The Beach Dream
By Jacob
The beach…
I haven’t had the dream in years, but I still remember it: I would be somewhere not out of the ordinary (in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, where I grew up) doing general dream business, and I would somehow come across a small trail of sand. This small trail would lead to a larger trail, which led to more sand, which led to a beach, encircled by palm trees and coloured by the hue of light only found near the equator. It was where I had first studied African drumming as a 13 year old in 1999, in Nungua, Ghana.
Each time I had the dream, I kept finding out that Nungua was just around the corner, and easily accessible at any time! I also still remember the fading from happiness to disappointment each time I woke up. I have no idea what that dream could possibly have meant.
A photo of lessons on the aforementioned beach in 1999
Fast forward to 2008 and I had finished school, moved to Melbourne, Australia, studied music for a year, and – so I thought – decided to take a non-musical path. Music was still in my life – I had been teaching African drumming since I was 15, been playing drum kit and percussion for years, recorded on film and TV soundtracks, and played in countless bands – but I was drifting away from music, not enjoying it as much, and taking on other study with notions of becoming an academic.
It felt at the time that maybe my life was meant to move away from music – were it not for my teacher and musician friends throwing me gigs and teaching opportunities – albeit somewhat unwanted and a bit frustrating at the time – I think the ‘drifting’ would have taken hold. I might even be a math teacher now…
So, in January 2008. I had a question to answer – was I actually going to *choose* to pursue music, or did I need to stop it from pursuing me?
I decided to run a test: I’d go back to Ghana to study drumming, and see if I could hack it.
I reckoned I had enough money saved to last six months, so I took a leave of absence from my other study, and decided to see if I was interested enough in, and committed enough to, music to immerse myself in nothing else for the whole 6 months. On the other side of the world.
While based on a lot of privilege and good fortune, my plan still had some structure: for the first month of my trip, I would be travelling with a study group (the same group with which I had travelled nearly 10 years earlier – this would be their 10th anniversary tour) and learning with others. If I didn’t enjoy it, I figured, I could just leave with everyone else at the end of the month – no harm done.
But, when I first stepped off the plane at Accra airport and was hit by the smell – mouldy, humid, oppressive, and completely familiar – a flood of sense memories came rushing back, and I had a tingling feeling in my chest that suggested that I might be here for a while.
Further, throughout that whole first ride from the airport to our accommodation in Nungua, every tree, every building, suggested a forgotten memory, and a return to somewhere that felt like home. My head was buzzing as I thought ‘I remember that!‘, ‘That wasn’t there before!‘, and ‘Do I remember that?!‘. The buzzing was good – my recollection is that I was really really happy.
I was back.
Needless to say, the first month flew by – I knew pretty quickly that going home with everyone else wasn’t the way it was going to go. Instead, I stayed, and the next 5 months consisted of long days comprising 2-5 hours of 1 on 1 lessons with master drummers, sitting in (and trying to keep up) with traditional group rehearsals and performances, and transcribing, practising and trying to understand what I’d learned that day – it was immersive. And awesome.
Not only did this period fill my head (and lots of notebooks) with lots of knowledge, it got me going again. It was back to being a student at the most basic level – thrown into the deep end and out of my depth – that reconnected me with music. It also made me determined and excited to connect with my students in a different way from then on.
I realised I had a lot to offer: not just knowledge of rhythms, technique, and musical tricks, but the understanding of the value of learning African drumming itself – the value of appreciating the rich history, the physical benefits of immersing in such a grounding and all-consuming activity, and the feeling of accomplishment with the development of new skills. I also realised the privilege I had to be able to travel and experience this myself, and to help others access these same feelings via teaching.
This time also made clear that, despite having spent a lot of time teaching, I will – probably like you – always be a student of African drumming. It is this lifelong studentship, and a willingness to share and document what I’ve learned so far, that led me to creating African Drumming Online.
I thought I’d share this story because I got to thinking about why I do all this – looking back to how I felt back then – and I realised, really, it’s all about you: without students, there is no teaching! I am lucky enough to be able to teach, share, and tap into those feelings that I had while learning in Africa, and to keep African Drumming Online alive, because of you.
So, thank you, and I hope you enjoy African Drumming Online.
Also, if you want to learn from me directly, or even if you just want to have a chat, don’t be shy about organising a one-on-one online lesson with me at any time, here.
Thanks for reading, I hope my blathering made sense… How did you get into drumming? Had any strange drumming dreams? Want to say hello? Please leave a comment below!
Little 1999 me
Cheers,
Jacob
Great story! Your talent certainly intrigues me, (a fairly recent newbie) to pursue African Drumming deeper. Having no musical background I found myself joining a Drumming group at a church. We basically jam and just play off each other..finding that space to play a rhythm amongst everyone . My background was in Recreation therapy so I did introduce some other rhythm instruments , shakers, spoons , sticks a small metal drum and bongos…to just add some other sounds to our drumming and we have added other items as a group over time. I love it..time flies at drumming and I truly feel great after each weekly 1-1/2 hour session. Due to Covid we are meeting outdoors and as a result lots of our members are dropping off as it gets colder. I really have not learned any particular rhythm just played.
I have honestly only been on your site a few times …and realize I have to make more of a commitment to it..but as a lone drummer it is not the same satisfaction.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! Very inspiring. I look forward to more drumming time!
Wow Jacob what a great read and it is wonderful that you found your passion again for the African drum. I think it was your fate as you were so lucky to travel to Africa at such a young age. This experience was so much more than just learning about the djembe drum, as you realised when you returned and their countryside and amazing culture all came back to you.
Thank you for sharing your personal musical life with everyone.
Hi Jacob,
What an amazing journey you have had!! and what a blessing to be able to teach others your amazing skills, including people of all abilities. Your online 1:1 teaching has made a huge different in Trevor’s life and played a bit part in him getting through our long Melbourne lock down.
Thanks for sharing you story
Linda, Trevor and Sherif
Thank you for sharing all of this with us Jacob, I really appreciate this story and your dream! Your dream seems very important! I have never been to Africa, but I share your love of African drumming. My teacher is Ewe from Togo and even though I have been playing for three years, I am often overwhelmed and feel like I have no idea what is going on. What keeps me going back and continuing to play and study is a sense that these rhythms have something very important to teach us in the West, something we have either forgotten or have never learned; something about our relationship with ourselves, with one another and with all that is. Thank you for continuing to teach and share your knowledge with us. I’m so glad you didn’t become a math teacher!!
Thanks for this blog, it’s great to have some background about your continual journey through drumming.
In my 1 2 1 with you, I feel the rhythm, and like you say in this blog you are carrying that from your learning.
Your YouTube video ‘how to improve your feel’ playing the pitter patter attracted me.
I recently took my djembe to a friend, he’s whitenesed me progress. I played him the piece from your you tube clip that I extensively practiced and he said it’s really, really good. So I passed ‘the feel’ on.
It’s not easy but with the 1 2 1 lessons it gives me focus and I have a vision that I want to achieve.
Thanks
Roger
Amazing story, I always wanted to visit the continent of Africa to study ancient rhythms and dance.
When I was 8 years old, I started looking up traditional Western African music online. Five months later, my older cousin took my sister, young cousin, and me to a life-changing African dance show for Kwanzaa. At the end of the show, I whispered to my older cousin’s ear that someday, I wanted to be APART of the ensemble. Two months passed, my sister & I joined the ensemble to learn more about our own culture. Throughout my life, I’ve started listening to many different artists like Mamady Keita, Famadou Konate, Mbemba Bangoura, Michael Pluznick, and many others in order to play more rhythms while I’m not around with my ensemble. In addition, my older cousin took my family and me to more African dance shows almost every season. As I left college in 2018, I had made a huge comeback in performing with my old ensemble after my huge break for a decade. When I came back, I was not only learning to djembe & duns, but playing sabar drums and dancing too, which I still do today.
Sometime in the future, I’ll be running a cartoon series that involves African music and dancing.
Yes, a great story of connection and re-connection. I find it intriguing and affirming that you refer to the smell that set the big picture of your journey in fuller view. We can easily overlook our sense of smell and its direct impact on our heart, mind and soul. The olfactory sense may be one of the only organ systems that connects DIRECTLY to the brain, unmodified by other brain centers.
Meanwhile, it reminds me so much of my own experience (only the first half, unfortunately) of studying drumming in Nepal. I was there on a medical expedition/world health course, when I discovered an opportunity to study with a master drummer (Nucche) in Nepal. I only had a short time to do so, but in that short time, I would take 4-5 lessons a day, go and practice for an hour or two between each one then return for more study. The hotel didn’t want me to disturb others with my drumming so they allowed me access to the roof, where I could practice with a view of the Himalayas! What a gift! I went on to continue drumming intermittently (main instrument, guitar) and studied rudiments of tabla. Always have had an affinity for pitch bending drums.
Never could get back to Nepal, and doubt he is still alive.
So, thank you for your invitation to read your blog. I’m currently drumming on more of a dumbek instrument (and messing with a Korg Wavedrum which I like since it is acoustically triggered), just starting to improve my basic articulations. I believe I want to work a bit more on my own, but would definitely consider a 1:1 in the future!
You are a blessed.soul.and.elohim is with you to be able to know your gift ase
I love your story! One of following your heart & your passion. For me growing up in New Zealand I learned classical piano, and I spent my spare time learning rock music and traditional Irish music. Once I stepped out of my home world and into the adult world taking my piano with me wasn’t and option. Recently I discovered African drumming and I’m hooked. I’ve also discovered mbira so between these 2 instruments I’m on a huge learning curve and loving it. My Djembe is a piece of art as well as an awesome sounding drum. The learning curve is steep, but hoping your lessons will help with that 🙂
Enjoyed reading this!
I have no background in music whatsoever but I have aways been fascinated by drums.
Appreciate the work you do and looking forward to learn African drumming, must be an exciting experience.
My first memory of drumming was in grade 4. We had a school production with the song “little drummer boy”.
Our music teacher at the time kept asking other students to play the drum, and increasingly I was getting very frustrated I hadn’t been chosen! The other kids were out of time!! So out of time!!
Eventually, the music teacher sat me down and said it’s harder than I think, but he would give me a shot.
I was like a duck to water, and to my surprise I was cast as the little drummer boy! The music teacher informed my parents I had a real knack for it and they should consider getting me drumming lessons. Alas, I was not interested in multiple drums, I liked the one and did not know at the time learning a djembe was an option. So it sat at the back of my mind. The occasional drumming along on the dashboard of the car, or playing a drum when the chance presented its self.
26 years later, a friend gave me a djembe when he saw my face light up as I was playing it. I love the life lessons I am taught through drumming. Over think it and you loose the beat. Become arrogant, you loose the beat.
Feel it and be in the moment, realise the universe is playing through you and be in awe of the music as it heals the soul.
Looking forward to my deeper journey into drumming.