing music - thanks to Woodpecker & R@W!

On 1 March, Talking Drums with Mandla Matsha was booked to welcome invited guests and

dignatories to the opening of the new computer centre at Olwazini Discovery Centre. This centrecaters to mainly underprivileged and disadvantaged school children providing science laboratories and other facilities that are not available in the students' schools. The Olwazini

Computer Centre was officially opened by Dr May Mkhize (wife of Dr Zweli Mkhize: KZN Premier) & Mr Patrick September.

The day this after we drummed with pre-primary students and yes, they can play the Djembe and make music!

On Saturday, 5 March, Talking Drums performed for the walkers at the annual Hillcrest High School Cancer Walk - a truly humbling experience to say the least.

KZN Netball players seriously rocked Durban North the next day, with 186 participants coming close to lifting the roof off the venue!

Travelling time again, back to Zimbali to interact with one of the big 3 petrol companies. This was a fun one, as those that were a bit wary of "drumming" stood outside the venue and then popped in to join when they realised that we were not calling up any ancestors or spirits!! People have some very strange ideas regarding drumming and percussion?

Another school drummed with us and then the BIG day - Cyngen performed with Rowan Stuart in Durban! Rowan decided he wanted a different sounding percussion to some of his songs and after rehearsing with Cyngen decided that Congas would sound good. They did! Mike and I are immensely proud of Cyngen's performance with Rowan, as this was the first time he had performed in public with a professionally known artist. On another note, should you want to hear a guitar "talk" invest in Rowan Stuart's music - he is amazing!

Purim was celebrated a little differently this year at the Shul on Essenwood Road - they drummed, in costume! 2 wonderful sessions held with junior and senior members and then some really yummy food was laid out for everyone. Think I enjoyed the food more than the drumming!

Off to Varsity College's cultural session and once again, we were faced with some trepidation on the part of the participants. Not quite sure how it happened, but 40 Djembes were available and the circle had 50 people in it! Thank goodness we always have extra percussion toys.

Back to another of our regular schools, where every student from Grade 4 to grade 7 created their own music and then on the way home deliver another new Djembe to another school!

Sunday was Open Day at another of our regular schools and we were confronted with 30 Grade 7 boys who next year will be the "newbies" and if their drumming skills are anything to go by, not many of them will be playing any ball sports! However, knowing the discipline and sports' reputation of the school, they'll all be playing rugby by the 2nd week of the new year!

March ended with another 2 schools, one a senior primary and the other a foundation phase. Mike and I have both decided that we want to take the children from the foundation phase with us when next we go to one of our more "enthusiastic" sessions - these 6, 7 and 8 year old's were incredible! Give them a couple of years and the KZNPO could just have some competition!

Okay, so that's the 1st 3 months of 2011 done and dusted and it is now time for me to "hit the feathers". We're off to Splashy Fen on Thursday with 5 children's sessions booked in Aunty Mim's Children's Centre and I promise there will be photos and more words when we get back home.

Thanks for taking the time to read my rambles about our family business and see you soon!

The Rest of 2010!

2010-12-28T19:52:00.021+02:00

Guilty as charged! It has been a while since I posted! I have made a 2011 resolution to blog more often, that is if I'm not falling off my chair laughing at the folk I follow on Twitter & if I'm at home & not working -hopefully not at home & working!

Since my last post, we have drummed with a lot of people - 4952 to be exact! The nominees for The Crawford President's Award & their parents had a wonderful session before the winner was announced - started off a bit nervously, but ended on such a high note!

From builders to belly dancers; Grade 000 to Grade 9 students; health & wellness mini sessions; to performances at weddings; opening of buildings & product launches; bridal fairs, summer festivals to arts festivals; the national broadcaster to more international companies; American university students to university lecturers; healthcare professionals to challenged children & using percussion to assist a group of 80 young ladies tocome together as a team.

We have once again travelled KZN drumming in some truly amazing locations & in some strange venues - in a marquee, with a brutal storm raging outside with fire poi dancers!

We have gone from sitting at home waiting for work to having 4 bookings in one day - that took some organisation!

We have hired drums out & then been requested to join in & assist - Cyngen's 1st facilitation without Mom & Dad!

Mike has manufactured about 50 Djembes for orders this year & I have lost count of the number of other people's Djembes that have passed through needing repairs!

Well, that's 2010 all parcelled up & ready to be packed into our memories and hopefully yours too.

Looking forward to being a part of your 2011 experience, see you soon!

SA's Got Talent - 18 July 2010

2010-08-06T00:47:00.008+02:00

Arriving just after 06h00 at the ICC Durban, we were greeted by a queue of talented hopefuls about 200 strong - brave people!

We had been employed to entertain the people waiting to audition for SA's Got Talent! I suppose that should be taken as a compliment, except at 06h30 (gig start time), I wasn't feeling very complimentary!

Our spec was for the guys to drum and for me, with the help of the Lunch Bar folk, to encourage the queue to have some fun and interact with us. Hmmm, that was a bit more difficult than expected - this queue had enough nerves for the whole of SA! I managed to get one young man up on stage to show us his moves, to Graeme and Tom's music, and he was good. He was even given a gift for following me after I yanked him out of the queue!

My "job" became so much easier after the gate was opened and the hopefuls got up close and personal to the stage - had them dancing; clapping and even rapping to the percussion! I was even given an official "staff" T-Shirt - it looks like the back of the stage!

All too soon, 09h00 came around and our participation in the day was over and it was time to pack up and come home. Yes, I did go take a nap, after all it was Sunday!

Talking Drums at the Mr Price Pro - 4 July 2010

2010-07-04T22:31:00.010+02:00

Yes, its me again! Talking Drums represented by Mike and Cyngen played for the fans at the Mr Price Pro today at Willards Beach, Ballito. I videoed enough of their session that I was able to make 5 videos - 2 are posted here; 2 are on our fan page on Facebook and the last is on our group page, also on Facebook. Just search for Talking Drums!

On a completely different note, how beautiful is our coastline?

Catch Up!

2010-07-03T22:58:00.013+02:00

I cannot believe that 6 months have passed since I last posted to the blog - my apologies.

However, 2996 people from Grade 00 through to CEO's have interactively drummed with us in that time span! I stopped counting the number of sessions after I reached 100! Performance wise, we have provided background percussion for a number of weddings and have been employed to busk at Suncoast Casino!

We have welcomed Portguese soccer fans to KwaZulu Natal at our brand new airport - King Shaka International - and even wore "Madiba" shirts for the occasion! We have facilitated participants in an international company's staff talent contest - The Drummers won 1st place over the hip hop and diski dancers - how awesome is that!

We have facilitated 21st birthday guests, 6 year old birthday guests and German fans whose feedback regarding the interactive sessions, was that it was exactly what they wanted! We have welcomed the Brazilian and French Reunion fans to the Fan Embassy on Durban's North Beach and assisted Crawford Preparatory La Lucia students with their Djembe presentation for Sunset Proms!

We have welcomed new Grade 8's and congratulated head prefects and their colleagues to the first and last year of high school and have said farewell to Grade 7's in their last year of primary school. We have performed for the Premier of KwaZulu Natal and the Deputy Mayor of Ethekwini Municipality (Durban) and have even had the pleasure of watching the Mayor of Ethekwini Municipality (Durban) tap his feet to our music! The children of the Montessori tent at Splashy made music with us for 4 days in a row and we had such fun with them, watching and listening to their musical creations.

A new bass port and Ashiko had to be made in a hurry, because due to double bookings, Mike was facilitating a session at one end of KZN and I was going in the opposite direction! This emergency method of drying the bass heads is not recommended!! We have travelled from San Lameer to St Lucia to Alpine Heath and most places in between. We have witnessed magical sunsets; stunning scenery and a smiling faces and have enjoyed every minute of it!

Last but most definitely not least, my gorgeous granddaughter, with the help of my husband, tapped away on a Conga for her first attempt at percussion - as can be seen, much concentration was required!

Well, I think I have covered the last 6 months and here's to the next 6 being as awesomely amazing!

Happy drumming, till the next update :-)

Durban Drum Beat

2010-01-22T14:11:00.003+02:00

A collaboration of percussion, word artistry and movement - Talking Drums & Lexikon performing at Durban Drum Beat on 5 December 2009.

Closing 2009

2009-12-29T01:53:00.006+02:00

3 days to go to the end of 2009 and what a year it has been! Talking Drums once again travelled KZN; assisted participants from 3 years old to the CEO of uShaka in making percussive music; were discovered by two amazing companies of event co-ordinators that gave us some awesome sessions; participated in Kizo of Gateway's Heritage Day Celebrations; worked in the rain / at shopping malls; provided background music for a bunch of weddings and bridal fairs and even got paid to busk outside the casino! It has been a year of new discoveries all round - Mike even changed the design of Talking Drums' handmade Djembes!

To all our amazing, enthisiastic participants and co-ordinators - Thank You for an incredible 2009! May the best of your 2009 be the worst of 2010.

Happy Holidays!

I Discovered Widgets!

2009-12-29T01:51:00.000+02:00

Tracey Chananie is a fan of

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Create your Fan Badge

Catch Up!

2009-11-01T19:25:00.009+02:00

As you can see, the last post was a while ago - life has been a bit hectic!

September was an incredible month, starting with welcoming drumming for the Institute of Internal Auditors' annual conference held at Suncoast. The next day we were drumming with preprimary school students!! Then we were off to the 2009 Chef of the Year Awards with Brendon & Rayson, 2 awesome firedancers. Once again we were the welcoming music with Marc Kress on bass and toys. On Saturday, 12 September, 350 people drummed in 3 separate sessions and venues from Pietermaritzburg to Durban Beachfront!! That was an interesting day!

The following week was filled with students from Grade 00 to Grade 7 and a bridal fair! Once again we travelled! Talking Drums was also invited to share in The 2009 Sunflower Fund Bandana Day Promotion at Suncoast - my boys rocked!

KZN's North Coast rocked to the sounds of Talking Drums, with a corporate team building session and Heritage Day Weekend being celebrated at Gateway with 200 active participants and at least 1000 people over the 4 interactive sessions! That was an unbelievable experience - Gateway Rocks!

October started with an extremely formal affair at which Talking Drums in collaboration with Lexikon performed. The KwaZulu Natal Provincial Government Office of the Premier: 4th Annual Provincial Public Sector Human Resources Convention Gala Dinner was amazing! Dr Zweli Mkhize really does listen as was proved by him using words from Lexikon's word artistry in his speech! Sir, YOU ROCK!

Lots of various aged student sessions followed, including a 7 year old's birthday party! Overlooking the Umhlanga Lagoon was our office for a lunch time team building on the only sunny day the week had to offer - talk about fortuitous! The week ended with 2 sessions almost at opposite ends of KZN! 80kms inland from home with a start time of 16h30, while the bridal paty were having the photos taken, the guests were drumming up a storm - literally!! About 5 minutes after we arrived, the heavens opened and not only did the rain come down in buckets, but it hailed as well - running for cover was an understatement. With a start time of 20h15 for the next session, which happened to be 80kms north of home, the wedding guests kindly helped pack our trailer and we were off!

October had the most awesome end of month - I became a Nana! My first grandchild, Morgan-Lee Theresa Stander was delivered by C-section on Monday, 26 October at 08h33, weighing in at a healthy 3.205kgs and "standing" 53cms tall.

Life is Good!

Nice Size Sessions!

2009-08-09T18:53:00.016+02:00

104 people decided that they wanted to drum the sunset in at the end of Moyo's pier!! It was awesome. Have a look at the surf in the background!

Honey - Affordable Fashion Accessories "Ultimate" Launch: 260 Ladies drumming!!

2009-07-30T15:31:00.004+02:00

Mike and Cyngen Chananie - Talking Drums - playing background music at a wedding in April.

Today's Office

2009-06-17T22:43:00.009+02:00

The view from the car on the way home and from the verandah of the dining room where we drum!

A Misty, Grey Winter's Morning

2009-06-17T21:47:00.004+02:00

I was woken up this morning by Michael getting back into to bed, saying that it was still too early to get up?? Hmmm, should have got out of bed then and there! I had set my alarm for 05h15 as we had to travel 105kms to start work at 08h00, just one problem, I forgot about the public holiday and my wonderful cell lists the days that you want the alarm to go off - I set mine for Monday!! I shot out of bed at 05h57, 3 minutes before we were supposed to leave the house!

Apart from the mist and a few trucks, the journey was actually quite uneventful. Thank goodness the students arrived at the dining room just after we had opened the boot and started to offload the Djembes. You never have to ask a child twice to carry a Djembe!

I really enjoy drumming with the Lynford students - I think it has something to do with the fresh country air!

Background Music - Tala Bridal Fair 2009

2009-06-15T20:06:00.004+02:00

Apologies for the sound and video quality of the attached, it was taken with my phone as I left the video and stills camera at home!

The Week That Was

2009-06-15T19:29:00.004+02:00

Let's see, Monday we went to school in Pietermaritzburg for the first of 3 days of drumming! Tuesday evening saw us on the end of the uShaka Pier with 104 awesome folk drumming Goodnight to the sun. Wednesday and Thursday we went back to school and Friday was Admin day, or so I tried to tell my husband!

Saturday and Sunday were spent at Tala Private Game Reserve participating in the annual Tala Bridal Fair and I left my camera at home!! Thank goodness for my HTC Touch!

Mike and Cyngen provided background music prior to the final fashion show and the drum rolls and fanfare for the draw of the most awesome prize a future bride could ask for - a wedding to the value of R100 000.00 - all sponsored by various extrememly generous businesses.

Yes, Talking Drums provides music for weddings from welcoming the guests to keeping them entertained and occupied whilst you are having your photographs taken, by either playing background music or facilitating an interactive session.

Take care and have a good week.

YouTube Videos

2009-06-06T22:14:00.001+02:00

The links below are the videos that I have so far posted to YouTube - have fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwmqlv8V-5Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ9F0aySOp8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh6Okkf_IhU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOUpZTDf5_c

Conga on the Verandah

2009-06-06T21:35:00.004+02:00

Cyngen jamming on the verandah. Music like this is what I am treated to almost every afternoon!

Admin, Boring Admin (Apologies to Dickens!)

2009-06-06T17:32:00.004+02:00

As you can gather from the title, the last 2 weeks have been admin orientated and like a lot of administrators/secretaries that I know, I am not admin orientated!! Then I discovered some plants that were taking over my garden, so I had to get rid of them and photograph the plants that are currently flowering. Got my hands dirty digging and had fun re-manicuring my nails - anything to get away from admin! I have also finally downloaded all the video material from the camera and now have a whole lot of footage that I have to go through and edit, so expect some more clips on Facebook, Youtube and here.

Tuesday night we dropped in to visit Richard Ellis and had a whole lot of fun at his weekly circle held at The Bat Centre from about 7pm to 9pm. Afterwards we stopped by at Zack's to wish Steffie and just about averyone was there - it was great! The blues band played some really awesome tunes and we even bumped into one of our clients that had been called to play in the band due to an emergency!

DSTV has been a bit of a distraction, particularly the History channel - my favourite subject - and every now and then I snap out of it to realise that I am sitting behind my desk and haven't done anything for a while.

Well, the week is over and next week we're back at school, on the pier and possibly at La Mercy!

The End of The Week

2009-05-25T10:59:00.004+02:00

The office venues for last week included the beachfront; a beautiful school in Kloof; another school hall and a beachfront hotel! General staff, students from grades 1 to 4, educators and a group of medical professionals all experienced the Djembe first hand. We had some awesome percussion sessions and Mr Frog is definitely a tension breaker!

Sunday started off very grey, both weatherwise and emotionally - my dearest friend, Roberta Pijper passed away at 02h30. Her second war on cancer was lost when her body just could not keep on fighting. Her spirit will be with me always.

My heartfelt gratitude to Napalma and the BRASStitutes for playing for Roberta yesterday afternoon at La Scarpetta.

The Office!

2009-05-19T16:28:00.003+02:00

Thought today I would share my office with you!! Last week "The Office" was a school hall and a boardroom. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, this is what awaits me! Yes, we are facilitating a rather large company's staff on Durban's beachfront and this is what we see on arrival at work. The pier that this photo was taken from is where we will be working next month - 120 participants drumming to the sound of the sea! Hope the weather holds.

End of Week 20

2009-05-15T15:10:00.002+02:00

I didn't notice what was happening outside on Wednesday morning - I wanted to get to school!! Again, neither Mike nor I are disappointed - the students of Scottsville Primary School are awesomely inspiring. A couple more unpolished gems are discovered and Mike and I leave at the end of the school day feeling quite satisfied with how these children respond to everything with gusto!!

Day 4 starts with a Junior Primary assembly with the message of caring for our elderly. A very thought provoking presentation is acted out by the students, with the message that not only do children learn from the actions of their parents, but parents must be aware of how they treat those around themselves.

The assembly ends with Talking Drums presenting a Djembe to Thando - the Cyngen "play" alike! It is the least we can do for this young man - he is a natural.

Grade 7 students can be a bit "fussy", however I am convinced the air at Scottsville is different! We had such fun with them as being the oldest students in the school, you can challenge them more and more. They gave back and participated with such enthusiasm that their session was over before we even realised it and then it was home time - Damn!

5am on a Friday morning (actually any morning) does nothing for me, but we had to be at work at 7am, hmmmmmm.

The staff arrived, with breakfast from Woolies, coffee was made and we drummed! You were nervous, but professional and at least what you did was "and now for something completely different"!! Thank you for a truly wonderful start to the weekend.

Week 20 - 11 to 15 May

2009-05-12T13:57:00.005+02:00

Monday morning at 6am it was still dark outside and grey and miserable, but about 170 children are also getting up, having breakfast and preparing for their day at school - the first of 4 days that we will be drumming with them and the other approximately 550 students at Scottsville Primary School!
Bright eyed and, yes, bushy tailed, the first class comes streaming into the hall, are seated and the session begins - the children are amazing! Stars shine out from the different groups and they are given the opportunity to play solo or singly interact with Mike and then, the 7th session of the day starts and 2 youngsters ask if they may solo. At the end of the session the one student plays us a "hip hop" beat and once she relaxes into it, it is quite funky! The second student plays his solo, but because everyone is watching him, he is a bit shy.
As he finishes, another young man asks if he may solo and as there is time, we tell him to go ahead. Mike and I stand awestruck at this youngster's talent and my mind goes back 8 or 9 years to the first time Cyngen brought a crowd to an absolutely silent standstill. Not believing what we have heard, we ask him to play again and as relaxed as they come, this young man now adds a triple into a space that only Cyngen would dare fit one in!! This child is 8 years old!
Tuesday 6am is not as cold or miserable as Monday and I am looking forward to discovering unpolished gems! Once again, neither Mike nor I are disappointed - this time a little girl, quietly listens to the bass rhythm Mike plays for her and then starts playing. Thank goodness Mike is a professional, because I came to a dead stop.
I really do love my job!!

What The Djembe Should Sound Like!!

2009-05-10T17:06:00.004+02:00

My son, Cyngen (16 years old) has been playing the Djembe since 1999 - he was 6!! This video demonstrates what dedication and a love of music can do.

Roberta's Benefit Concert 9 May 2009

2009-05-10T16:16:00.003+02:00

The most amazing get together of the most incredible people all at the same place for 17 hours, giving of themselves and emptying their wallets and purses for a cause very close to a zillion people's hearts!! Thank you to everyone who participated in whatever way - small or big! Congratulations to Jorge Silva who won the 10" Hand Made Slatted Djembe donated by Talking Drums - our Djembe could not have gone to a more deserving person.

To Rod and Steffie - THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, what you have done is priceless!

Fashionistas Are Musical

2009-04-30T21:37:00.002+02:00

Congratulations to the wonderful group of store managers and head office staff we drummed with today. Your faces said everything - big, wide smiles are the most amazing gift any participant can give us. Thank You!

Something New

2009-04-30T20:44:00.004+02:00

Okay, so this a whole new world for me, but as I am in communications, albeit of a different format, I should communicate!
A little about me. Born in Cape Town, a long time ago :), then moved to KwaZulu Natal, where I have been ever since. I met my husband and business partner, Mike, in 1989 and our 2 children are also members in our company.

Having worked for the corporate world for 23 years, with Mike working from home and taking care of the children, I opted out and joined him. So began the most incredible journey I have or probably ever will experience!
Talking Drums, our business, was born in June 2004, thanks (in a round about way) to Angela Stevens (ex Music Director at Kearsney College) and Anne Collett (Music Teacher at Forest View Primary School).
My life now is administering the business and introducing as many people as we are physically able, from the age of 3 years old and up, to the magic of music made on the Djembe!