Written by: Sania Ahmed Khan
Posted on: August 03, 2018 | 
Mohsin Kazi
The Second Floor (T2F) organizes at least one community drum circle at the Faraar Gallery every month. Hand-drums and percussion instruments are provided by the organizers and besides a 50 rupee donation from the participants, no talent is required. It is thus no wonder that the Faraar gallery was packed with people of all ages on Friday, July 27th for an evening of a drum circle with Mohsin Kazi.
Community drum circles are informal gatherings of people who meet for the purpose of playing drums together. Instrumentation comprises of Bahia Bass Drums, Djembe's, Tubanos, Tambourines, Bells, Claves and an assortment of Shakers. It was observed, however, that practically anything that can be banged on to make noise, can be used as a percussion instrument. Latecomers who could not secure a drum were seen banging a metal spoon on a glass to contribute to the rhythm. The essence of a drum circle lies in people coming together in order to share their spirit by entraining rhythmically as a percussion ensemble. It is the use of a rhythm based event as a tool for unity.
Youthful but poised, Mohsin Kazi told the audience that he was brought up with strict schooling and superior academic expectations. He was told to express himself blatantly, and voice his fears and concerns without hesitation. There was incessant emphasis on speaking, but none on listening. If everyone was contributing to the noise, how can we expect anyone to pay heed to the very fears and concerns we need to communicate? Kazi’s inspiration stems from foreign cultures of non-professional hand drumming, where participants first catch the rhythm of the circle and then contribute to the music. Drum circle allows for collective creative expression without making just noise.
Friday’s drum circle brought together people with all levels of musical expertise and Mohsin Kazi as a facilitator, who monitored the quality and effect of the activity. He demonstrated a self-made rhythm called ‘Anda Paratha’ (Egg and Flat Bread), which was an easy pattern to imitate. Participants tapped twice on the edge of their djembe and once, sharply in the middle. Kazi directed the music through verbal and non-verbal cuing. He repeated the pattern on his instrument, and the participants followed. The pattern was perfected through repetition, and those falling out of sync were quickly able to regain their momentum. Euphoria’s ‘Dhoom Pichak Dhoom’ was tried next, which involved a number of different hand movements. The added complexity only heightened the adrenaline rush, and participants put in every bit of effort to get it right.
It was heartwarming to see people tap their feet, sway their shoulders, bob their head, jiggle a tambourine, and bang on a glass as they immersed themselves in collaborative drumming. I found myself mimicking the movements of strangers, all the while feeling welcomed into the circle. An interactive rhythm event puts us all on an equal footing with each other and brings us closer together. Here’s hoping drum circles are held in more public spaces and frequently in Karachi, so that all those exhausted by the city’s frenzy are able to experience the therapeutic effect of the exercise.
All pictures have been provided by the writer
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