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The World Drum movement is a modern celebration of ancient cultural percussion traditions spanning the globe. When one considers standard drumming traditions, the basic drum set or solo drum usually comes to mind. The idea of the drum is almost as old as music, and the traditions that surround and support the drum have roots in every human society. The World Drum movement celebrates these drumming traditions through musical education. World drums often feature contemporary musicians playing traditional music of any given culture, and occasionally even mixed cultural drums and drumming techniques.

The World Drum music scene is only one aspect of the larger World Music movement, but an important one. The World Music movement itself prominently features World Drums as a part of its presentation. World Music and Drums festivals occur all over the world, with several very popular touring annually. The most common drums that are usually at play when referring to World Drums are the drums of Africa and East Asia.

The most often heard African drums in the World Drums environment are the Nigerian Yoruba bata drums and the bougarabou drums of West Africa. The bata drums originate from the Yoruba tribe, and are typically a three-tiered system of drums played with either the hand or with a stick. Each drum in the trio is a different size and of slightly different shape, making the instrument really three-in-one, and providing the musician with a number of creative musical options. These drums migrated over to the Americas, and are popular throughout Central and South America.

The bougarabou drum is a single hour-glass shaped drum made from wood and cow hide. Musicians will often wear dangling bracelets. The bracelets shake and clack while the musician plays the bougarabou, adding musical depth to the playing.

The most common sorts of drums heard in the World Drum movement from Asia are the Taiko drums of Japan. Similar drums can be found all over Asia, but the Taiko of Japan represents the most common known variation on large, bulbous drum. The drums are characterized by having a high amount of tension, are often played in groups, and are occasionally made large enough to house several full-grown men!

The current World Drum music scene has several popular artists that would be worth exploring if you find the sound appealing.

Mickey Hart, author of the Planet Drum music series is a great way to begin your experience in World Drums. He works solo, but don’t let that color your opinion of the depth and strength of his musical ability. His work is available on Amazon.com.

The Diga Rhythm band represents an extension of Mickey Hart’s drumming efforts, but has a wider showcase for many drumming artists, including masters borrowed from popular rock bands such as ‘The Grateful Dead’.

Mickey Hart will handle all of your World Drum interests if indeed it is the sound experience of Asia and Africa you wish to enjoy. If however, something else would do better on your ears, try instead the Scottish band Albannach. Albannach carries very strong traditional Scottish drumming musically related to distant Africa, but with a sound all its own. Bagpipes accompany, providing a highland flavor that is sure to transport the listener to far away lands.