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I’m pleased to announce that my group Meidoko has two performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show this year. We will be performing on Sunday July 24th 7:15PM and Tuesday September 6th 6:45PM. It’s gonna be a stone gas. We’ll be joined by my good friend, awesome guitarist and vocalist Phoenix Sigalove, plus local great Jazz saxophonist Steve Davidson. If you or any of your friends happen to be in the area please come by. Green Shows are free to the public.
15 South Pioneer St. Ashland, Oregon 97520

Today’s workshop at Southern Oregon University was a real success! A lot of students attended and took part in the workshop. Mainly we focused on basic kuchishoga, rhythms and kata based off of Miyake. I had a lot of fun and the Director of Percussion Studies at SOU, Terry Longshore , really enjoyed it as well. Although we’re only at a talking stage right now, we’re both really excited about developing SOU’s first taiko group this fall.

I’ll be giving a taiko workshop at Southern Oregon University on Wednesday afternoon. It’s for Director of Percussion Studies Terry Longshore’s world music class. If you happen to be in the area, stop by.

I never really was the competitive type of person, but some opportunities are too good to pass up. I just signed up for the 2011 Guitar Center Drum Off. If you’re not familiar with this competition, it’s where some of the nations best drummers go head-to-head for a chance to win a bunch of money, a custom drum kit and cymbals, endorsement deals, and tons of recognition. Preliminary competitions begin on September 23rd. Following these are district, then regional and finally national competitions. What’s my strategy? Pull all the stops. An onslaught of chops. Percussive blitzkrieg. This is both scary and exhilarating. Oh well, off to the sheds.

On July 20th Me, Blues guitarist and songwriter Chic Streetman and South African guitarist extraordinaire Mongezi Ntaka collaborated for a Green Show. The Green Show is a concert series held here in Ashland, Oregon on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival campus during the summer and is free to the public. It was Chic’s gig and it was my pleasure to perform with him outside of our usual performance setting. You see, Chic is the guitarist for the play “Ruined” in which I’m also cast. Mongezi is Chic’s understudy. Mongezi will be here for another week subbing while Chic completes a short tour of performances and workshops throughout the US.
Mongezi Ntaka is an amazing man and guitarist. He plays every style of African guitar, Reggae, R&B, and Jazz, and is the guitarist for other musical artists such as Kuku and Vusi Mahlasela. Vusi Mahlasela is gaining more and more popularity and has collaborated with artists such as Dave Matthews and Taj Mahal.
On Ensemble has a Green Show here in Ashland, Oregon on August 28th, 2010. If you’re in town come check us out.

On Saturday I attended Southern Oregon University’s Day of Percussion where the amazing drummer Steve Smith (Journey and Vital Information) gave a drum clinic and concert. I’m really impressed on how his drumming has evolved over the years and how he’s incorporated southern Indian rhythms into his repetoire. I met him afterwards and learned that he and his wife would come to see “Ruined”. His wife had seen the play once before and was so impressed that she came again with Steve. I had a nice conversation with them after the play and learned that Steve lives here in Ashland! Cool, huh? For more information on Steve Smith check out his website vitalinformation.com

Here are some samples of the music in”Ruined”. Actor and MC Kacy-Earl David collaborated with musical director Aaron Meicht and created these rough and rugged tracks.  French is one of the many languages spoken in the  Democratic Republic of the Congo.Kacy-1-VOXKacy-2-VOX

Here's my percussion set for "Ruined". The guy in back ground is Mr. Chic Street Man.

Here's a homemade cymbal of mine based on some of my research of drummers in the DRC.

It’s finally opening night for “Ruined”! I’ve enjoyed every step that has led up to tonight’s performance. It’s a real treat to work with such a great cast, director and musical director. The play is based on recent events in the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Due to civil unrest in the DRC people, particularly women, have endured suffering for several years. The play’s setting is in a brothal located in the jungle of the Congo where a number of these abused women have sought refuge. Me and guitarist Chic Street Man provide the music there. I’m playing a unique percussion set up which was developed by me and musical director Aaron Meicht. We arrived at my current set up after extensive video and audio research of the music of the DRC which is heavily influenced by Soukous, Haitian Compas, Afro-Cuban and Hip-Hop music.