What a week! Last friday, the Jack Dejohnette Latin Project at Duke, Saturday the Will McBride Group swung Flipside hard, Monday a rehearsal with the Raleigh Symphony, Tuesday African dance class, and Wednesday I slept! Then on to Thursday, when I finally finished the first 39 systems from Gary Chester's classic book, New Breed. What next!?! This weekend, I have no gigs at all, so I'm taking it easy and getting some rest!

Just a reminder, or in case you missed it on the main page, I've started an "official" mailing list! If you'd like to join, send an email to: rhythmart-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and you'll be added! And why would you not want that?

Sorry to let things back up, I've been sleeping off a head cold for the past few days! Lots of good stuff coming up, though. Here's a sampling...

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE ENSEMBLE
In partnership with NCCU Dance Group
Presents 
DANCE & DRUM INTENSIVES WITH THE MASTERS 
Kickoff Dance Class with Stafford C. Berry, Jr. - Sat, Feb. 19th, 2005. 1:30 – 3:30 pm 
Contemporary African Dance with Stafford Sat, Feb. 26th, 2005. 11am – 12:30pm
Umfudalai African Dance Technique w/ C. Kemal Nance – Feb, 26th 1:30 – 3:30pm 
MARCH DATES: 5th, 26th*
APRIL DATES: 23rd,30th*
MAY DATES: 14th (w/Baba Chuck)  
Classes held in the L.T. Walker Building at North Carolina Central University. 
Full Calendar will be available soon on the web
Please visit us at: AfricanAmericanDanceEnsemble.org
Or Email us: AADEdance@Earthlink.net
Phone: 919/560-2729 
*(Class location and Special Drum Workshop on March 26th and April 30th

Sangban Player Audition

Ballet Warraba is seeking a Sangban player to join its performing 
company.

Ballet Warraba is an international dance company that performs in the 
tradition of African “ballet” to bring ancient wisdom to contemporary 
life. Mainstage performances and educational programs infuse all 
audiences with the joyful and transformative energy inherent in West 
African celebrations. Join this diverse group of artists for a sensory 
journey that spans continents, dissolves ethnic boundaries, and touches 
the heart of human experience. http://www.balletwarraba.org/home.php

Artist Profile:
An accomplished Sangban player with at least 3 years of experience 
studying West African music who has a wide body of musical knowledge, 
learns quickly, and is self-motivated.   This person is committed to 
excelling in Guinean music, works comfortably in a group setting, is 
able to play with highly accomplished African and American artists, and 
most likely has traveled to West Africa.   He or she is able to make a 
year-long commitment, has a history of such a commitment, and is 
willing to find a complimentary job in the Asheville area.
To learn more about this opportunity and to download an application 
visit http://www.balletwarraba.org/about_auditions.php.  You can also 
contact Tiani Tarr at tiani@balletwarraba.org.

NC Day of Percussion
Rick Dior, Host
UNC-Charlotte

Featuring marching snare drum phenom Jeff Queen, timpanist with the Boston Pops Everett Beal, percussionist with the Charlotte Symphony Peyton Becton, and a pending drum set clinician. In addition, there will be a mock orchestra audition/clinic that will include students from a variety of NC schools, judged by Mr. Beal and Mr. Becton.

OK, gripe time! Well, not entirely, but still...

Saw the ECU wind band and jazz band play last night in Raleigh. Nice of them to come all this way! The ECU music program has traditionally been one of the best in this state, especially the percussion department. A few years back, the head of the department moved to North Texas (a promotion for sure), and things were in a bit of "flux" for a while. I was very pleasantly surprised last night by the wind band, however. It looks like they've pulled it together into a very respectable program again. Some very fine moments from the whole ensemble, and the percussion in particular (not that I'm a biased listener, or anything!).

Then, there's the jazz band. Wow. I'm not really sure what was going on there. I hate to complain or give a bad review, but it was a bit of an assault on all fronts! There was really no sense of ensemble sound - the band walked all over the soloists, the soloists walked all over the vocalist, no blend, no dynamics, no nothin'. From the percussion, there was NO swing (with one notable exception, to be discussed later), the conga player didn't seem to know how to actually play congas, there were no transitions, no feel. The one exception was the female drummer from the wind band who sat in on drumset on one tune. There's the swing (another entry in the "girls make better drummers" file)! The whole group actually started pulling together and sounding like a group. It actually kept us from leaving early! But short lived - she only played one song, and it fell back into dissaray on the next tune. Of course the director pointed out how "equal opportunity" they were (his words) to let the girl (ok, my words) sit in for a tune. Sorry, it just really hit me how far we have to go. Maybe next year she'll kick 'em into shape. I'll be there to check it out, for sure!

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