Drum Fusion - Motivational Drumming with Melinda Rodriguez

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Drum Fusion Contributing Musicians

Rogelio "Roger" Rodriguez was raised with the influence of soulful Latin rhythms and developed a passion for music and percussion at a very young age. Growing up in Guanajuato , Mexico , Rogelio was surrounded by the music of his Grandfather, a multitalented musician who performed frequently both locally and in the U.S. Rogelio experimented with the various Latin percussion instruments that he was exposed to through his Grandfather’s music, but as the oldest of 12 children in a Farmer’s family, he had to put his musical interests aside and work to help support the family. Now an adult in the U.S. , with a family of his own, he has returned to his love of music and rhythm. Rogelio continues his study of guitar, didgeridoo, Native American flute and of course, various styles of drumming and percussion. Rogelio’s son, a professional guitar and bass musician, and wife, also a noted percussionist, share in his love of music and when the family gets together, live rhythm and grooves can be heard throughout the house. Rogelio is also a certified electronics technician and has been working in the field of electronics for more than 10 years.

Matthew Fitzgerald is an Orange County, CA native and has been playing music now for over 15 years. He was a principle member of the award winning Mission Viejo High School Drumline and later attended California State University, Long Beach, where received his Bachelor's Degree in Music (2004), with an emphasis in percussion. It was at Long Beach where Matt had the privilege of studying world music and dance under the guidance of Dr. Michael Carney, Brad Dutz, Mark Lamson, Kevin O'Sullivan, Anthony Douglass, and Yeko Ladzepko-Cole. During his studies, Matt twice traveled to Salvador, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, Brasil to study with the masters of Brasilian drumming, Olodum, Ile Aiye, Bale Foklorico da Bahia and Grande Rio Escola de Samba. Since graduating, he continues to travel the globe, teach private lessons/master classes and has recently opened up his own audio recording company, Pharmakos Sound, Inc. Matt enjoys all forms of drumming for, "Drumming is a way in which we can come together and speak to one another, even if we don't share a common language. With drums in our hands, we become one voice…not many."

Aboubacar Kouyate is a master djembe drummer who currently performs and teaches throughout theUnited States. He also plays and teaches gongoma, kirin, doundoun and sangba.

Aboubacar Kouyate was born in Conakry, Guinea ,West Africa in 1969 into a family of Griots, traditional musicians and oral historians. The Kouyate family traces their lineage back many generations from Griots to the most famous of the kings of the Malian and Songhay Empires, caretakers of tradition.

Aboubacar began his dejembe training in Guinea with master djembe fola Yadi Camaara. Aboubacar went on to serve as a musical director and master drummer of The Farita Company and The Sabar Company in Conakry, and in 1996 became a master lead drummer with les Ballets Merveilles de Guinea, one of the foremost drum and dance troupes in the country. He traveled and performed extensively with Merveilles throughout Africa and Europe .

In 1998, Aboubacar, along with other members of Merveilles, was asked to perform in New York City , sponsored by The Ethnic Folk Center. By the end of the year, he decided to make the United States and New York his new home. Aboubacar has performed at Lincoln Center, Central Park Center Stage, the annual Mayoral picnic at Randall’s Island, Harlem Center for the Arts, Symphony Space and Radio City Music Hall, as well as dozens of universities, colleges and cultural arts festivals nationwide. In 2000, Aboubacar was under contract at the Animal KingdomTheme Park in Orlando, FL, where he performed regularly. He has since performed with Fereba African Rhythm and Tap of NY, Bamidele Drummers and Dancers of Amherst ,and the Spirit Company of Chicago. He also drummed regularly for Alvin Ailey and for African dance classes at Columbia University. He has taught and served as lead drummer at dance and drum conferences throughout the country and was on staff as an African drum teacher at Ifetayo Cultural Arts Facility in NYC. Aboubacar helped establish Drum Café in New York City in 2002.

In 2005, he relocated to Los Angeles where he currently performs regularly and is on staff as a drummer in the Department of World Arts and Culture at UCLA. He also does session work for movie scores and is a member of Local 47.

Anna Chistmas has been dancing for 20 years. She has studied with Nzingha Camara, Koca Sale Dioubate, Kemoko Sano and other masters of many forms of dance and music . Anna is also a member of Kouman Kele, Africabok and L'Esprit d'Afrique dance companies.

Dirk Barkermeijer de Wit is a Professional Sound & Energy Healer, Performing Artist and Producer. Dirk conducts a variety of performances and demonstrations and plays an ancient wind instrument called the Didgeridoo, the first man made musical instrument on Earth, well-known for its deep resonate frequencies and healing properties.

He is also the inovator of Sonic Resonance Therapy technology and related products that are pioneering new advancement in sound and energy medicine. Visit Dirk on the web at www.didgwizard.com.

The first time Candy Eaton picked up a drum she felt a connection between herself and the forces that unites each of us to the rhythms of the universe- She had tapped into the heartbeat of the Great Mother. In that single, exquisite moment, she knew she had discovered her artistic passion- and from then on she has been inspired and possessed by the irresistible spirit and energy of the drum.

Since then, Candy has dedicated herself to encouraging others to express themselves through drumming. For the last several years she has been interviewed on radio programs, performed at numerous festivals, drum circles and cultural events, as well as frequently taught at workshops and university classes. Candy’s classes and workshops are always fun and dynamic and she makes it her highest priority to be sensitive to each student’s needs.

Candy also is one of the founding members of the drum and belly dance troupe, Akasha. The troupe characterizes her commitment to the revival and preservation of the woman drummer-to her overwhelming desire to share with other women the confidence and freedom that drumming has given to her.

A great drummer once said, “The power of intent transports your drumming experience out of the mundane and into a sacred experience. Intention is your consciousness directing through the beat toward a valuable outcome, like a sound arrow towards a target.”

For many, drumming is spiritually and emotionally therapeutic and can be the catalyst for personal and communal transformation. For Candy, drumming is a healing tool that connects her to nature and all things sacred, and it is her honor and privilege to share this blessed experience. Visit Candy at www.myspace.com/candyeatondrumgoddess

This Florida native, Emeka Simmons, began his dance career in 1999 on the campus of UCLA. The UCLA African Arts Ensemble's west African dance troupe JOOBA, was the genesis of a his dance performance career. He fell in love with performing and African dance and drumming arts. In doing so, he began a journey that followed the west and central Africans across the Atlantic to the new world; first stop, Cuba. Omo Ashe, an Afro-Cuban performance Ensemble brought Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin culture to the center of his artistic focus from 1999-2001. In 2001 he was asked to join N'zingha Camara's west African dance company Le Ballet Kouman Kele, which he is still a principal dancer for. Continuing the journey further into African diasporic arts brought Emeka to Capoeira de Angola where he studied and performed with Pastina's Garden of Capoeira de Angola from 2000-2002. Finding Afro-Brazilian culture fascinating, he studied and performed with two Brazilian dance companies Viver Brazil in 2003 and Ballet Folklorico do Brazil in 2004. Emeka now is a principal dancer with Contra Tiempo and is the founder and director of L'Espirit d'Afrique a Pan-African performance art ensemble.