The drum circle is truly an amazing experience to witness. People from around the world show up for one reason, to
play the drums together, be creative, and just have fun. Somehow, it all sounds great. It's the drum circle magic!
The styles of the drum circle rhythms we play ranges from Latin, African, Carribbean, Middle Eastern, to some plain
old funky Freestyles. We jam out for 10 - 15 minutes. Then somehow, it stops. We take a breath, and somebody starts
it up again with a new drum beat. Then everyone joins in, finding their own unique place in the mix.
The community drum circle is fun for everyone, including the onlookers, some of whom are just innocently walking by,
get caught up by the drumming beat and begin to watch. Then ever so slowly they begin to move a little, then more
& more. Gradually they head to the center of the circle and start groovin'. It's kind of amusing to watch this process.
Gradually, they always give in to the rhythm. They haven't got a chance. It always overcomes them, and in they go.
Even the shyest of types can only hold out for about five minutes. It happens every time, It never fails. That drum
rhythm is going to get you. Some of them are good enough to be professionals, others just expressing themselves.
The fascinating thing is the variety of styles you see. Just as the drumming frequently takes an ethnic turn, so does
the dancing. Every kind you can imagine, from all sorts of different countries. Many of the drum circle participants
come dressed according to their cultures, or just their own personal sense of style. A lot of them show up just to
unwind from a long week, and let off a little stress. There's nothing like a little drumming to help you relax.
I need to go to a good drum circle at least once a week or I just feel like I have missed something.
Many of these dancers are really good, and as the drum beat drives them, they drive the beat. As the drummers express
rhythm through sound, they express it through movement. And as they move in front of the drummers, the musicians
play harder. As a result, it goes on and on, until it's like being in a trance! It usually drives us to the
point of exhaustion, but who cares? It's just way too much fun.
As we drum to the setting sun, we pound it down into the sea, (it's a kind of a weekly ritual of ours, but it happens
at many beach drum circles). Then after dark, the "fire spinners" come out, the girls and guys that twirl the fire-lit
batons and poi to the drum circle rhythms, making for quite a spectacle in the dark of night with the waves of ocean
silver as a backdrop to the spinning fireballs lighting up the beach. Sometimes it's inspirational, or just plain
beautiful. When the drumming takes a break, the whisp of the waves rolling up on the shore is like an interlude.
Park at the city parking lots off Mandaly, or off the roundabout. (Parking at the pier lot is like $10)
The drum circle starts around 9PM at the the pavilion, when the band finishes. These days, it's more
of a gathering than a drum circle. You can enjoy watching the firespinners from there as you drum.
Some of the drummers, and onlookers are from different cultures and don't even speak the same language. Most use native
drums from their own countries. Djembes, congas, doumbeks, ashikos, bongos, & many other smaller percussion instruments.
You never know what you will see. Boomwhackers, shakers, rattles, wood blocks, bells, tambourines, triangles, and
many other home made gagets. (Or what we call junk percussion.) One time I saw a guy with a cowbell that
looked like he grabbed it right off his farm. More Cowbell!
There is always a lot of variety in the drumming experience. Occasionally, someone with something other than a percussion
instrument will show up to add a hint of melody floating over the beat, like a wood flute, dideridoo, or something. The
sort of unspoken drum circle rule is that you need your own instrument of some sort, and then you can trade with other
drummers and try drums others have brought. Many will let you try theirs if you treat it with respect.
The drums do the talking, in a musical event that has pretty much swept the world, now called the Drum Circle. You can
hear things like the "Call & Response", "The Echo", and many other forms of drumming communication. None of this is
planned, or performed for anyone, it just happens spontaneously. We do it because we just love doing it, we build
a sense of community together. The international blend of characters is what makes the drum circle such a good
time for the drummers, the dancers, and even the onlookers.
For the last few years, this drum circle had pretty much faded away. We've had a jamming drum circle there since
about 1995. These days, even if no drummers show up, around 9 PM a few fire spinners still gather near Pier 60
on the shore line, and people can enjoy watching them from the drum circle at the pavillion.
As of Dec. 2010, it looks like the Clearwater Beach drum circle may be coming back. I went there on a few Saturday
nights recently, it was smaller groups, but it was good. The musicality was excellent and all were ensemble players.
Plus all the tourists with the "What the heck is this?" looks on their faces. Ha! It's located by pier 60, and
starts around 9pm under the pavillion after the band finishes. Honestly this gathering is kind of hit or miss
these days. The weather has a lot to do with it. One week only 1 or 2 people may show, & the next 20 or more.
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The Drum Circle CD below, is a full hour and 12 minutes long. It's from The Clearwater Beach Drum Circle. You can hear
for yourself on the mp3 how much fun this is, and you'll more than likely listen to this drum circle CD over and over
again. It captures the spontaneity and magic of drummers in a big drum circle communicating with each other through
the drumming. Many have said they can feel the happiness, and the joy in the drum rhythms while hearing this CD.
The drum circle CD was professionally recorded over the course of 6 Sundays with different drummers and it really
sounds pretty good. It's amazing how this all came together. You can to listen to all these fascinating rhythms
from different parts of the world. Or you can even use this CD as a sort of an instructional tool to check
out some new drum beats and styles to play alone. Most of the drum jams are about 9 minutes long.
![[IMAGE: Clearwater Sunset Photo]](sunset.jpg)
![[IMAGE: Clearwater firedance Photo]](clearwaterfiredance.jpg)
![[IMAGE: Drumcircle CD Photo]](drumcircle cd.JPG)
![[IMAGE: Sunset Photo]](d3.jpg)
