Didge Project was blessed to have access to an amazing lot of aboriginal made didgeridoos. Check them out in this video!
These didgeridoos are all currently for sale at https://didgeproject.com/product/aboriginal-made-eucalyptus-didgeridoos where you can also find dimensions, maker info and other notable details. Enjoy!
This is the first article in a 2-part series on The Didgeridoo Players You Should Know. Click here for Part II.
This list of didgeridoo players is by no means complete but it is an overview of those who have most influenced me and the Didge Project community. Every person on this list has done a great deal to spread the awareness of the didgeridoo and Didge Project would not be what it is without their contributions.
Custodian of the yirdaki (didgeridoo) amongst the Yolngu people of Northern Australia, Djalu Gurruwiwi is perhaps the best known elder of the didgeridoo world. Djalu and his family are greatly responsible for bridging aboriginal culture with the western world. As didgeridoo maker for the first internationally touring aboriginal band, Yothu-Yindi, interest in Djalu’s instruments grew. With the rise of internet communications, it became well known amongst didgeridoo players that a Djalu-made instrument is one of the finest instruments you can get.
Documentary on Djalu:
Check out Djalu’s official website
A one-man didgeridoo orchestra is perhaps the best way of describing the extraordinary music of Ondrej Smeykal. His highly original style of playing is the result of a life completely devoted to his instrument. For well over two decades and with ever increasing intensity, Ondrej has been developing and redefining his own unique approach to the didgeridoo. Each composition, or song, as he refers to it, is very different in style, ranging from break-beat and organic Didgeridoo techno, to trance, ambient and anything in between.
In the last years Ondrej has shared and taught his contemporary Didgeridoo style and philosophy at festivals all around the world. His tours have brought him regularly out of his homeland of Prague in the Czech Republic to Japan, Australia, Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine. Ondrej is known to experiment with materials to make didgeridoos with. He has been noted for his use of glass and metal instruments and has developed a series of crystal didgeridoos, which he created together with traditional Czech glass masters.
This is one of my favorite didge videos ever:
Australian born Ganga Giri followed a childhood dream of being one of the top didgeridoo players and now tours the world performing as the leader of his own band. Ganga creates a modern sound by mixing indigenous Australian music with funky rhythms and dance beats. Deeply inspired by the sacredness of Australia’s land and how that feeling can be expressed through the didgeridoo, he has become an ambassador for his country, offering a reflection of contemporary multicultural Australia to a world-wide audience.
Visit Ganga Giri’s Official Website
David Hudson’s life reflects his love and belief in Aboriginal culture and he is widely known as the Cultural Journeyman of Australia. David comes from the Ewamin (oo-rah-min)/Western Yalangi (people of the north east coast of Australia) and has made a career as a didgeridoo player and performing artist. David has traveled extensively throughout Australia and the World, including Europe, Asia, Oceania and the USA as both a solo artist and with world renowned dance troupe, “Tjapukai”, which he co-founded with Greek composer Yanni. He promotes awareness of Aboriginal culture and tradition wherever he travels. This video shows David Hudson in many of his public appearances over a long career in the arts:
Mark Atkins is an Australian Aboriginal musician known for his skill on the didgeridoo and is also a storyteller, songwriter, composer and painter. He descends from the Yamatji people of Western Australia. He has worked with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Hothouse Flowers, Philip Glass, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. In 2001 he collaborated with Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy Wandin and composer Philip Glass in the concert work Voices, performed at the Melbourne Town Hall and New York’s Lincoln Center. The composition was commissioned by the City of Melbourne to relaunch the Melbourne Town Hall Organ. This video exemplifies Mark’s storytelling, composition and didgeridoo talents:
Visit Mark Atkins’ Official Website
One of Australia’s most prolific touring artists, Xavier Rudd has built a worldwide following by combining the didgeridoo with his expert guitar and percussion work in a full band setting. Equally talented as a singer and songwriter, Xavier has a number of popular songs in Australia and Canada and he is actively building a catalog of recordings, music videos and festival appearances. Check out his one-man-band action in this spectacular performance (around the 3 minute mark):
A man of many talents, William Thoren is a didgeridoo performer and craftsman best known for inventing the Multi Drone didgeridoo and pioneering it’s playing technique. This new breed of didgeridoo makes it possible to play an expanded dynamic range and opens up a new world of possibility for didgeridoo players to collaborate with western instruments. William runs wetdidgeridoo.com which includes instructional videos and information about the Multi Drone technique and other advanced contemporary didgeridoo techniques. He tours extensively teaching workshops on didgeridoo and performing both as a solo artist and with the band Gorangutang. William is also a prolific photographer and traveled extensively to develop his “Didgeridoo World” photo gallery at http://www.williamthoren.com/.
This video explains the Multi Drone technique and shows the instrument in action
A self-proclaimed busker who has a prolific video catalog of performances around the world, Japan’s Shibaten has redefined what it means to be a traveling minstrel. Shibaten has been seen playing djembe, guitar, gongs, bells and many other world instruments simultaneously with the didgeridoo, during his live performances. His music ranges from deep meditative sound baths to high-energy get-the-crowd-dancing music. Watch and see what he’s like when he really gets going:
French artist Zalem is one of my favorite didgeridoo players because he is equally talented at playing fast complex rhythms, beat-boxing and playing other unique styles. Zalem began to play the didgeridoo in 2001 and first started with a wobble-based style of playing and progressively developed his own style with his rock and electro-rock influences. He has been a part of many successful collaborations including the band JMPZ (rock/electro/tribal), Wadhom (hang drum, violin and dance), Tribal Dance (acoustic trance from Israel), Vibration Visuelle (a duet with Bertox, magician/juggler), Zalyshar (duet with Yshar, tribal fusion dancer) and Milanga, an electro-ethnic band with sitar, heavy beats, singing and dance. In 2010 Zalem released his first solo didgeridoo album entirely acoustic. His constant research for didgeridoo possibilities led him to a new style which he calls “Didgstep”. This video exemplifies Zalem’s many talents:
Visit Zalem’s Official Website
Didgeridoo veteran Stephen Kent has lived all over the world and became a didgeridoo player when living in Australia and scoring music for Circus Oz. He has since relocated to San Francisco, CA and is very active as a recording artist and performer with over twenty two album credits to his name. Stephen is a member of international touring group Baraka Moon, a mix of Sufi chant, trance grooves, didge and drums.
Visit Stephen Kent’s Official Website
I hope to write more on the many talented didge players who are out there. Until then, here are some more great players worth checking out:
Dubravko Lapaine (Croatia)
Tyler Spencer (Oregon, USA)
Joseph Carringer (New Hampshire, USA)
Jeremy Cloake (New Zealand)
Jeremy Donovan (Australia)
William Barton (Australia)
Chad Butler (Oregon, USA)
Lewis Walker (Australia)
Gauthier (France)
Termite (Russia)
Mack Yidaki (Chile)
Si Mullumby (Wild Marmalade, Australia)
Ash Dargan (Australia)
Ian Hesford (Telesma, Maryland, USA)
Blake Noble (Australia)
Dan Flynn (USA)
Is someone missing from this list? Email us and let us know.
Photos by William Thoren
We will work with instruments, the voice and sounds from around the world to develop a relationship with sound as a practice for developing consciousness, meditation, deep relaxation, healing, and prayer. Throughout the course of this training, we will focus on various exercises to learn more about sound healing through intention setting, listening, giving, receiving, and developing our intuition in relationship to sound.
Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
Location: Golden Drum, 97 Green St. #G1, Brooklyn, NY 12428
Time/Date:
Friday, June 2, 7:30-9:30pm Opening & Sound Journey with Dream Seed
Saturday, June 3, 10-5pm Sound Healer Training workshop
Sunday, June 4, 10-5pm Sound Healer Training workshop
Online Participants: Broadcast Available via Zoom Meeting
Registration and more info here
Join Didge Project’s AJ Block and Jerry Walsh and the host of It’s All About Rhythm, Kevin Nathaniel, for an intensive journey into didgeridoo playing, rhythm, sound healing and music. The didgeridoo is a world music instrument that can be used in a number of contexts, including dance, meditation, sound healing, and more! In this training you will learn many ways to use the didgeridoo with a special focus on learning rhythms that can induce trance and can be played with other musicians. The Didgeridoo Rhythm Training is an in-person event with a live broadcast option for remote participants.
Sample didgeridoo rhythm training video from Didge Project’s AJ Block:
Sample rhythm training video from It’s All About Rhythm with Kevin Nathaniel (try clapping along):
Participants will learn how to:
Included in the Didgeridoo Rhythm Training (all events at Golden Drum):
This class is available in-person at Golden Drum in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, via live streaming video from anywhere around the world, and as a video course recording (excluding the Friday night sound bath) with indefinite replay.
Didgeridoos will be available for use and didgeridoos and other instruments will be available for sale.
Schedule:
Friday, April 21
Saturday, April 22
Suggested donation:
*Note: The Didgeridoo-Infused Sound Bath and the Rhythm Workshop with Kevin Nathaniel are also open to participants who do not attend the full Didgeridoo Rhythm Training. See goldendrum.org for the individual event listings.
Location: Golden Drum, 97 Green St., Brooklyn, NY 11222
Location: Golden Drum, 97 Green St. #G1, Brooklyn, NY 12428
Time/Date: Saturday, March 25, 10am-8pm. (Optional sound bath the night of Friday, March 24 is not included with registration).
Registration and more info: https://www.goldendrum.org/calendar-1/dreamseed-january102023-27gs9-778s9
The Heaven & Earth Flute is a double-ended bamboo drone flute. The drone comes out the upper half while the melody notes come out the lower half. This flute was invented by Omar La Rosa of La Rosa Flutes. For more details about the Heaven & Earth Flute and ordering info click here.
Tito La Rosa is a descendant of Quechua Indians of the Peruvian Andes. For many years, he has been recovering and preserving, studying and intuiting the ancestral music of Peru. He is also a Curandero de Sonido, a sound healer, who enters into an altered state to bring forth sound that elevates, allowing for healing and balance to occur. Ancient Andean wisdom teaches us that the earth was made while the creator sang, thus all beings are made of sound, rhythm and harmony. Through his concerts, flower ceremonies and music classes La Rosa helps reawaken our memories (memoria antigua) – weaving sounds into frequencies that open the heart and encourage the spirit to soar.
Special thanks to Golden Drum or making this video possible.
The charango is a wonder in that it can create an abundance of textures, and can be played by the most beginner of musicians up to virtuoso level performers. Evolving out of the fusion of European string instruments with the sounds of the Americas, the charango is one of the most iconic sounds of South America, and for good reason. Check out our video demo of the charango and pick one up in the Didge Project store.
In this new collection of pan drums, we review and compare some exciting innovations. Included in this video:
–Tacta Handpans C# Harmonic Minor 16 Mutant
–Meinl Sonic Energy Octave Steel Tongue Drums in D Kurd and D Amara (best deal on tongue drums)
Kevin Nathaniel is an incredible artist with many years of teaching experience. He specializes in bringing people together through music using voice, dance, and many instruments. Kevin’s informative and creative workshops always bring people together to help cultivate rhythm skills while having fun. We currently book these interactive concerts and would love to bring this offering to you and your community.
This video, recorded at Tribal Rhythms Gathering 2017, is a sample of Kevin Nathaniel’s It’s All About Rhythm – Interactive Concert Experience. For booking, contact: info@didgeproject.com
*Learn Rhythm Basics at home with the It’s All About Rhythm video course: https://www.didgeproject.com/rhythm/
It’s All About Rhythm is a method for learning to play rhythms and improve timing for musicians of all levels. Hosted by Afro-roots musician Kevin Nathaniel, the It’s All About Rhythm Introductory Course covers a wide array of rhythms from the most basic three and four counts up to complex claves and syncopated patterns in 8, 12 and 16 count cycles, and more.
This class is for you if you want to improve your sense of rhythm and timing, to play better with other musicians, and to take your music to a higher level.
As you go through the exercises in this course, you can clap, step your feet, sing and even dance to the various patterns. As these patterns become more and more complex, you will become more and more rhythmic yourself.
“The material in It’s All About Rhythm has to do with rhythms that you could easily apply to any instrument and also to your voice. Whatever instrument, whatever field of music you are involved in, this kind of study is a common denominator.” –Kevin Nathaniel
For booking, contact: info@didgeproject.com
Check out our most recent Sound Healing Journey with members of Shamanic Sound Ensemble Dream Seed; featuring the magical Monolina Monochord!
We are so excited to welcome The Monolina Monochord to the Didge Project store. This incredible drone harp is extremely resonant and creates an etherial space wherever it is played.
The Monolina Monochord is a beautiful instrument that helps cultivate intuition, harmony in singing, and a relaxing sound that is perfect for any sound healing meditation. The Monochord is a musical instrument consisting of a single string stretched over a calibrated sound box and having a movable bridge. This instrument combines energizing overtones with the deeper tones of an octave and fifth tuning.
The monochord is an ancient scientific and musical instrument, invented in Greece in c. 500 BC, used for the investigation and demonstration of musical phenomena.
The Monolina Monochord is perfect for sound healing, vocalization, and creating different energies and frequencies into a space. It can help promote relaxation and meditative states in the player and audience, making it a great addition to any healer’s toolkit. See how this instrument speaks to you and unlock your own intuitive gifts with this magnificent instrument. Enjoy the sound journey!
Get your Monolina Monochord today!
