The Show
In the beginning, the drummers were women. Ancient cultures were led in rituals by women playing frame drums...much like the modern, and much maligned, tambourine! Eventually, at the fall of the Roman empire, Christianity prevailed. All of these pagan religions, with all of their feminine power, were suppressed. Women were no longer allowed to play their sacred drums, and they were silenced...forever.
But that is NOT my story!
But that is NOT my story!
The
Drummer Girl show begins with this tribute to ancient women
frame drummers while I try desperately to hold a yoga pose, play the frame
drum and recite a monologue at the same time!
From there a quick costume change from the on-stage coat rack and we've gone back in time to the era of spandex and my roots, playing rock and roll. I am joined by my amazing band as we play a down and dirty blues tune called Wild Women Don't Get the Blues and a rollicking version of Canadian Jane Vasey's Tryin to Keep Her 88's Straight.
From there a quick costume change from the on-stage coat rack and we've gone back in time to the era of spandex and my roots, playing rock and roll. I am joined by my amazing band as we play a down and dirty blues tune called Wild Women Don't Get the Blues and a rollicking version of Canadian Jane Vasey's Tryin to Keep Her 88's Straight.
Another costume change and you're educated with a slide presentation on just how little playing a percussionist in the pit of an opera orchestra gets to do. A solo triangle version of Bizet's opera Carmen further clarifies this in a hilarious skit.
Next is the world of hand drumming and World music with the powerful song Aren't We Clever by Canadian Shirley Eikhard.
We close the set with the inevitable mention of love lost and found as glorified in a couple of my original tunes The Road to Utah and The List, where I put my List out to the Universe to find the perfect man, but 'Please, not another drummer!'
Next is the world of hand drumming and World music with the powerful song Aren't We Clever by Canadian Shirley Eikhard.
We close the set with the inevitable mention of love lost and found as glorified in a couple of my original tunes The Road to Utah and The List, where I put my List out to the Universe to find the perfect man, but 'Please, not another drummer!'
Set two opens with The Baby Toy Boogie, a
comedy bit on how to fit a little groove in your day when your life is taken
over by raising children.
The horror of arriving at a gig without cymbals and sticks is hilariously documented with the beatiful jazz piece Sweet and Slow, which I 'Hack all over with these bits of rubbish!' (a couple bits of wood and a beer bucket that I find in the basement of the venue where I did this gig.)
A drummer might have different priorities when dancing...fluid moves are forsaken for accuracy of timing, leading to the robotic dance routine I do as I demostrate my love of Zumba!
But dancing is close to my heart, honoured in this fast brush swing version of Cheek to Cheek...with a surprise twist!
The horror of arriving at a gig without cymbals and sticks is hilariously documented with the beatiful jazz piece Sweet and Slow, which I 'Hack all over with these bits of rubbish!' (a couple bits of wood and a beer bucket that I find in the basement of the venue where I did this gig.)
A drummer might have different priorities when dancing...fluid moves are forsaken for accuracy of timing, leading to the robotic dance routine I do as I demostrate my love of Zumba!
But dancing is close to my heart, honoured in this fast brush swing version of Cheek to Cheek...with a surprise twist!
And we finish the set with two
songs that pay tribute to my Irish roots...an original entitled The Mists
of Coonamara and a version of the traditional Irish tune George Brabazon as
arranged by traditional jazz players, and begun on my newest drum, the
Irish bodhran.
Costume changes and slide images accompany me as I take you on a journey through my life as a female drummer making a living making...a lot of noise!
Costume changes and slide images accompany me as I take you on a journey through my life as a female drummer making a living making...a lot of noise!