www.drummingatlanta.com
RHYTHM SYNERGY
Colleen Caffrey
Colleen Caffrey is a native of NY and a graduate of Cornell University. A multi-instrument musician as a child, Colleen sang in school and church choirs, played in symphonic, jazz, and marching bands, and in the pit orchestra of musicals. But as a college student and young adult, she went for a number of years without regular involvement in music.
In 2003, shortly after moving to Atlanta, Colleen sought to get back into playing music with other people. She found a group drumming class taught by Chuck Cogliandro and was introduced to the djembe and West African music as old as the 13th century! And THAT is history.
Colleen has since studied djembe and dunun in Atlanta with Ballet Merveilles djembefola Aly Camara, and with two Tam Tam Mandingue Professors (TTM is the international school of West African drumming founded by Guinean Master Drummer, Mamady Keita) – TTM Washington, D.C. Director, Mahiri Keïta and Bill Scheidt, Director of TTM Winston-Salem.
Colleen is now a Certified Associate Instructor with Tam Tam Mandingue Winston Salem (TTM W-S) and is a close student of Mamady Keita. She studies with other Master and professional djembefolas at every opportunity and has taken workshops with:
| Djembe and Dunun
Famoudou Konate Bolokada Conde Fode Lavia Camara Mohamed DaCosta M’bemba Bangoura Madou Dembele Ismael Bangoura Fode Bangoura |
Balafon
Abou Sylla Lansana Camara Jeremy “Tiani”Tarr Dance Marietou Cisse Mohamed DaCosta Youssouf Koubassa Julie “Fatim”Minor-Tarr |
Colleen is a past member and musical director of the all-women’s drumming group, ConunDRUMS. She currently performs with the West African percussion ensemble, Ten Blocks Away.
Colleen is a trained HealthRhythms facilitator and has also studied with Kalani, whose music therapy and Orff-Schulwerk inspired program began as Drum Circle Music and has evolved into Developmental Community Music. She is a member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild and has been a guest facilitation-team member with Drum Magic and Get Rhythm!®
Currently, Colleen is enjoying learning to play surdo, berimbau, and jang-go while studying the TaKeTiNa rhythm process with Reinhard and Cornelia Flatischler!