I have been drumming and organizing musical events for over ten years. Throughout that time, the drum has led me on an exciting journey of growth, expansion and celebration.
Whether it be playing conga in a jazz trio, drumming on an African djembe in the middle of the night at a sacred fire circle, facilitating a community drum circle in Hawaii, dancing at SoulFire Inside, or playing the frame drum in my living room, the past ten plus years have given me a deep appreciation for the myriad of expressions that come through the drum.
I am involved with many communities – the DC music scene, the facilitated drum circle community, the Fire Circle community and the ethno-specific drum community. I play in the bands Djesben, John K Band and Firewheel. I am the co-founder of SoulFire Inside; a drum circle facilitator (trained by Arthur Hull); and a member of the Rhythm Workers Union. I play African djembe and dunun drums; the Middle Eastern frame drum; Latin conga and bongo; and various percussive items.
So many good memories, but some highlights from the past 10 years…
- John K Band at the Takoma Street Festival
- Facilitating a Community Drum Circle to Celebrate the life of Darhyl Lyons’, a drummer & beloved member of the Takoma Park community
- Djesben at the first ever 17th Streetscape Festival
- Offering a “Day of Drumming” as part of the Pilgrimage of Peace with Stefan Walligur
- Facilitating a drumming ritual for a young couple on the eve of their wedding
- Facilitating a women’s fire circle at the June New Moon weekend
- Drumming with Djesben for over a decade…my good memories with Djesben are too numerous to mention here!
- John K Band shows at Bossa, Senator Theater
- Leading the Town of Greenbelt’s 4th of July Drum Circle — hundreds of people drumming & thousands of people watching!
- Leading a women’s retreat on spirituality, wellness and drumming with the Mount Vernon UMC Church in Ohio
- Drumming with my community at impromptu drum Takoma Gazebo drum circles
- Facilitating 500 students drumming at Georgetown Day School’s MLK Inservice Day
- Participating in the Advanced Drum Circle Facilitator’s Training with Arthur Hull
- Drumming with Dark Star Orchestra, a Grateful Dead tribute band, at Ram’s Head Live
- Facilitating community drum circles at Art-o-Matic, National Step It Up Day, Adams Morgan Day, All Good Music Festival, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, Inspiration Community
- Co-Founding SoulFire Inside, a monthly drum & dance in Takoma Park
- Co-Conspiring at Fires Rising (staff position & small group leader at all night alchemical fire circle event)
- Attending SpiritFire, Sacred SoulFire, Forest Dance – all night sacred fire circle events
- Arthur Hull’s 10th annual Hawaii Drum Circle Facilitator’s Playshop & East Coast Facilitator’s Playshop
- Participating in the Drum Circle Facilitator’s Guild Conference
- Leading Spirit Circles with Tribal Trance Fusion
- Taking drum classes with Jason Walker, Scott Robinson, Baile McKnight and Jaqui MacMillan
- Co-Founding Fireflight Productions, which offers performance art in unique settings
- Offering school programs, team building events, drum circles at retreat
When not playing music, I work part time as webmaster & communications associate at Shalem Insitute for Spiritual Formation, a non-profit organization dedicated to practice of contemplative life and leadership. I have also been blessed to have been a student for the past 4 years at the Inspiration Community Mystery School, where I have learned the practice of awareness, mindfulness and how to be Present.