Dubai Drums, and all that jazz

Impressed? You betcha!

When you were at school, did the careers advisor ever suggest fiddle player as the foundation of an international career? Probably not. And yet, there are some very well traveled players out there with more airmiles in their account than this writer is likely to see…

So it was last night. Drums of the World at the Jazz Festival. Twenty seven people, from five continents, and what a glorious noise they made! Didgeridoo, mouth harp, bodhran, tabla – the instruments were as exotic and varied as their players.

Delighted to see drummers from the UAE onstage, and intrigued at how different their rhythms were from those emanating from the other side of Africa, the Moroccan section. And how completely different again from the djembe-wielding crew on the left. Add to that the Brazilians, the Jamaicans, the Indians, the Irish and Australians…

Julie-Anne O’Dell has achieved something quite remarkable here, a disparate troop of musicians which is her own instrument, an orchestra of drummers marching to a beat all her own. She conducted the whole ragtaggle group with confidence, passion and precision, and a masterful performance it was. This was real jazz, a group of talented players inspired by each other, by turns competing with and supporting their fellow performers, swapping phrases and rhythms and sending them back considered, embellished, enhanced.

What a fabulous way to kick off an evening of music. Drumming is loud, energizing, visceral, compelling… ..you can’t help but feel uplifted and empowered by such infectious rhythms. I have no idea who followed them onto the stage, but it is hard to imagine a better preamble. There were certainly more famous and more learned musicians on the bill, but I doubt there were any more enthusiastic. Last night, Drums of the World well and truly rocked!