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Drum Camp


Anna Mudeka

Back to work after a seriously chilled out weekend at Drum Camp, a small-scale WOMAD in Bungay, Suffolk. The festival was a refreshing change from the usual frenzied affairs; intimate workshops with world-class musicians such as Modou Diouf and Nansady Keita and a truly eclectic mix of evening performances at the Main Stage, from flamenco to bhangra with can-can dancers in between!

As I don't have a musical bone in my body I planned to simply soak up the vibe and enjoy the live music. But the constant drum beats were infectious and it's almost impossible not to pick up one of the many varieties of drums lying around and join in.

So I decided to attend an Indian Dhol workshop with the Dhol Foundation and attempt to learn some bhangra rhythms. The Dhol is a traditional North Indian instrument made from a large wooden shell. It has two skins on either side which are made from goat hide. Rope is then woven through the edge of both the skins and they are tensioned to produce a bass and treble sound. It is extremely loud and is played with sticks made from cane.

You need to be seriously skilled to play the Dhol and strong too as they are so huge and heavy. Johnny Kalsi (previously from The Afro Celt Sound System) led the workshop and brought real humour to the experience, dubbing our rhythms as 'too English' and got us drumming in a more Asian tempo. It did not come naturally but there were a few moments when it sounded vaguely like Bhangra!

The Dhol's Foundation's Saturday evening performance with a full 12-piece band was the highlight of the whole event and a dramatic, frenetic end to the festival. Their performance shows the multifaceted ways in which the dhol can be incorporated into different genres of music, not only Indian, but African, Celtic, Spanish and even electronica. One to watch.


Modou Diouf and Blake Vickers

The charismatic Modou Diouf led several Sabar workshops and also performed with a Tama, or talking drum, which makes incredible machine gun like rhythms. Binta Badjie provided a powerfully mesmerising dance accompaniment.

Amazing that Gary Newland, the event organiser, has managed to keep this event running for 11 years without it becoming too big. I do hope it stays that way as I plan to return next year to learn the djembe.


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