Conga coordination: Chachalokuafun breakdown - Fleetwood Mac 2019 World Tour
Someone recently asked about a rhythm I briefly played within a solo I did on the Modern Drummer Festival... It was based on an Afro-Cuban bata drumming rhythm called Chachalokuafun, which I believe is one of the rhythms played for several orishas (Yoruba/Santeria deity), including Eleggua, in a sacred ceremonial toque. I think I initially learned it when I studied with Roberto Vizcaíno Guillót in Cuba some 20 years ago. As much as I love bata drumming, by no means do I profess to play or practice it... That is a whole, literally, sacred drumming path. I broke down some elements of what each hand was doing on my rendition of it, for the various tones normally played over three double-headed bata drums (i.e. 6 bata drumhead strikes, conformed to play over 3 conga drums). Basically, it just started with me trying to see if I could come up with an approximation as I love the resultant melody of what the 3 sets of drums play in a traditional setting. It turned out to be fairly challenging in terms of splitting my mind up to hear all parts and being accurate with the various drum tones.
Someone recently asked about a rhythm I briefly played within a solo I did on the Modern Drummer Festival... It was based on an Afro-Cuban bata drumming rhythm called Chachalokuafun, which I believe is one of the rhythms played for several orishas (Yoruba/Santeria deity), including Eleggua, in a sacred ceremonial toque. I think I initially learned it when I studied with Roberto Vizcaíno Guillót in Cuba some 20 years ago. As much as I love bata drumming, by no means do I profess to play or practice it... That is a whole, literally, sacred drumming path. I broke down some elements of what each hand was doing on my rendition of it, for the various tones normally played over three double-headed bata drums (i.e. 6 bata drumhead strikes, conformed to play over 3 conga drums). Basically, it just started with me trying to see if I could come up with an approximation as I love the resultant melody of what the 3 sets of drums play in a traditional setting. It turned out to be fairly challenging in terms of splitting my mind up to hear all parts and being accurate with the various drum tones.