Mirai Daiko was formed in 2002 by Courtney Ozaki, Keiko, Meg, Shannon.  These four had been members of One world Taiko Ensemble and were students of Gary Tsujimoto and Nancy Ozaki.  The group now averges 7 members and includes
Erika Tanaka and June Kurobane. 

Miriai Daiko has performed in such venues as
the Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida, the international Taiko  Festival in Berkeley
and the North American Taiko Conference.

Fatu Judy Henderson, the Lady Drummer is the artistice director of Jambalaya Sistah’s Drum Ensemble. Fatu has performed in  many national festivals including Denver’s Dragon Boat Festival where Jambalaya and Miraia Daiko met and performed an inter-cultural piece, the Denver Black Arts Festival, and The Michigan’s Women’s Music Festival.  Fatu has performed in numerous venues throughout the country and continues to teach traditional West African Drumming.

We belive this is a Denver first and will prove to be a wonderful family event!

Young Linda

By the time I had heard of this fabulous artists in the year 2000, she had already been drumming, performing and teaching for over 22 years. Even in the year 2000, professional women djembe drummers were a rare species. But Linda-Thomas Jones had been quietly working behind the scenes through her arts to build community with the drum. 

Show Celebrates Imani’s Success!”
The Imani African-American Dance Company, one of only two in the Cleveland area, launched its second full season at the Garfield Heights Community Center with a show and anniversary celebration on September 23.”  

Okay. That’s nice, I thought.  But so what. The article continued by stating that,

 

 

“…By the end of the 1985 season, 160 pupils had come to the Imani classes, which include African, modern, improvisational and children’s creative dance….By the end of the last season (1985) the Imani company had performed and put on workshops on African-American dance before 12, 000 people in schools and community organizations.”  Jim Konkoly-Sun Newspaper; Cleveland, 1985

 Now, that’s still news! I  have worked in and with artistic organizations for 20 years. I am well aware of how difficult it is to reach the populations, particularly in schools and community groups.  A major performance at a festival can boosts the stats.  Reaching 12,000 people through teaching and performing in schools and community groups is a phenomenal feat. I am still impressed.

Linda says she formed Imani because,“There weren’t any consistent African dance and drum classes and people were interested in learning about their culture. After going to the Chuck Davis dance and drum classes and seeing all of the mothers, fathers and children dancing together, I decided to focus on everyone so that I could actually create a village.” 

Creating villages is  exactly what Linda did. “Sometimes I would have as many  as 100 men women and children in my classes ages 21 months to 70 years of age. I did not just focus on women. I taught anyone who came to me. I taught juvenile detention centers with young men that had simply given up on their lives. After about one hour I would have them playing drums and dancing for each other. Rival gang members would encourage each other to not give up on the rhythms or the movements that I was trying to get them to perform. They would become like little boys again. Then I would sit and talk to them about their lives and choices. The drum was the tool to open them up. I have worked in the maximum security prison for men and women teaching long-term drum and dance programs.” 

Linda is a consummate performer.  Major performances include; Cleveland Art Museum, Cleveland Natural History Museum, Oberlin College, Case Western Reserve, Michigan State University, Cain Park Amphitheater, Minneapolis Cultural Gardens ,  a nationally televised performance with the Cleveland Orchestra and Dance Africa Chicago. She composes her own music and has composed music for an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s, ‘The Bacchae’.

Many know Linda from her performances in the middle years of the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival where she performed with many female musicians on the day stage and night stages. These performances included work with Edwina Lee Tyler, Ubaka Hill, Nuru Abena, Debra McGee, Roberta Stokes, Nydia, Virginia Lopez, Carolyn Brandy and Phyllis Bethel. It was Linda’s work at Mich Fest, sharing her work with over 10,000 women at a time, that she became a grandmother of the Women’s drumming movement.

 Linda’s work is also focused in the Orisha Community. She says that, “In the beginning the men would not let me play the drum during ceremonies; only  sing. Then I went to  a Bembe where I saw other women playing for their own Orisha. From that point on I have played for my own Orisha and for other priests as well. Her Excellency, Aina Olomo, has always encouraged me to play.  She appreciates my ability to touch people with my drumming.

Many of us prefer the stage to community service. Many of us do a combination. Linda has done both but here is a woman who   has dedicated  most of her life to using the drum in service to Spirit, youth, inmates and the isolated. Linda has produced one CD, ‘Sacred Waters’.  The long awaited second is in process. She continues her work teaching drumming and music in Texas and writing music and books for children.

One of her most prominent accomplishments was the formation of the Imani Dance and Drum Ensemble in Cleveland, Ohio.  Of Jones’ work and the Imani company, one particular article said it all:

From college, I went on to live and work in New York City.  By this time I had become an accomplished drummer for dance classes and was playing both congas djembe and various percussion instruments.  I played for a lot of modern dance classes, sometimes carrying two drums through the subway and up three flights of stairs.  One day shortly after I arrived in New York some one told me about Chuck Davis and his dance class. I finally found out where he was teaching and made my way to his class. When I walked in, I felt as if I had been transported into a totally new world.  The place was packed with people dressed in African clothes and the drums were playing and little children were running in and out between our feet.  It was hot and smelled of natural oils and sweat. Everyone spoke to me as if they knew me and welcomed me into their family.  I went down a few steps to the dance floor and saw the drummers   all lined up in a row. They were all men except for some women playing the shekere and bell.  I asked one of the drummers if I could play and it was if he couldn’t believe that I actually asked the question.  Then he said that I was welcomed to play the bell.  So I did and I kept coming back because it felt wonderful  being in that environment.
 One day I came to class early and Chuck Davis asked me if I wanted to play for the warm-ups before the “real” dancing started. I said sure and I had a great time, however, I still wanted to play with the men.  It never happened.

Then I found out about Baba Olatunji and I started taking classes with him. He was always accepting and willing to teach anyone.  I remember that I was so enthralled with meeting him and taking class that I kept looking at his face and smiling during the class.  Finally he said “watch my hands and not my face”.  I still say that same phrase to my students.

Next I heard about this woman drummer named Edwina Lee Tyler.  When I would go the play for the dance classes I would carry my drum in a green duffle bag.  As I traveled through the subway with my green duffle bag people would call out to me “Hey Edwina”. Of course I did not answer and  I bet a lot of people thought Edwina was  being rude.
I did finally find a way to get in touch with Edwina and she invited me to come to her apartment. I was totally freaked out!  I got my nerves together went to meet her.  People had talked about her so much and had such wonderful things to say about her I expected her to be at least six feet tall. Instead this very petite woman answered the door. She might have been short but she was definitely a power house.  She invited me in and there were other women there and I felt as if they were sizing me up.  Here I was the “country girl” from Ohio with all of these savvy New York Women.  Edwina turns to me and basically says “Show me what you working with”.  OMG! My mouth got dry, my hands were shaking, my knees almost buckled and I said to myself   “what have you gotten yourself into? “  I realized that I had no choice but to play my drum and pray.  So I played with my eyes closed and then drums started appearing from everywhere and the women started playing with me.  My life has not been the same since that experience.  Edwina and I have traveled this path sometimes together  and sometime apart but I have always loved her.

Linda Thomas Jones

After studying djembe for about ten years I began to hear the name Linda Thomas Jones  in traditional Lukumi Dance circles.  I thought this was a beautiful name!  It spoke of  beauty and grace.  I was told she was a master drummer and that I should meet her some day.  I began to put out a desire to meet this mysterious woman drummer.  The answer to prayer came in the early 2000’s  when I began my studies of  traditional Orisha Music.  I had an opportunity to travel to Texas to work with some powerful Orisha Women.  Amongst them was one Linda Thomas Jones.   Forget that by that time I had been playing for over 10 years.  She promptly handed me a bell and began teaching me as a first year student.  “Learn that,” she said “Then I will give you more.”  Thus began a new friendship and artistic alliance with one of the most talented female cultural artists  I have met.  She could sing, drum, dance and compose beautiful original music.  So who is this mysterious musician. Here is a portion of how she got started in her own original words. 

While in high school in Cleveland Ohio I was given the opportunity to attend college through the first Upward Bound Program. I enrolled in Case Western Reserve the summer of 1966.  Of course this was the time of the Hippie; and yes I was one.  It was also a time of free love, spiritual growth and freedom of expression.

As students we worked hard during the week and played hard on the weekends. One day that we all looked forward to was Sunday. This was the day when people would gather at the Art Museum’s lagoon area.  There were dancers, singers, magicians, people playing guitars and most fascinating of all drummers.  This was the first time that I heard conga drums played live and I was so excited I couldn’t keep still. I saw an African American man playing a set of bongos. When he noticed that I was watching him he offered to let me play them.  When my hands touched the drums I could feel the vibration of all the other instruments being played.  I really had no Idea what I was doing, I just knew it felt  wonderful.

I continued to go the Lagoon every Sunday for about year and every time I went I would play the bongos. I learned that  the owner of the drums  was Chuck Smart who later became a well known  percussionist  and  visual artist.  We became good friends, he even took me to my first live Jazz performance.

During this time period, I was a dance major and had classes everyday.  My dance teacher was a very petite Greek woman whose body was so thin you could see every bone, muscle and the tendons that held them together.  She used to play a large round dance teacher’s drum to accompany class. One day after I had been playing at the Lagoon for about a year, I asked if I could play for class. She said yes  and gave me her drum. I took it and started playing the same way that I played at the Lagoon. That meant that I was improvising and playing whatever I wanted. Of course I was not paying any attention to what the dancers were doing.  Right away, my dance teacher stopped me from playing and had a truly disgusted look on her face. The rest of the students were trying not to  crack up laughing.  I was completely embarrassed and confused because I thought I sounded good.  She told me that I had to watch the dancers and support them with my drumming.  She then made me play just a steady pulse on the drum without changing tempo or rhythm. It was the most boring thing that I had ever done. However, I must say that what my dance teacher put me through was one to the greatest gifts anyone could have given to me. She taught me discipline!

My story of  my first encounter with Edwina’s work  is a personal testimony of my experience of that manifestation.   It is important because this is the level of work that Edwina carries.  This is the story she wants you to know. 

Edwina Lee Tyler

Edwina Tyler has been drumming for over 40 years starting in New York. About this she says,
“What called me to the drum? God. It’s as simple as that. I really started when I was 3 years old. I was told I would play on any and every thing I could get my hands on. Having the parents that I had, they were artist themselves, so I had it made.

Edwina is a talented performing artist having credits in television, Broadway, recording, film, and commissions for other artists. Noted appearances include Alice Tully Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Dance Theatre Workshop, La Mama E.T.C. and The Michigan Women’s Music Festival. She has toured throughout Europe, Africa, and Korea. She was one of the first percussionists for Urban Bush Women.  In addition to supporting others, Edwina was director of her own company, A Piece of the World, which toured Europe, Canada and the United States. We will post her extensive biography in our final article on Edwina entitled:  The Impeccable Edwina  Lee Tyler

Notables at the International Conference of Women, Nairobi, Kenya

In 1985 a Young Edwina Tyler played her drum for African Women at the International Women’s Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.  This gathering of African and African American Women was sponsored by the United Nations to assess 10 years of progress in addressing cultural and social issues on the continent. The conference was attended by such notables as Coretta Scott King, Angela Davis and Donna Height, then head of the National Conference on Negro Woman.

The photographer took Edwina’s picture too!  Why was that?  He knew the significance of what he saw. He  captured  not only an artist displaying her talent but the breaking of  a cultural taboo well known to African Women:  Women do not play these drums!  Women in Africa have their wombs stripped of power and are beaten and killed for playing these drums!  Here sat a young Edwina, playing her drum with a man (hands in the foreground) entertaining African Women probably unaware of the risk to her life and the protection afforded her as a member of the American contingent to this conference.  Here sat Edwina sowing the seeds of reclamation and  personal empowerment!  We are ecstatic to post this photo so women know what it is that she did!  The world needs to know just  what  it is Edwina  Lee Tyler did!

Edwina Tyler is a Messenger of God and her ancestors and a testimony of what women can do when they connect with God, their heart and the power of the Womb.  She continues to teach and perform at women’s drum camps and seminars. 

Edwina Tyler  lives in Long Island  and continues her work of healing working with music ministries in the local churches.   For those in the area she facilitates a drum circle Saturday, every second Saturday of the month. 
Next circle is July 10, 2010
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Community Baptist church 605 Granny Road Middle island, New York

Edwina Drumming

Edwina has recorded and produced two albums, Drum Drama and Things are Gonna Change.  Drum Drama is being transferred from cassette to CD and will be available in the coming weeks.  Copies of Things are Gonna Change are available through Amazon.com

International Conference on Women photos from Ebony Magazine October, 1985

The year was 1993.  I arrived in a small Central Michigan Town after driving two days in the rain.  I had caught a cold and was feeling quite sick.  After a long wait in line, I made it through the check-in process at the Michigan’s Women’s Music Festival.   This was my first Mich Fest experience.  A kindly soul hauled my gear and helped me set up my tent.  Fever and sniffles aside, I feel into a deep and seemingly dreamless sleep.  My mission to go to Michigan for the festival was clear.  There were black women drumming there and I wanted to meet them.

Two days later, I sat on a grassy knoll in front of the Acoustic Stage.  The sun had finally broken through the clouds and a mild breeze quaffed through the knoll.  A chocolate colored black woman dressed in white walked out onto the stage djembe attached to her side. She seemed small from where I sat but that was part of the illusion n. She began drumming and singing, and it seemed as though the white clouds drifting overhead stood still to listen.    At some point she left the stage, I don’t remember when.  My eyes were closed and I had lain back on the grass. The sound of her drum seemed to grow closer and my body responded.  Rhythm pounded through my veins. Cells long a sleep awakened, Memories of trees calmed my name in a language slightly familiar. I quickly opened my eyes and sat up straight.  She approached, not seeing me.  Her eyes were locked on heaven, voice calling ancient sounds, face shifting and changing.  I thought I saw my mother there and then gone. Her mouth never stopped moving.  What was it she was saying?  My mind could not remember.  Her hands …. A slap here, a boom there and lots of little tapping in between.  With steady measured pace she walked towards me then passed me by, weaving through the crowd, chanting, playing, walking, then was gone. My body vibrated with the soul of music.  This was not a performance, it was ritual!  Call it spiritual transformation.  This was the mother of the Women’s Drumming Movement:  Edwina Lee Tyler.