SPEAKING OF RHYTHM - a series

banner showing various drums and percussionists from the series

It's astonishing what drums and rhythms show about a community's culture

Drums, rhythms, history and culture – they are all connected.  Join us as we use drums and rhythms to examine many communities:  Nigeria’s Yorubá, Afro-Peruvian, southern India, and others.  Rhythm and drums are for connecting and relaxation, and also tell us about values, religion, history and aspirations. 

Rasaki's Drums - front of DVD cover

Rasaki's Drums and the rich rhythms of Nigeria's Yorubá

DVD cover art for From Box to Cajón

From Box to Cajón: Peta's Heritage - (Afro-Peruvian)

The Measure of an Art (India) IN PRODUCTION

Celtic

Mexican

Click on a Thumbnail Above to Learn More

Our series, Speaking of Rhythm shows the strong connection between a community’s culture and its art forms (in this case, percussion traditions). We learn that: 

  • West Africa including Nigeria is extremely diverse and its Yorubá, one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups, has had a major impact on America
  • drumming is an essential part of Yorubá culture, religion, and community
  • Afro-Peruvians, who originally (as enslaved people) had absolutely nothing, illustrate through their creativity the essential resilience of the human mind, the human spirit
  • a seemingly simple musical instrument  developed by a small, little-known community, can become a major part of world music, as the cajón illustrates
  • southern Indian rhythms have their own form of “talking drum” as well as a surprising connection to math
  • We fully expect to discover similar fascinating information about other percussion  traditions.
  • NOTE that Rasaki’s Drums has been released to the general public (and educational market).  We recently  completed From Box to Cajón and have released it to the educational market;  we’ll release it to the general public in 2026.

We plan to produce three more episodes for this series:  southern Indian, Celtic, and Mexican.  We will release each one first to the educational market and later, to the general public.

shows diverse people and groups we've worked with

© Palomino Productions, 2024.   All rights reserved.

Mailing Address:

Palomino Productions
P.O. Box 8565
Berkeley, CA. 94707, USA