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Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra
The elemental multicultural rhythms of
Philadelphia – skin on skin
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Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra
Photo courtesy Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra
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Insider Tip
Want to jam with Spoken Hand? Every Monday evening at the University of the Arts, group members provide live music for Afro-Brazilian dance classes.
The Experience
A powerful blend of Afro-Cuban, West African, Brazilian and Indian drummers, Spoken Hand is a unique percussion ensemble. Spoken Hand allows each style of drumming to flourish within this large collective of musicians, while its innovative arrangements combine traditions both interconnected and disparate.
As world music continues to evolve from a collection of different traditions to a connection between them, Spoken Hand spearheads the conversion to a new tradition. If you attend a Spoken Hand show, you will, of course, be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the ensemble.
But that is only a minor aspect of Spoken Hand’s music. Be prepared to be intrigued by the dynamics, the intricate rhythms, the subtleties engendered by the adventures in time and, more than anything, the unspoken language of Spoken Hand. They’re based, on a loose basis anyway, at the Painted Bride Art Center, where they perform at least three times a year.
History
Founded in 1996 by Philadelphia percussionists Darryl Kwasi Burgee, master of the djembe, and tabla expert Lenny Seidman, Spoken Hand provides educational opportunities to Philadelphia and beyond, as well as performing opportunities to the established community of traditional hand-drummers in the area. Spoken Hand has collaborated with Zakir Hussain and Rennie Harris and has appeared at the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta.
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