Frame Drumming

I’ve been drumming for over 17 years now, and have been fortunate to learn from and study with a number of exceptional and excellent teachers throughout this time. I began my drumming journey learning to play the darbuka (goblet shaped drum), playing traditional rhythms from Egypt. Turkey, Mediterranean and beyond. Then a decade ago, I began ongoing lessons with another superb teacher, playing West African rhythms, mainly from Senegal and Mali, on the djembe and on bass drums (dununba, sanban and kenkeni).  As well as many lessons from other notable teachers over the years, I am very fortunate to continue to learn and develop my drumming skills with both these original teachers and, specifically in terms of frame drum and tambourine, from a number of internationally recognised women teachers, the majority of whom studied directly with the late Layne Redmond.

I am passionate about drumming! As well as the above drumming experience, I am also a facilitator with the Northumberland Recovery College, offering in person drum circles, with a focus on co-creating rhythmic music ‘in the moment’, using drum and other percussions. I also offer community drum circles in other setting with a range of community groups, service users and other organisations.  In addition, I am a member of an all-women samba band, The Bangshees, where I play toms and surdo drums.

My love for frame drumming has woven its way through all my years of drumming, at first slowly, taking what seemed like rare opportunities to learn in the early years, to more recent years, when I started immersing myself in frame drumming, accessing tuition from some wonderful teachers, including my current teachers, as I deepen my connection to the joy and power of playing this ancient instrument, linked for thousands of years to the history of women drumming with the frame drum. (For a deep look into the history of women and drumming, you may like to read “When the Drummers were Women” by Layne Redmond. This is a book I return to often).

I have been successfully teaching online drum classes for over 8 years now and longer term, I compose and teach completely new, themed drum sets, for drummers and as well as sets in collaboration with dancers and drummers.

I am also offering in person frame drum lessons for beginners up to intermediate players. In teaching frame drum, I invite women to step into our heritage and lineage over thousands of years as drummers at the heart of rituals, communities and gatherings.

Jackie Drew

Tribe Zuza - a collaboration with my dance teacher and director of Tribe Zuza dance troupe,  Angela Noble. I composed and taught a full drum set for the Lindisfarne Project. The full project of Angela's inspirational dance project and Tribe Zuza can be see here on Youtube. My drum set can be heard about halfway through.

Tribe Zuza - The Lindisfarne Project