Toughen up

I practiced a lot today and my hands are starting to get their callouses back. Yeah.

This morning I went to the demon-spawn Walmart and bought some cotton webbing to make a djembe strap. I bought 7 yards, but 6, or even 5, would have been enough. The webbing is much thicker than the strap Sidy uses, but I like it. It is more comfortable, especially with my big, heavy drum. I spent some time playing standing up today to get the feel of it.

Also, Sidy and I are starting to talk about the trip to Mali next winter. We are going to set up a 2 week intensive class in Bamako and invite people to come. I am really excited about it. I'll let you know as the details emerge... but it will be a great time. Not only will we play drums every day, but we'll get to go to social events listen to other drummers, take dance classes and generally immerse ourselves in the culture of Mali for a couple of weeks. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in getting more information.