Women's West African Drumming Group at the Tucker Recreation Center! Next class begins Wednesday, August 6th

Following a nice month off for summer break, we will return to drumming with a Six-Week class. The new series will be held on Wednesday nights starting August 6th, 7 - 8:30pm, at the Tucker Rec Center at 4898 LaVista Road, Tucker GA 30084. If you're taking a class at Tucker Rec for the first time you'll have to come early before the first class to register at the center, and receive a key card which you'll scan at the entrance each time you come for a class. To register for the class, make payment with one of the options below. You'll receive a confirmation email once you make payment.

This SIX-class series begins on Wednesday August 6th, runs six straight weeks, and finishes with a final class on Wednesday September 10th. We will learn one traditional West African rhythm over the six classes of the course. We will cover all aspects of the rhythm: break, djembe accompaniments, dunun music, bridge and song.

Some rental and sale drums are available for the class if you need one to get started. If you do, please register early so I can make arrangements to provide a drum for you. **I currently have a couple really nice drums for sale!** 

Payment: The price for the 6-class course is $150. Drop-in to any single class for $30.

Payment options: If you don't have a Paypal*, Venmo or Zelle account, you can mail a check payable to "Kumandi Drums" to my home address, which I'll send you by email. Or you can call me at 404-966-5800 and give a credit card* number.  
Venmo: chuck-cogliandro
Zelle: mkdrum@mindspring.com
For maximum convenience, use these Paypal buttons for registration and drum rental fees. The top "Buy Now" button is for the six-week series. Paypal recently changed how their buttons are coded, and they have regressed to having NO LABEL available to be added to the button.

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Djembe Rental

One month rental $25.00 USD Six week rental $35.00 USD

West African FAMILY Drumming Class (Parents and kids) on Saturdays at the Tucker Recreation Center! A four-class series begins Saturday, August 9th

I've always loved when parents and kids drum together, and I've decided to offer a family class at Tucker Rec Center. A new class begins on Saturday mornings starting August 9th, 9:30 - 11am, at Tucker Rec, 4898 LaVista Road, Tucker GA 30084. If you're taking a class at Tucker Rec for the first time you'll have to come early before the first class to register at the center, and receive a key card which you'll scan at the entrance each time you come for a class. To register for the class, make payment with one of the options below. You'll receive a confirmation email once you make payment.

Saturday dates for this FOUR-class series are:
August 9th
August 23rd
August 30th
September 13th

The course will include background and history of the drums, the music, and the culture it all comes from. You will learn the fundamentals of the bass, tone, and slap strokes as well as warmups for your sound technique and hand balancing. We will learn one traditional West African rhythm over the four classes of the course. We will cover all aspects of the rhythm: break, djembe accompaniments, dunun music, and song.

Beginner-level drums will be made available for the class for those participants that need one. If you do, please register early so I can make arrangements to provide a drum for you. Some professional level drums will also be available for sale! 

Payment: The price for the 4-class course is $100 for adults, ad $50 for each child age 7-13. No previous musical experience is required. A minimum of ten students total is required for the class to run.

Payment options: If you don't have a Paypal, Venmo or Zelle account, you can mail a check payable to "Kumandi Drums" to my home address, which I'll send you by email. Or you can call me at 404-966-5800 and give a credit card* number.  
*Service charge of 3% will be added to credit card payments.
Venmo: chuck-cogliandro
Zelle: mkdrum@mindspring.com
For maximum convenience, use these Paypal buttons for registration.

IMMERSION WORKSHOP: The Joy of Drumming #5, Saturday August 16th, 2025

Good friends and longtime drumming colleagues Amy Jackson of DrumRise, Dee Desnoyers of Drum Club, and Chuck Cogliandro of Kumandi Drums will lead their fifth Immersion Workshop in West African Drumming!!

Saturday, August 16th, 2025

Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

9am to 3:30pm, with lunch break

There will be access to a kitchen, which includes a refrigerator and a microwave oven, so plan what you bring for lunch accordingly.

Cost: $100

Join these three instructors and their students for a day learning all aspects of a traditional West African rhythm, including:
-djembe accompaniment rhythms
-dunun music
-solo phrases
-break
-short performance by instructors
-and more!

Location: Shallowford Presbyterian Church

In the Youth Building

2375 Shallowford Rd., Atlanta GA 30345

When you pull off Shallowford Rd. into the big parking lot for the church, park toward the right side of the parking lot. Go up the central walkway toward the main entrance to the church, and about 2/3 of the way up on the right-hand side are double glass doors that enter on the Youth Building.

To register, please GO TO THIS LINK. If you have any questions, please send an email to Chuck at chuck@kumandi.com.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Up to July 16th cancellation, full refund will be given
Between July 17th and 31st, 50% refund will be given
After July 17th, no refund given; if there is a family or health emergency you will receive full credit toward a future workshop.



The Emerson Drummers are now playing in their 29th year together! 

Your first class is FREE, so you can decide if it's a good fit. 7-8:30pm every Tuesday night, $20 per class drop-in for new members after your first class. For those ready to join the performing group, the Sustaining Member status gives you a discount price of $65 per month with a commitment to attend and pay every month.

In the warm months we meet at East Cobb Park on Roswell Road, in the pavilion closest to the road and just behind the kids' playground.  If that pavilion is already taken we move to the smaller pavilion, at the back of the upper parking lot. During the cold months, including November-February, we meet in the Fellowship Hall at Emerson Unitarian Congregation, 4010 Canton Road, Marietta GA 30066. Loaner drums and sale drums available by request made prior to class. 
If you have any questions, please send an email to Chuck at chuck@kumandi.com.