rhythm and clapping

Amongst the first words I ever uttered was the Farsi phrase “das das”.  It literally means “hand hand” and was accompanied by repeated simultaneous clapping movements – das das, das das  – an endless source of entertainment and distraction when Bibi, my paternal grandmother who I lived with, played with me in this way. Later on … Read more

More on the Afro Cuban Music Night

The first Tuesday of every month is firmly placed in my diary. This is because it means it’s time for London’s Afro Cuban Music Night. The organisers describe the event as a night of drum, song and dance from bata and Orisha music to rumba and as an informal gathering where musicians who know the traditions … Read more