Check out these rhythm related websites

Montana

Visit www.drumbrothers.com for contact info and concert schedules for the Drum Brothers and related groups. You'll also find class schedules, workshop information, CDs, free downloads, and custom drums.

The Montana Percussive Arts Society (PAS) website is at www.pas.org/Chapters/Montana . Check it for Um Percussion Ensemble events and more.

West African Drum and Dance

For more on the man considered by many to be West Africa's best drummer, visit Mamady Keita's website at mamadykeita.com. The worldwide drum school he founded, Tam Tam Mandingue has its site at ttmusa.org .

Acclaimed dancer Youssouff Koumbassa's website can be found at www.westafricandance.com

Seattle based drummer Thione Diop, originally from Senegal, has his site at www.thionediop.com

www.percussionsdeguinee.com is the official site for Les Percussions de Guinee, one of Guinea's finest drum and dance ensembles. Check it for tour dates, information, and official merchandise.

Guinea's other official ballet company, Les Ballets Africains, can be found at www.lesballetsafricains.com. Great photos, tour dates, and background info. as well as CDs, DVDs and other merchandise.

Rhythms of The World

www.rhythmweb.com is a great source of information on all kinds of world drumming traditions. You can watch quicktime clips of doumbek solos, brazilian percussionists, or Native American drummers or find links to experts on the drumming traditions of Persia and Azerbaijaini. There are also lesson pages for many types of drumming and a 'homemade' percussion page.

Uruguayan drummer Joseph "Pepe" Danza has studied rhythm all over the world. He plays everything from djembe, conga and berimbau to udu and doumbek. He has played on numerous CDs in various groups ranging from jazz to world music to traditional recordings. Visit his website, www.pepe-music.com , to find lessons on the Candombe rhythm of his native Uruguay as well as biographical info. and links to mp3s of his vast repertoire of music.

Ever wanted to learn more about the Japanese style of Taiko drumming? www.taiko.com has all the info you need, including instructions on how to make taiko drums. It also has extensive resource links, lots of general info., news, and a current events calendar.

Drums

Rhythm Traders drum shop in Portland is like Nirvana for drummers. For drums of all kinds, percussion instruments, CDs and other related info., go to www.rhythmtraders.com. You can then choose between their 'African' website, their 'Latin' drumming site, or their 'drumset' site. On their African site, their "Djembe Buying Guide" and "Djembe Tuning Guide" are great. Also, go to their "Sick Licks" section to listen to audio clips of CDs from top drummers.

Fode Bangoura, a great up-and-coming drummer on the world drum scene, gets his drums from Irie Tones in Salt Lake City. If you hear him play, you'll want one too. Irie Tones has a wide variety of high-quality imported djembes and other african instruments. They also sell books, CDs, and African art at www.irietones.com

Drumskull Drums, www.drumskulldrums.com , is dedicated to studying and producing the finest in traditional West African instruments. They sell everything from djembes and dounoun to Krin, Jeli, Ngoma, and Bamana flutes. Never heard of some of those instruments?, see them at the Drumskull website.

Rhythm

To many, drumming is not just a hobby, but a journey. DrumJourney has drum related articles on everything from building your own homemade drums to community drumming to world percussion at www.drumjourney.com. Their archives of photos of world percussion instruments is the most complete you'll find anywhere.

Drum Circles

For listings of drum circles all over the world or for general information on drum circles and the positive effects of drumming, visit www.drumcircles.net

Another listing of drum circles by state can be found at www.jimdonovanmusic.com