News
- Corporate Bands Emerge as Executives Turn to Music for Team-Building, Stress Relief and Fun...more
- SABCnews.com - sport/olympics...more
- Drum Cafe Kicks off the Beijing Olympics 8 August 2008...more
HighLights
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- Drum Cafe Dazzles as part of the Beijing Opening Ceremonies...more
- Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday party to celebrity audience....more
Testimonials
- The Sales Rally was a tremendous success! Feedback was fantastic. I personally received numerous comments that this is what a Sales Rally should be ... Fun, Enthusiastic, and Motivating!...more
- TD Banknorth - Your performance really moved so many of our managers. I’ve been getting accolades on your and the Drum Cafe’s behalf all day!...more
- I am taking a moment to write and express our heartfelt thanks. As you know, the concept of ‘Drum Café’ was a bit of a ‘tough sell’ to my executive team and it took over a year to get them to agree....more
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Chris O'Neil
Chris began his percussion studies at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, where he held the position of Principal Percussion in the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra for two years. While in Sudbury, Chris began accompanying modern dance for "Earthdancers", which led him to compose music for percussion in collaboration with dancers from Toronto Dance Theatre. Chris moved to Vancouver in order to complete his Bachelor of Music in Performance Percussion at the University of British Columbia where he studied under Salvador Ferreras. In Vancouver, Chris played with Okanagan Symphony, the Burnaby Symphony and the Vancouver Island Symphony. In Vancouver, Chris has become an integral part of Vancouver’s African drum community where he has performed with Fana Soro’s "Masabo Culture Company" and plays the djembe solo in Fana’s African dance classes. Chris was invited to play djembe at the World Rhythm Festival in Seattle with Pepe Danza and the Rhythm Fools. Chris also plays percussion for Pepe Danza’s, Latin Jazz Band, El Sur. Chris now heads up the Drum Cafe in Toronto. chris@drumcafe.ca
Michael McLarty
Born in Kingston Jamaica , Michael was exposed to and learned to play traditional African/Caribbean rhythms at the age of 6. Coming from a family of drummers, one of which is still alive and playing, Tony Uter, a member of the Jazz Jamaica All Stars.
Michael's musical experience and talent have led him to a successful career and known as one of the most melodic percussionist in the industry. From Afro, Brazilian, Peruvian, Caribbean and Traditional West African Rhythms, Michael has applied them to his 27 year's as a professional musician.
Presently Michael can be found teaching hand drumming at http://www.jembe.net/
ONE BEAT HAND DRUMMING , As an Instructor Michael brings a lifetime of skills as a professional musician to his students with a variety of hand drumming styles. Michael is highly communicative, personable and patient; able to help anybody understand the intricacies of the drum and can lead a group and bring it together so that everyone becomes one with the rhythm. People who take his workshops will learn how beats and rhythms fit together to sound sweet, crisp and clear.
"As member of The Drum Café team I look forward to sharing my knowledge of the drum with the participants and team members".
Michelle Bird
Michelle's interest in percussion began when she started learning Afro-Brasilian rhythms with the Toronto-based group Maracatu Nunca Antes. Through this group she studies the rhythms of the alfaia, a drum particular to this style of music found in northeastern Brasil, as well as the accompanying instruments known as the shekere, caixa (snare drum), minero and gongue (bell). Michelle has travelled to Brasil twice to experience and learn from the music of northeastern Brasil in action during carnival. It is from this foundation that she began studying west African drumming, particularly Malenke rhythms, attending workshops and classes of various masters and continuously learning. Michelle has a Honours Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in Geography, with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (digital mapping).
Samantha Mount
Samantha plays the djuns and dances for the DrumCafe Toronto team. She was born and raised in the twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago. She completed her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance in 2006 at Ryerson University. Since graduation she has performed withBallet Creole, Ijo Vudu Dance Company, The Dance Migration, as well as numerous fringe, charity and corporate events. Samantha now lives in Toronto where she is active as a freelance performer, choreographer and teacher.
After a long and varied career has brought Thom to the point where Drum Café plays a significant part in his daily routine. Beginning formal instruction at age nine, Thom soon became involved in pipes and drums from 10-15 yrs. of age, playing kit and percussion in a dozen or so musicals and variety shows beginning at age 13, continuing through high school, and several bands ranging in styles from folk to country to rock. Thom's experience as an instructor is vast. On his 14th birthday, while being treated to a new pair of sticks by his neighborhood buddy, Thom was hired on the spot as the new drum teacher. The previous instructor had called to resign while the boys were waiting to pay for their purchase. After studying at Ont. College of Percussion for about a year, Thom was hired as an instructor there at age 17. By the time he was 18, he was on the road full time with the show band Spring Fever. Over the years, playing, recording and teaching have kept Thom busy. Hand drumming was a more recent addition to Thom's range of experience. After about 10 yrs. of congas and bongos, the jembe piqued his interest and thanks to a student's interest in becoming involved with Drum Café, Thom found a fitting outlet to explore this amazing instrument. Having Michael McLarty and Chris O ‘ Neil to guide him in this exploration has proven to be an exiting new phase in Thom's career as a drummer. Signing on to the Drum Café Toronto Team in Aug. 2004, he soon after introduced drumming buddy Jamie Andrews to the Team and both musicians enjoy frequently traveling together and playing for the hundreds of groups and thousands of individuals that Drum Café serves consistently. The Team is ever evolving and Thom is having a blast growing with it. He has been performing with Coming of Age since 1997 and still maintains a modest roster of private students. Thom and his wife Shelley are the parents of 2 girls and one boy who are in their late teens and early twenties, and are involved in building their earthship home.
Tim Francom
Tim is a freelance percussionist working in and around Toronto. He received a M.Mus degree from the University of Toronto in 2005, and has also taken private studies in tabla and Afro-Cuban percussion. Tim is currently Section Percussionist with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, and can also be heard freelancing with a wide variety of musical ensembles from symphony orchestras to new music ensembles to musical theatre. Tim teaches percussion privately, and at the Regent Park School of Music in Toronto.
