The beat goes on! DRUMMM welcomes newest drummer to the family, plus September-December 2013 Community Events

Please welcome little drummer boy Ethan Isadore Brightman to the DRUMMM family! Ethan was born on Sunday August 11th, 2013 in Berkeley, CA to DRUMMM founder Jeni Swerdlow and proud papa Peter Brightman. So far he's shown an interest in listening to legendary drummers Babtunde Olatunji, Glen Velez, Master Musicians of Jajouka, and Mamady Keita to name just a few. Glad you could join us in rhythm and in life little Ethan! We can't wait to drummm with you.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY DRUMMM EVENTS
September-December 2013

Saturday 9/21
MONTHLY EAST BAY DRUMMM CIRCLE
Featuring special guest facilitator Kathy Quain, MME, MT-BC
4:30-6pm  in the Back Studio (Special time + space!)
Ashkenaz Music + Dance Center - 1317 San Pablo Avenue (at Gilman St.), Berkeley, CA www.ashkenaz.com
Adults $10; Kids (12 + under) $5
Drum Rental $5

Sunday 10/6
DRUMMM CIRCLE @ DRUM SUNDAY KICKOFF PICNIC
Facilitated by DRUMMM Founder Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR; Hosted by Women Drummers International
1-3:30pm
Mosswood Park, Oakland CA
FREE!

Saturday 10/19
MONTHLY EAST BAY DRUMMM CIRCLE
Facilitated by DRUMMM Founder Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR
4-5:30pm  in the Main Space
Ashkenaz Music + Dance Center - 1317 San Pablo Avenue (at Gilman St.), Berkeley, CA www.ashkenaz.com
Adults $10; Kids (12 + under) $5
Drum Rental $5

Saturday 10/26
HALLOWEEN COMMUNITY + FAMILY DRUMMM PROGRAM
11am-12pm
Guerneville Regional Library
Come in costume and join us in drumming up some Halloween fun!
FREE!

Saturday 11/9
VALLEJO COMMUNITY DRUMMM CIRCLE
1-2pm 
IntegriTea Art Space - 717 Marin St, Vallejo CA
In support of Vallejo Open Studios. Open to all ages, all levels. Bring a seat and drum or percussion if you have one. Some drums available.
FREE! (Donations accepted)

Sunday 11/10

VALLEJO COMMUNITY DRUMMM CIRCLE

5:30-6:30pm
IntegriTea Art Space - 717 Marin St, Vallejo CA

In support of Vallejo Open Studios. Open to all ages, all levels. Bring a seat and drum or percussion if you have one. Some drums available.

FREE! (Donations accepted)

Saturday 11/16
MONTHLY EAST BAY DRUMMM CIRCLE + FOOD DRIVE
Please bring healthy canned or packaged foods for our annual Food Drive. All proceeds will be donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
Facilitated by DRUMMM Founder Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR
4-5:30pm  in the Main Space
Ashkenaz Music + Dance Center - 1317 San Pablo Avenue (at Gilman St.), Berkeley, CA www.ashkenaz.com
Adults $10; Kids (12 + under) $5
Drum Rental $5

Thursday 12/12
DRUMMM FOR KIDS
Facilitated by Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR + the DRUMMM Team
4-4:50pm
Walnut Creek Library
FREE!

Thursday 12/12
DRUMMM FOR ADULTS
Facilitated by Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR + the DRUMMM Team
6:30-7:30pm
Walnut Creek Library
FREE!

Sunday 12/15
VALLEJO COMMUNITY DRUMMM CIRCLE + HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE
3-5pm
IntegriTea Art + Event Space, 717 Marin St, Vallejo CA
Please donate to our local Holiday Food Drive! We are accepting healthy canned or packaged foods for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties.
3-3:30pm Beginner Lesson: Intro to Hand Drumming/World Grooves
3:30-5pm All levels Facilitated Drum Circle/Community Celebration.
Open to all ages, levels, cultures, and styles of drumming. No prior musical experience is necessary to participate. Jeni will get your hands moving and grooving on the drum in no time!
Adults: $10; Kids 12 and under: $5; Babies under 2: Free
Bring a drum or percussion if you have one. There will be plenty of extras on hand.

Saturday 12/21
MONTHLY EAST BAY DRUMMM CIRCLE, SOLSTICE CELEBRATION + HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE
Facilitated by DRUMMM Founder Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR
Eat! Beat! And Be Merry! Please bring a dish or beverage to share at our Community Potluck, plus healthy canned or packaged foods for our annual Holiday Food Drive. All proceeds will be donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
4-6pm  in the Main Space
Ashkenaz Music + Dance Center - 1317 San Pablo Avenue (at Gilman St.), Berkeley, CA www.ashkenaz.com
Adults $10; Kids (12 + under) $5
Drum Rental $5

Check back here often - events are being added all the time!
For more info visit www.DRUMMM.com.
For bookings or questions please contact Jeni Swerdlow - jeni@drummm.com - 510.316.2850

Summer of Rhythm! DRUMMM Community Events Calendar, Jun-Aug 2013

Join DRUMMM Rhythmic Events founder and facilitator Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR and friends in a joyful celebration of rhythm! It's a magical, music-making experience that everyone can participate in together. Come play!

Sat 6/15 Monthly East Bay Community Drummm Circle @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley CA

4-5:30pm

Wed 6/19 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ San Lorenzo Library - Free + family-friendly!
2:30-3:15pm

Sat 6/22 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ Union City Library - Free + family-friendly!
2:00-2:45pm

Wed 6/26 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ Los Gatos Library - Free + family-friendly!
10:30-11:15am

Wed 7/10 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ Menlo Park Library - Free + family-friendly!
10:30-11:15am

Wed 7/10 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ Belle Haven Branch Library, Menlo Park - Free + family-friendly!
1:30-2:15pm

Sat 7/20 Monthly East Bay Community Drummm Circle with Special Guest Rhythm Facilitator Susan Jette, MT-BC @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley CA
4-5:30pm

Mon 8/12 DRUMMM OneBEAT @ El Sobrante Library - Free + family-friendly!
7-7:45pm

Sat 8/17 Please note that there will be NO Monthly East Bay Community Drummm Circle in August. See you in September on 9/21!

For more info, visit www.DRUMMM.com. Check back often - events are being added all the time!

San Jose employees get a taste of some good drumming medicine

Attendees of the City of San Jose's Wellness Conference and Fair thought they were coming to hear information about the latest trends and research in health and wellness. Little did they know that they were actually going to experience it first-hand on the drum during the afternoon Drummm Circle session...

Set on the West Plaza of San Jose City Hall, employees and passersby came upon the outdoor Drummm Circle. Having pre-set the drums and chairs, I was joined on bass drums by Violet Angell, with fellow facilitators Sue Malloy and Heather Holland lending a helping hand.

Having explained that drumming is an ancient communication technique for bringing people together in harmony, I demonstrated how the drums work. Participants quickly discovered how we can easily tap into our own innate sense of rhythm by simply listening and playing along, without fear of mistakes or failure.

Great grooves followed as I sculpted the music to bring out the dynamics, as in an orchestra. People took turns calling and responding, leading and following as we released stress and created big, beautiful music together in the moment.

Within minutes our drum circle grew to include not only managers and custodians, but also the parking attendant, a group of tourists, and a homeless man who introduced himself as Turtle. It didn't matter what language each of us spoke, our occupation, or lifestyle. We all shared in the rhythm and received its gifts that day.

Info: http://www.drummm.com/

Article: Jeni Swerdlow, MA, ATR

Photo: Sue Malloy

Drumming for Wellness at Alpha 1 National Conference

Article by Jeni Swerdlow. Photo by Yasuyo Yamaguchi

Karl Bruhn, considered the “Father of the Recreational Music Making movement,” lost his daughter, Debbie Rogers, earlier this year to a chronic and sometimes fatal genetic disease known as Alpha 1, which attacks the lungs and liver. To honor Debbie, Karl elicited the help of REMO Inc. and I to provide a hands-on presentation and drum circle focusing on the health benefits of drumming at the Alpha 1 Association’s National Conference in San Francisco earlier this month.

As nearly 450 attendees, the majority of whom have Alpha 1 and experience related physical challenges, sat around banquet tables after dinner and a long day of conference programs, I pondered how I was going to engage participants in drumming. How to make it meaningful for them, and facilitate in such a way that they can experience all the benefits without further stressing out their bodies?

Scientific studies are showing more and more the positive impact of group drumming and “recreational music making” (music made by non-musicians) on the immune system, brain functioning, mood and stress reduction. Much of the work that I do in my DRUMMM programs utilizes the HealthRHYTHMS protocol, which was applied in several of these groundbreaking studies.

After extensive research and conversations with Karl and Alpha 1 conference coordinator, Cathey Horsach, about the specific issues patients with Alpha 1 face, I came up with these intentions for the presentation:

1. Introduce the link between drumming and wellness,
2. Generate interest and curiosity in playing the drums (over 450 of them, graciously supplied by REMO Inc, were decoratively displayed around the room),
3. Create a safe and supportive atmosphere for people to try something new,
4. Honor Karl’s daughter and those who have died from Alpha 1 while celebrating life with everyone present,
5. Develop the music with a gentle touch, being mindful of physical challenges,
6. Help facilitate a connection to the breath, the body, the music and the Alpha 1 community,
7. Provide some fun hands-on entertainment.

This translated into starting with a brief overview of the benefits, some gentle upper body “drummer” stretches to recorded flute music, and a few members of the DRUMMM Team playing a soft drumbeat in the background. Eventually, volunteers brought the drums and world percussion instruments to the guests and away we went. After I did an initial demonstration on how to play each type of instrument, the group settled into a nice easy groove based on a simple heartbeat rhythm.

For nearly an hour people played, clapped, sang and cheered for themselves and each other. As their “Drum Circle Orchestra Conductor” I used my body language to sculpt the music, creating dynamics, inspiring cooperation, and keeping the energy and music flowing. One man began a call and response cheer to the group, shouting “Let’s Beat Alpha One,” to which everyone heartily echoed. When people got tired, I invited them to put their hands on their drum and let their bodies receive the vibration of the rhythm through their drum. I saw many closed eyes and smiling faces that night.

7 Evidence-Based Elements of HealthRHYTHMS Group Empowerment Drumming:

1. Stress-Reduction
2. Exercise
3. Self-Expression
4. Camaraderie/Support
5. Nurturing
6. Spirituality
7. Music-Making

To learn more about DRUMMM's Wellness programs, visit http://www.drummm.com/.
For more information on HealthRHYTHMS and the health benefits of drumming, visit http://www.remo.com/.
To learn about Alpha 1 disease, visit http://www.alpha1.org/.
To read and see photos from the conference, visit http://www.alphaone.org/news/alphas-learn-to-live-longer-be-healthier-and-help-to-find-a-cure-for-alpha-1-at-national-alpha-1-conference.