Celebrate Spring with Murfreesboro Drumming Community: ‘Everybody Drum Some’ March 22

Everybody Drum Some, the open-ended percussion collective led byMurfreesboro drum instructor Ross Lester, will host its next community rhythmevent on Thursday, March 22, at Mayday Brewery. As always, Lester invites allin the Middle Tennessee community to gather together with their neighbors andmake music.

These seasonal group drumming sessions are open to all ages and all skilllevels; organizers will judge not. Participants must simply be willing toparticipate and make some effort to cooperate in something much bigger andgrander than one individual could possibly create.

“What’s amazing is that from the beginning of the evening to the end of theevening, the whole group really grows together in their ability to communicatemusically,” Lester said of these types of rhythm sessions.

Come and drum some!

It matters not what musical experience and past training participants mayhave, what music ambition they may have, whether they are a professional jazzdrummer who enjoys complex polyrhythms or whether they have a two-year-old whoenjoys banging on the pots and pans. The only ones who are excluded are thosewho exclude themselves, hence the name: Everybody Drum Some.

Lester presents these group drumming events for arts events, youth groups andcommunity gatherings, and also works with local groups recovering from PTSD andsubstance abuse. The  local musician and instructor has even led groupdrumming sessions for some of the inmates at the county jail.

Attending a single drumming session may not magically heal a participant’s painor illness, but it could be one more positive experience in someone’s life,which is why Lester fully encourages all to take advantage of positivecommunity experiences whenever possible.

He says he is “just a drummer,” but he’s one who cares about his fellow humanbeings and improving his community. While drumming for an hour may not turn alife around, it is often difficult to dwell on one’s own troubles, let alonethe conflict in the world at large, in such an actively collaborativeenvironment.

Even if someone does not wish to participate in the drumming, they may stillhang out and observe this recreational music-making experience, an ongoingexperiment in group communication and dynamics.

Rhythmists can bring djembes, congas, shakers, hoop drums, wood blocks,tambourines, triangles or their percussive instrument of choice, but even thosewho have no instrument may come out and use one in the extensive Everybody DrumSome collection.

For Lester, the community music event is much more than a bunch of individualssmacking drum heads to make noise.

A drum circle, he contends, can teach skills such as listening to yourneighbor, respect, communication and creativity. Many say that listening toyour neighbor, respect, communication and creativity could benefit ourcommunity and the world.

“It is exemplary of society as a whole,” Lester said of a drum circle.

These group rhythm events can indeed offer a chance for plenty of personalartistic expression and freedom, but Lester spoke of the importance oflistening to what those surrounding you are saying, and of being conscious thatyour part doesn’t infringe upon the rhythm of the community.

Even for the leader of the group, it’s impossible to predict exactly whatdirection the music will take when a new drumming group comes together tocreate improvisational percussive sounds, but most likely it will be a joyfulnoise.

Everybody Drum Some’s Spring 2018 Community Rhythm Event will be at MaydayBrewery, 521 Old Salem Rd., on Thursday, March 22, beginning at 6 p.m. Theevent is free, and all are welcome.

For more on Ross Lester’s Everybody Drum Some, visit everybodydrumsome.com.

Come out and see where the beat takes the group, or where the group takes thebeat . . .

Find a Facebook event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/176714472968366/

Contact Ross Lester at: [email protected] (615) 631-7458