For God So Loved the World........

It was Denver versus New England, January 14, 2012, during a commercial break, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming, the following broadcast over American airwaves:
 “For God So Loved the World ….”

Myanmar Ensemble

"Looking out into the crowd, they too are caught up in this same 'groove' as if we were able to transmit this very 'groove'  to them.   Truly then is the crowd caught up in this joy or its something, because they're all smiling, tapping their feet, or have been liberated enough to come up to the dance floor and start dancing about."

Indian Drum Circle

"The more people present before us the more exciting things got.   But what really did it for us?  It's when we had enough practice together that each of our individual parts melded perfectly with the other so that we all instantaneously shared this joyous anticipation that tonight, perhaps unlike last night, we were 'in a groove' and we were 'feeling it'..."

Peace Drum Circles

"Entertaining the people - our fans, spreading joy, freedom, liberation via our ability to perform music in communion with one another, our commitment to be a show for one another, for the crowd..."

Charpentier Te deum (1)

Te Deum Laudamus! "O God, we praise thee!" A rousing Timpani part keeps this piece going.......

Vespro della Beata Vergine

Mother Mary makes her entry at the precise moment the vocalist begins, her long white flowing dress trails far away into the distance, supported by the wings of hundreds of seraphim. She walks into the great hall and gazes first at her Son and then at you - oh so radiant, pure and full of love!

Gary's Music Instruction Video Collection

• Getting Started on Congas: Conga Basics with Bobby Sanabria

• Getting Started on Congas: Technique for One and Two Drums with Bobby Sanabria

• Getting Started on Congas: Technique for Two and Three Drums with Bobby Sanabria
• The Ultimate Beginner Series: Have Fun Playing Hand Drums Step Two with Brad Dutz and Special Gusts

• The Contemporary Percussionist with Glen Caruba

• From Afro-Cuban to Rock: Adventures in Rhythm with Raul Rekow & Karl Perazo
• Adventures in Rhythm: Close-Up on Congas, Vol. 1 with Richie Gajate Garcia
• Advanced Conga with Rolando Soto

• The Essence of Playing Congas with Jerry Steinholtz

• A Private Lesson with Giovanni Hidalgo: One On One

• Conga Virtuoso: Giovanni Hidalgo
• Conga Masters: Changuito & Giovanni Duets
• Conga Masters: The Masters Meet Again! Giovanni & Changuito

• The History of Songo: Changuito (Jose Luis Quintana)
• Talking Drums with David Garibaldi, Michael Spiro, Jesus Diaz
• Luis Conte: Live At PAS
• Finding Your Way with Hand Drums with John Bergamo & Friends
• Community Drumming For Health and Happiness with Jim Greiner
• Creating Community Through Rhythm Based Events: Drum Circle Facilitation with Arthur Hull
• Approaches to the Drum Circle: Guide to Endrummingment with Arthur Hull
• Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble Live at the el Mocambo
• TASCAM Portastudio Video Tutorial: Your COMPLETE Guide to Personal Recording!
• MTV Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection Volume 1 (music critique)

Gary's Music Book Collection

• Guitar Case Chord Book by Peter Pickow
• IMAGINE a Celebration of John Lennon
• Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard P. Feynman
• Writing Music for Hit Songs by Jai Josefs
• The Craft of Lyric Writing by Sheila Davis
• How to Make Money Scoring Soundtracks and Jingles by Jeffrey P. Fisher
• How to Train Singers by Lara Browning Henderson

• Nashville Songwriting by Jerry Cupit

• An Introduction to Hard Disk Recording by Roland

• A Brief Guide to Microphones by Audio-Technica
• Encyclopedia of Percussion by John H. Beck
• Rhythm & Beauty: The Art of Percussion by Rocky Maffit
• Planet Drum by Mickey Hart and Frederick Lieberman

• Conga Drumming: A Beginner's Guide to Playing with Time by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby

• Afro Cuban Drumming: A Comprehensive Guide to Traditional & Contemporary Styles by Glen Caruba

• A Rhythmic Vocabulary: A Musicians Guide to Understanding and Improvising with Rhythm by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby

• Hip Grooves for Hand Drums: How to Play Funk, Rock & World-Beat Patterns on any Drum by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby

• Secrets of the Hand: Soloing Strategies for Hand Drummers by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby

• All  You Wanted to Know About The Djembe Drum by Dr. Doudou D Faye, PhD
• How to Play Drums by James Blades and Johnny Dean

• 200 Drum Machine Patterns by Rene-Pierre Bardet

• Afro-Latin Rhythm Dictionary by Thomas A. Brown
• Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms: Text and Workbook for All Instruments by Gary Hess
• The Bongo Book by Trevor Salloum
• Changuito: A Master's Approach to Timbales by Jose Luis Quintana "Changuito
• Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe and Bob Weiner
• Play Congas Now: The Basics & Beyond by Richie Gajate-Garcia
• Authentic Conga Rhythms by Bob Evans
• West African Rhythms for Drumset by Royal Hartigan
• Drum Circle: A Guide to World Percussion by Chaldo Eduardo & Frank Kumor

• Drum Circle Spirit: Facilitating Human Potential Through Rhythm

• Rumba Soloing Technique Volume 1:/Afro-Cuban Conga Drum Improvisation: Learn to Play Afro-Cuban Quinto Licks & Soloing by Cliff Brooks
• Rumba Soloing Technique Volume 2:/ Afro-Cuban Conga Drum Improvisation: Mastering Clave with Quinto Licks by Cliff Brooks
• DRUM! Magazine archive

Candido Camero - "MANTECA"

One of my all time favorite conga performances; I watch this one over and over again for inspiration. Enjoy and don't let age stop you from picking up a drum!