This can’t be about all of them, though.
A couple of days ago, I was walking the rim of the parks and came across a rhythm whose sounds were peculiarly rich and well-defined, and it wasn’t long before I found out why. There were two drummers. The first was exactly what I expected – an inner-city teen with a kit made up entirely of discarded containers and appliances. The other was a young woman in dreadlocks straddling a djembe that was lying on its side. As they played, I realized that this pairing was not planned. I’m guessing she was an Emerson student who grabbed her drum and came out to see what could be made of a fortunate accident. Their play was complementary and competitive, and judging from the smiles on their faces, they were thrilled.
So were we. Anyone who walked by walked away just a little happier.
