Rhythm Festival

There will be more than a rat-a-tat-tat of the big bass drum on Saturday at the All Saints Centre when Jamie Morgan launches Lewes’ first ever Rhythm Festival. Jamie will be accompanied by a couple of musicians and over 150 different drums, including stick, hand and frame drums and other percussion instruments from all over the world. He plans to make what he calls “music in the moment” which translates as getting lots of people together to bang on a lot of drums. He hopes that “everyone will feel that they can come along and have a go and play in a relaxed atmosphere, free of any performance pressure”. There will be some teaching of the basic principals of percussion, “but nothing too complicated.” Children are welcome, under adult supervision, and everyone is encouraged to bring along a silly hat.

Jamie has been performing and teaching drums - through kids workshops, corporate team building events and within schools - for the last eight years. He trained as a drum circle facilitator with drumming guru Arthur Hull and has lived and studied in Australia and South America. He doesn’t get much chance to work within his local community and sees his first gig in Lewes as a step towards changing this. He hopes his Rhythm Festival will become a regular event. According to the Iford Village Gazette ““He makes more noise than a coal truck on a Thursday”. KA