Martin’s rhythm blog

As my world video blog seemed to go down so well on You Tube last year, this year, 2011, I will be showing you some of my favorite rhythm videos from around the world. ENJOY.

We start with the Kodo drummers from Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mli549DgJ-o

Here is a very passionate drum group from Korea. Kim Duk Soo playing the hourglass drum in this video was the founder of this genre of traditional Korean drumming called Samul nori (Samul meaning four objects and nori meaning to play). The group consists of the Kkwaenggwari (a small gong) a Jing (a larger gong) the Janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum) and a Buk (a barrel drum similar to the bass drum).

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

I was very fortunate to be invited to a First Nations pow wow many years ago – the drumming and singing are so powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcIOBPA4X-4

Thanks to Robin Green for finding this amazing video of how rhythm is an intrinsic part of daily life for the Malinke people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVPLIuBy9CY

Having spent a lot of time in the States over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to see many wonderful styles of playing. The drumming that has influenced me big time comes from New Orleans and is known as second line drumming. Here are some players warming up before an event. Thanks Marc Heinen from Holland for finding me this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0zJKf6tA5c

Stomp are an innovative group of dancers who use everyday items to explore the world of rhythm. This extract shows what’s possible with a broom.

I was very fortunate to see Yelemba d’Abidjan at Womad when they recorded this clip. I had never heard of the group before seeing them and they were the highlight of the festival as they used cultural dance and costume to bring their story to the UK.

Many people have commented on a previous video blog about this marching band from Switzerland. here’s another chance to see the amazing Top Secret drum corps from the Edinburgh tattoo in 2009.

This is a beautiful traditional Korean drum and dance performance. Samgo-mu is a dance genre with colorful and various techniques, with dancers with three drums hung on the square frames laid out in a triangle form. Three drums are set so that one dancer may hit all of three drums whilst dancing.

I love military drum players and this performance is sensational … bringing skill and fun together. This drum corp are from Switzerland.