Playshops
Holistic Drum hosts custom playshops and guest artists. Our playshops are customized to meet your audience’s needs. From corporate events, kids parties, team & community building, to weddings and other ceremonies, Holistic Drum offers a fun and safe way to explore. Participants learn about music, rhythm and percussion, while discovering the rich culture of Africa.
Contact us or join our list to be informed about an upcoming playshop today!
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Master Drummer Bolokada Condé
is Coming Back in the Bay!
for
West African Djembe & Dunun Playshops
in Redwood City & Benicia!
Sunday, June 9th – Two Classes!
Beginners/All Levels 1:30pm-3:30pm
Intermediate/Advanced 4pm-6pm
Or come for BOTH CLASSES!
Beautiful Outdoor Garden Location at a Private Home in Redwood City
and/or
Saturday, June 15th, 2pm-4pm
at St. Paul’s church,
120 E. J street, Benicia, CA
REGISTER NOW FOR REDWOOD CITY
AND/OR BENICIA!
$45 Advance/$50 Door at
https://hopeinsitepublicitypercussion.getgalore.com
Or reserve your spot today with advance price via Paypal (friends and family only) or Zelle to: hopeinsite@gmail.com, Venmo @Hope-Izabelle, or contact me to pay by check.
Prepare yourself for an unforgettable musical journey, as the legendary Master Drummer Bolokada Condé returns to the SFs Bay Area this August! Renowned for his captivating teachings and unparalleled skill, Bolo possesses a style that is both distinctive and awe-inspiring.
Immerse yourself in the world of West African percussion as you learn from one of the greatest drummers of our time. His artistry transcends borders, merging the rich heritage of his native Guinea with a global fusion that will leave you mesmerized!
In these playshops, Bolo will share his extensive knowledge, offering invaluable insights into the rhythms, techniques, and cultural significance of West African drumming. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to learn from a true master! Space is limited, so scroll down to secure your spot in these highly sought-after classes today!
Whether you’re a seasoned percussionist or simply a lover of music, Bolo’s teaching promises to captivate your senses and transport you to new musical heights. Whether you’re seeking to expand your rhythmic repertoire or simply immerse yourself in the joy of drumming, Bolokada’s playshops are an experience not to be missed!
More about Bolo:
Moussa Bolokada Conde is one of the most celebrated master drummers in the world. Bolo, as he is known, was lead soloist of Les Percussions de Guinee for over a decade. Today, he teaches workshops worldwide to beginning and advanced students.
Before moving to South Carolina to work with Universities there, he was the Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois teaching traditional Malinke drumming, folklore and song. He is a captivating teacher and performer; through this work he has made friends all over the globe.
Bolo has released four musical CD’s including Morowaya, Sankaran, Djiraworo, and Famille Dundunba, and is the subject of a documentary “Bolokada Conde- Malinke Village Djembefola”. Condé is an Artist Associate at the Robert E. Brown Center For World Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, having previously been a visiting lecturer/teacher from 2008 to 2011.
Mamady Keita, the best known djembe player in the world, calls Bolokada “A brilliant and entertaining performer, a patient and precise teacher, and as one of the few masters of his instrument. Few others are able to captivate his audience as he does, an even fewer are able to clearly and concisely teach this music.”
His enthusiasm, charm and incredible skill, speed and sound quality on djembe with the very traditional rhythms and songs in his repertoire is impressive and correct, as he returns yearly to his homeland in Guinea.” And we bring him to the Bay Area just about every year as we can. And… this year we’re doing it again!
Check out Bolo and Mamady Keita together! https://www.youtube.com/watch?44&v=ofRjsLsdVtQ
Learn about Bolokada at:
https://bolokada.com
https://www.facebook.com/Bolokada.Conde
https://www.bolokadaandfriends.org
http://cwm.illinois.edu/node/103
http://www.african-music-safari.com/bolokada-conde.html
Bring your pad and paper! Audio recording is OK. Please no Video recording.
Bolo will have his amazing drums, brand new straps, and CDs for sale!
Hope will be selling some handmade crafts.
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STAY TUNED FOR WADE PETERSON’S PLAYSHOP
August 2024!
Get to the heart of African Rhythms with a musician full of heart!
Take a deep dive into the djembe and dunun with us! Learn about the mystery and magic of the rhythms of West Africa with gifted instructor Wade Peterson, who brings his special flair and profound knowledge to every class. Get ready to spend a delightful afternoon, groove out, and learn a lot!
More about Wade Peterson:
Wade Peterson knows how to make drumming fun, exciting and rewarding, all while making the music accessible to everyone, no matter your level. He is a musician, performer and teacher with 32 years of experience, who received a Degree in Music from UC Santa Cruz. He has been SF Ballet’s Principal Drummer for over twenty years, and has studied, taught and performed percussion from West Africa, Central Africa, & the African Diaspora.
Wade works with kids and adults of all ages, teaching fundamentals & traditional arrangements, playing for dance classes, preparing and participating in performances. He teaches two adult classes per week focusing on Djembe & Dunun arrangements from Guinea, Mali & Senegal. Wade also currently works as a teacher and accompanist in San Francisco Ballet’s Dance in Schools Program, plays for Marin Ballet’s African dance classes in the summer program, and taught for 3 years at The Jazz School in Berkeley.
Check out Wade in Action!
At Drumskulls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w79twSrGS7Q
On dununs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbt6BXqmHXQ
See Dad and Daughter Quarantine Drumming:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyCIVc_FO4unLkBP5NYdPFA
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Zorina Wolf & the Whole Person Drumming Day!
Experience rhythm through Zorina Wolf’s multi-layered teaching method–Whole Person Drumming!
When we gather together in Benicia, we have the opportunity to go deeper in our connection with each other and the music we make. We will spend this day together with an in-depth exploration into the roots of simple rhythms that are easy to play: Samba, Congolese rhythms and more! Class will fluctuate between exercises to embody rhythms and (of course) playing the drum and bells. Be prepared for lots of learning and to welcome the groove!
The power of drumming is an art, a means of communication and healing, and a way to bring harmony to community. Zorina teaches drumming as her teachers (primarily Babatunde Olatunji) have taught her. The drum teaching is both oral and aural. Students sing/say the Yoruba sounds of the drum, and as we sing/say the melody of “notes,” playing the drum follows easily. The rhythms are songs that become internalized,
circumventing the need for prior musical training. We also believe in the power of understanding the rhythmic “houses” or “structures” that we can build and play within, and developing our own chants to sing within them.
More info is at: http://www.villageheartbeat.com
Check out Zorina in action and talking about her mentor, Baba Olatunji: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHTYyL5Pis8
“I have had the privilege of watching Zorina Wolf follow her rhythmical bliss through the stages of a drum enthusiast, hand drum teacher, dance and drum ensemble director, community builder, TaKeTiNa facilitator, to become the nationally recognized rhythm evangelist and elder that she is today in our growing recreational drumming community. Yet she still retains that fresh spark of innocent rhythm bliss and elfishness that emanates from the resonance in her laugh and the twinkle in her eye. She is a master of sharing rhythmical spirit.” –Arthur Hull, Owner / Facilitator of Village Music Circles
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Dramane Koné – World Class African Djembe teacher & musician!
Born in Burkina Faso in West Africa, Master drummer Dramane Koné is recognized as a musical prodigy of the famous Koné griot lineage. In his early childhood, Dramane’s family, including young Dramane’s musical education, was documented by filmmaker Taale Laafi Rossellini in the award-winning 1997 film Great Great Great Grandparent’s Music.
Some twenty years later, in 2010, Koné appeared in a FIFA World Cup TV ad with Colombian Latin/pop superstar Shakira. In 2013, Koné went into the studio as musican and lead drummer with Stevie Wonder in Los Angeles. 2014 finds him playing dunnun in Michelle Williams’ hit video Say Yes ft. Beyoncé, and in 2017, Dramane played percussion for the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Also in 2017, Dramane performed for Oprah Winfrey and filmed a SuperSoul Session at Royce Hall at UCLA, entitled “Do You Speak Djembe?” In 2018 Dramane was lead drummer for the Dole float at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, which won the Grand Marshal award.
Dramane is an active, professional music teacher in and around southern California. He joined corporate culture-enhancement ‘organizational spirit energizer’ service Drum Café West (California) in 2006 and continues to entertain and perform at corporate and special events year-round in the U.S. and abroad. Highlights of the many Drum Cafe performances include an impromptu jam session with piano/composer legend Herbie Hancock and a nightclub date at Santa Barbara’s Soho Restaurant & Music Club performing with percussion luminary Luis Conte.
Dramane’s teaching style, garnered from years of performing and working with people from all over the world, will bring fun, new rhythms and deep healing. He knows how to make the djembe sing, and can help you to do so too, in this 2 hour playshop where you will discover original music and techniques taught by Master drummer and Griot Dramane Koné. Join us at the beautiful Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Church for a different kind of playshop! Dramane Koné will be teaching us a healing rhythm from his native country of Burkina Faso, that you can then use on yourself or others! Burkina has different rhythms than your standard Guinea fare, so this will be real treat to learn something unique from a true Griot (African musician caste) who has made quite a name for himself in SoCal.
Learn more about Dramane at: http://www.dramanekone.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1UeM_bM6I4 – Teaching Djolé
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MZxf-lQD-o – Michelle Williams – Say Yes ft. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Ing_ySW7I – Do You Speak Djembe?