Irvington, New York. Anne and I went to a frame drum workshop led by Marla Leigh, a well known performer and teacher from California.

There were a dozen of us crammed into the living room of one of the students, all frame drum skill levels although many with serious music backgrounds and some with dumbek experience.

Neither Anne nor I have any formal music background but I’ve played all sorts of hand drums for many years and lately have settled in on frame drums. Anne started playing with me this past summer and this was her first drumming class outside of our house (she did wonderfully).

Here Marla is holding a 20" Cooperman tar which can be played on one’s knee or more traditionally as the fellow to her right is (it has a thumb hole in the shell).

Marla has great energy, taught us a lot, and of course, showed us what it looks like to play drums like these with ease, enjoyment, and musicality.

Now, if I can get my fingers moving again it’s on to practicing!