Abakua refers to a secret, Afro-Cuban, male society of percussionists - as I understand it, one had to be initiated into this society before they would be taught how to play percussion in their style. One of their hallmarks is to impose what I…

You're just kidding yourself if you thought I could resist the chance to add a bit of percussion to this wonderful song by Osckilo & Launched. I used Paiste Sound Discs to create a 3vs.4 polyrhythm against the delightful underlying 4/4 Spanish…

While I'm certain there are those who may be growing weary of scratching, I couldn't resist posting this great mix by Alister Flint, who is truly a master mixologist extraordinaire - he didn't even have individual tracks to work with! Al was too…

If you have the fever and the only cure is more tambourine, here it is. MORE TAMBOURINE SOLOS!! (But you should probably wait until you have the house to yourself...)

This is a 3/16 Bembe on tuned congas, played with mallets. I've arranged it (at the very kind suggestion of Vaisvil & ReefWalker) in a verse/chorus/bridge/capo fashion to get away from a straight pattern - I think this sort of arrangement…

Rumba Columbia is a traditional Cuban pattern in 6: the "go-to" pattern for 12/8 - if you have only heard one Afro-Cuban rhythm in 12/8, this is probably it. As an energetic Afro-Cuban dance, Rumba was often suppressed and restricted because it…

So, what's "Fly"? This. Bass Cajon; tambourine; congas; cymbals. 4/4 180bpm.

still one of my personal faves. - although i'd wish to redo some parts, i'm stuck with this version, since i don't own one of the synths used there anymore.. (original photo)

This is from years ago, living in santa fe. I loved driving around in my little 1980s toyota corolla and listening to cassettes. I loved the way they sounded. So I took a piano song I was working on, recorded it to cassette, dragged mic…

Ben, Jon, Jason and I record the destruction of a Piano via Hatchet. The criminal act was done on the santa fe plains.