Photos by Todd Luck
Bill Scheidt with the legendary Mamady Keita.
Drumming legend
endorses local school
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
A renowned African drum
ming school has come to
Winston-Salem, joining 13
other sites around the globe
that were founded by legend
Mamady Keita.
Living Rhythms, which
for years has taught and per
formed West African drum
music in and around Winston
Salem, is now known as Tam
Tam Mandingue (TTM) North
Carolina, joining a network of
schools known for preserv ing
and passing on the art form.
Keita was in town last
week to help open the school,
which, like all of the schools,
teach his instrument of choice
- the djembe.
Bill Scheidt, founder and
director of Living Rhythms,
passed a rigorous test of musi
cal knowledge to qualify for
TTM recognition. Though
classes will continue as nor
mal, Scheidt said the TTM
distinction is a great honor.
"It gives us really a way to
... give credit to where the
music came from," said
Scheidt of the new name.
The former Living
Rhythms conducts weekly
evening classes for those who
want to leam the djembe, a
hollow wooden drum with
animal skin covering the top.
It also conducts workshops at
places like schools and busi
nesses. Students and instruc
tors from the school often per
form at downtown art events.
Scheidt and Keita share a
close bond. Keita held a meet
ing of directors from his U.S.
schools at Scheldt's home dur
ing his visit to Winston
Salem. Keita refers to Scheidt
as "family," often calling him
his "son" because of their
close bond.
"It's not all of my students
that enter into my 'family,'"
said Keita. "(Scheidt) not only
wants to learn the music of the
djembe, he wants to learn the
spirit of the djembe, the heart
of the djembe- the mindset,
the awareness behind the
djembe."
Scheidt said he first heard
African drums years ago
while walking to a concert
with friends. He followed the
sound through the parking lot
to find people playing the
djembe. He listened to them
for hours. He would spend
years after that learning
African drums and mastering
the djembe.
"From the very first time I
heard the sound of the drum,
there was something inside of
me that pulled me to the
drum," said SCheidt.
Some may think playing
the djembe is simple, but
Scheidt says, think again. He
says it's music that has devel
oped for at least the last 800
years, making it just as
sophisticated as jazz or classi
cal.
Scheidt studied under
Keita. whose name is well
known in the African drum
ming community. What Elvis
was to rock 'n' roll or what
Mozart was to classical. Keita
is to dnims, said Scheidt.
Keita is from a small vil
Drummers take part in a jam session.
lage in Guinea and was drawn
to drums at an early age. Byc
age 14, he was touring the
world, playing the djembe
with the National Ballet
"Djoliba." In 1988, he started
teaching drums in Brussels,
Belgium. In 1991, he opened
up the first TTM school, also
in Brussels.
During his career, he's
released 10 albums, had five
documentary films about his
life made and performed
European concerts that have
drawn 15,000 people. Even
with all that, Keita says that
knowing the rich history
behind the djembe is one of
his proudest accomplish
ments.
He lights up when he talks
about the djembe, which he
says creates a* music not
bound by gender, race or
nationality. He says he's glad
so many from around the
world are interested in the
instrument, and he hopes that
it's not just a passing fad.
"The world has discovered
that the djembe is an instru
ment of joy," said Keita. "And
the world has come to under
stand that, through the djem
be, you can really express
yourself, and the world has
come to understand the djem
be unites people together,"
In celebration of TTM
North Carolina, certified TTM
instructors and professional
level students from across the
nation performed for a stand
ing room only crowd at
Golden Flower T'ai Chi
Center on Trade Street during
last Friday's gallery hop. The
next night, a ceremony honor
ing the name change was also
held at the T'ai Chi Center,
where TTM North Carolina
holds its classes.
Exposed wiring isn't only
a danger in houses...
which is why the city has drafted a minimum code for
commercial structures.
COME LEARN MORE about the draft Minimum Nonresi
dential Ordinance at a public information session.
o
6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11
Room 530, Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building
100 E. First St. Winston-Salem
A question and answer period will
follow a presentation on the draft code,
The draft code is posted online at
www.cityofws.org/hsn
0
u
WinslnnSalem
News
Clips
Holiday Angel House
project to launch
Habitat for Humanity of
Forsyth County, along with
The Red Cross, Experiment
in Self Reliance and the local
school system, have joined
together to form the Holiday
Angel House project.
Other worthy agencies
have "Angel Trees" provid
ing for food, clothing and
toys, all very much needed
and wanted during the holi
days.
"We wanted a way for
those families most in need to
receive household items they
may not have due to unfore
seen circumstances, disabili
ty or house fire," said Hilda
Moore, director of Family
Services at Habitat.
Partnering with those
agencies that work directly
with these struggling families
allows Habitat Forsyth's
Family Services Department
and its ReStore to identify
those most in need. The
Holiday Angel House will
allow concerned citizens to
express gratitude for their
blessings in these tough times
by donating a gift certificate,
in the shape of a roofing shin
gle, to a family in need.
On November 15, the
Holiday Angel House will be
revealed with the names of
the families (not their real
names) and what they need.
Each shingle purchase (from
$5 to $100) will be matched
dollar per dollar by the
ReStore.
Shingles can be pur
chased from Nov. 15 - Dec.
15. The ReStore is located at
341 Witt Street, down the
street from Arby's at
Stratford and Knoll wood. For
more information, go to
www.habitatforsyth.org.
Recent Glenn grad
completes airman training
Air Force Airman 1st
Class
Cathy M.
Davidson
has grad
u a t c d
from
basic mil
i t a r y
training
a t
Lackland
Air Force
1
Davidson
Base, San Antonio, Texas.
During the six weeks of
training, the airman studied
the Air Force mission, organ
ization, and military customs
and courtesies; performed
drill and ceremony marches,
and received physical train
ing, rifle marksmanship, field
training exercises, and spe
cial training in human rela
tions.
In addition, airmen who
complete basic training earn
credits toward an associate in
applied science degree
through the Community
College of the Air Force.
She is the daughter of
David Brokaw of
Kernersville. Davidson is a
2008 graduate of Glenn High
School.
Black Chamber to meet
The Winston Salem Black
Chamber of Commerce will
meet Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6
p.m. at the Hewitt Business
Center, 1001 S. Marshall St.
Dr. JaNae Joyner, project
manager of the Consortium
for Southeastern
Hypertension Control's
Hypertension on Wheels, will
be on hand to follow up with
chamber members who
received screenings recently.
At 7:15 p.m., Dr. Notis
Pagiavlas, associate professor
of marketing and director of
the Center for
Entrepreneurship School of
Business Administration at
Winston Salem State
University, will discuss
resources available to entre
preneurs and small business
owners at the university. The
SIFE (Students In Free
Enterprise > from Winston
Salem State University will
also be present to meet busi
ness owners.
For additional informa
tion contact Randon Pender,
336-575-2006 or log onto
www.wsbcc.org.
November is American
Indian Heritage Month in
N.C.
Gov. Mike Easley has
proclaimed November as
American Indian Heritage
Month in North Carolina and
encourages citizens to recog
nize and celebrate the
achievements and contribu
tions of the state's original
inhabitants.
Additionally, President
George Bush recently signed
into law legislation to desig
nate the Friday after
Thanksgiving as Native
American Heritage Day. The
observance is meant as a day
to pay tribute to their many
contributions to the United
States through appropriate
ceremonies and activities.
North Carolina's annual
celebration of American
Indian culture and history
will be held during the
American Indian Heritage
Celebration, a free event to
be held at the N.C. Museum
of History and on the
Bicentennial Plaza from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday,
Nov. 22. The event, a collab
oration between the N.C.
Commission of Indian
Affairs and the Museum, fea
tures dancing, storytelling,
craft displays, hands-on
activities, music and food.
North Carolina's
American Indian population
totals almost 100,000, giving
the state the largest American
Indian population east of the
Mississippi and the eighth
largest in the nation. Eight
tribes - Coharie, Eastern
Band of Cherokee Indians,
Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee,
Meherrin, Occaneechi Band
of the Saponi Nation,
Sappony and Waccamaw
Siouan - are indigenous to
North Carolina and actively
participate in local, state and
national affairs.
Forsyth Tech Educational Bonds
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for your vote of confidence
By voting "YES" for the Educational Facilities
Bonds on Nov. 4, Forsyth County residents have
insured that Forsyth Tech will be able to add
the classroom, shop and laboratory space we will
need in coming years to meet the demands of c
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our students. The success of the referendum
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indicates th^Value the people of Forsyth County
place upon their community college, and
ue sincerely thank you for all your support. ^
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