Djembe Drums & Skins
In This Issue
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Shorty’s Tips |
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Coming Workshops |
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Drum Dictionary |
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What’s New with Shorty |
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A Word from Sandy |
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Testimonials |
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Jokes |
Volunteers unloading container
Shorty’s Tip
When soaking skins add a tablespoon of liquid dish detergent or hand soap to the water. It helps soften the skins.
Testimonials
"SMOOOCH!!!!i am THRILLed with what you did reheading my drum...it isawesome!!!!! beyond my wildest dreams. "J.
"Shorty rocks! Always a pleasure to deal with him and his pricing can't be beat. He has been exceedingly helpful on several occasions where I was stumped in the process. I look forward to dealing with him for many years to come. Keep on keepin' on Shorty. "B
Shorty is my dude for skins and I totally dig his dvd - great for newbies and oldies…T
I absolutely love my drum. Every one that hears, or plays it is amazed at the sound that it produces. It has such a wide range of highs and lows. I.A.
Drummer Jokes
What do you call a beautiful woman on a drummer’s arm? A tattoo
Two cowboys were waiting in their bunkers for the Indians to attack. They listened to the distant pounding war drums. One cowboy muttered to the other, “I don’t like the sound of those drums.” Just then an Indian voice came over the hill, “It’s not our usual drummer!”
How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb? Twenty. One to hold the bulb and nineteen to drink until the room spins.
Set of Djuns
“There once was a drummer from Guam ,
Whose wife was a dancer from Nam
It was always a treat,
When they both did a beat
Together they made a great song!”
African Shipment Arrived in November! 
A new container of drums and other goodies from the Ivory Coast arrived on Monday, November 12th and was delivered to our new establishment in Seymour, TN. We are always very excited about new shipments. It takes a lot of work to get the containers here and then ready the merchandise for sale to you! Several volunteers from near and far came to help with the unloading operation. Thanks to everyone who toted drums up my steep driveway. Thanks to Liza who took these great photos.
The Djembes and Djuns are in good condition. Some of the shells are larger than usual with a 14 1/2” diameter.
We have also received a new shipment of cowhides from Guinea. Gankogui sets (bells with beaters) congas, small djembes, mud cloth drumhead covers and kente drum bags have arrived from Ghana.
Our Djembe and Djuns are made from iroko wood, sometimes referred to as the teak of Africa. It is a good quality of wood which is rather dense. The carvings around the bases of the drums Varity and is very attractive.
This is a great time to order drums, skins and other items as the selection is great. We have hundreds to choose from so email your orders to: djembe@goatskins.com or order by phone: 1-800-549-3966.
Shorty personally guarantees all products and services
What’s New With Shorty?The big move to Tennessee is complete! My wife, Sandy, and I now reside in our new home in Seymour. We are located between the Great Smoky Mountains and Knoxville. Our plans were to move here in July but life happens and our move was delayed by a few months. Sandy moved first to get the household set up, and I moved later so that the transition for DD&S would be smooth and your service uninterrupted. Believe it or not my phones were only off for one day while I drove the 26 foot truck up I-75. I plan to build a shop beside my house. At the moment I am still working out of my garage and two large storage sheds located on the property. Hopefully the new shop will be built within the next few months.
Since moving DD&S has had some changes in personnel. Sandy is the fulltime person working in the office. She has always been the vice president of the corporation, now she is actually doing the job. Sandy (an incredibly organized person) answers the phone, takes and packs orders, and in general keeps me and the business sort of straight. She is also the editor and producer of this newsletter. Bernadette decided to return to New Orleans with her family. I miss her friendship and hard work. Life goes on though and I wish her a world of good thoughts on her decision to go back to LA. Savannah, my grand niece by marriage, has been my office person since Bernadette left. She is a high school senior and first year college student. She must stay in Florida with her mom, Sandy’s niece. I will miss her sweet smile and amazing computer skills. Babaloo, Bob Heath, will continue to be a valuable part of the Djembe Drums and Skins team. He will help with the repairing of drums for me (and you) from his home in Venice, FL. His email is: drummerbumbum@yahoo.com
Drum Dictionary“Djun Djun”
Three drums make up this group from West Africa. They are double headed and usually the heads are cowhide. Just like Djembes they are rope tuned and have steel rings. Each size drum has a name and a role.
Kenkeni – Smallest of the trio, this drum has the higher pitch and holds the rhythm. It is sometimes thought of as the time keeper.
Sangban – This medium sized drum defines the rhythm. Its behavior is more complex than the kenkeni.
Doundounba – Largest of the three, this drum carries the bass. Providing foundation, it adds depth to the music.
Djun djuns may go as far back as the 9th century. They were used during the Mali Empire by the Mandinka peoples. Today they are found in many places in West Africa…Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Guinea. Different countries have different styles of playing the djuns. Often they are accompanied by bells. They can be played on a stand or on their sides on the ground. One to three drummers can play.
We carry Ivory coast Djuns that are made of iroko wood.
May 2008 Bring You Peace, Joy & Happy Drumming
New Contact Information
Shorty Palmer
786 Graves Delozier Road
Seymour, Tennessee 37865
Toll Free: 800-549-3966
Office: 865-908-4227
Fax: 865-908-2566
email: djembe@goatskins.com
WebSite http://www.goatskins.com/
Workshop & Vending Schedule
Hawk Fest: Summerlands Bonita Springs, FL. Pay at the Door. Feb. 14th - 17th
Ubaka Hill - The Art and Spirit of Drumming Unitarian Universalist Church Fort Myers, FL March 28 - 30th 2008 call or email Krista 239-464-1333, krista@yahoo.com
Paralounge: Live Oak, FL May 2—5, 2008Bark Bash: Cape May, NJ Some weekend early in June 2008
Sale
Goatskin Seconds
With hair and hairless
Small, 17” - 20”
and full size
Flawed but usable
$8.00
A Word from Sandy
We have returned to the area of the country where Shorty first discovered hand drumming. He built his first drum, an “Appalachian Slat” drum, in 1982 in our cabin in Cosby, TN. We lived near a drumming community. It was so soothing to go to sleep at night listening to the beat of the drums. Our new home is in a peaceful rural neighborhood located only about 30 minutes from downtown Knoxville. The Center for Peace, a community dedicated to world peace through dance, drumming and mediation is a mile down the road from us. So we are still near drumming. The Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Dollywood, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are all just minutes from our home. We look forward to lots of drumming and a more convenient central location for Djembe Drums and Skins. I look forward to helping you with your drumming needs.
New shipment of Djuns