Alan Tauber, Director

Boston Drums
Alan Tauber

Alan Tauber is a gifted percussionist, musician, facilitator and educator who has spent over 40 years sharing his passion for drumming and healing with the worldwide community. In 1990 he established DrumConnection, New England's largest hand drumming school located near Boston in Arlington, Massachusetts.

 

His drumming career got its start when he asked for drum lessons at the age of 4 years. Since then, Alan has been the drummer for a long list of New England bands, orchestras, etc. He has performed at venues across the US, Canada and the World for over 55 years!

 

Alan has taught West African, American, Haitian, and Cuban percussion to hundreds of thousands of students. Over the years Alan has specialized in the West African music of the Djembe and Doundoun (dunu) drums, studying and performing with Master Drummers such as Mamady Keita, Ibrahima Camara, M'Bemba Bangoura, Babatunde Olatunji, Nansady Keita, Billy Konaté, Solo Keita, Mamady WADABA Kourouma, Bolokada Condé, Koungbanan Conde and countless others.

 

Alan's quest for preserving tradition and imparting the cultural context of the music to his students lead him to Guinea, West Africa, where he met Master Drummer Famoudou Konaté, his personal teacher and master. Alan and Famoudou work together in a bond that has made a big difference in their lives and the lives of many others. Without Famoudou, "I would not understand the djembe at all! - only a handful of players really know djembe and they are not the people that come up in conversation."

 

Alan now travels regularly to Guinea for inspiration and knowledge from the source. He is the first to bring Master Drummer Famoudou Konaté to Boston to teach traditional Malinké rhythms to our growing community.

 

Alan includes song, dance, movement, cultural relevance and traditional spirituality of rhythms where appropriate. 'The drum and the dance are never separated. The song and the reason one sings need to be understood and honored, always.'

 

In Africa, the birthplace of rhythm, Alan finds himself in a rare and beautiful situation. His social awareness and his insight into the music, culture and current conditions of Guinea and close personal relationships with the citizens of Guinea, make him a valuable resource to the New England area. Alan’s associations include, New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music and Harvard University as well as The Percussive Arts Society.

 

Alan founded DrumConnection in 1990. DrumConnection is internationally known as a deep source of traditional knowledge of the hand-drumming of West Africa.

 

Alan resides with his lovely wife Fanta Keita Tauber, in Arlington MA and has residence in Simbaya, Guinea, West Africa.

 

Specialties: Travel to Africa (Guinea) planning and implementation, in-school drumming program ages 6 mos and up, public and private school administration of percussion programs, healing with drumming (24 years experience) treatments with elder population, special needs children, kids at risk, depression, anxiety and more profound emotional and psychiatric conditions. Please ask for your specific needs.

 

For Alan's Complete Bio and References, GO HERE.

 

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