Drumix! is cool. Drumix! is spectacular. Drumix! is a melting pot of virtuosity and spectacular drums. Drumix! is two drummers: Drummerszone.com endorser Lucas van Merwijk and Aly N\'Diaye Rose. One of them plays Western oriented drums, the other focusses on the African part. With that combined you have a more then complete drummix that just blows you off your seat.
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In the late afternoon of October 28, 2005 Aly and Lucas both did a clinic for those who were interested in Kunstencentrum het Klooster in Woerden (The Netherlands) before the actual double concert show would start in the theatre located in the old monastery of Woerden.
A double programme with two completely different types of concerts. Lucas started with his Van Merwijk Corsen Vierdag Trio. A heavy Latin-Piano trio with on piano Edison winner Randal Corsen and on bass Jeroen Vierdag, bass player of Blue Note recording artist Trijntje Oosterhuis, Dutch pop/country singer Ilse DeLange and Jazz vocalist Francien van Tuinen, amongst others. Jeroen is pretty much an all-rounder, so to speak!
The combination of the two concerts was as diverse as it was satisfying: if you bought your ticket for the Drumix! show, the trio concert was just a gift to enjoy. Being there only for the trio was surely a misinterpretation on your part on Drumix! Afterwards each and every visitor went home with a musical experience that they would not quickly forget.
After the break between the two shows Drumix! once again made it clear that playing drums is nothing less than making music: it is melodic, spectacular and a visual experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Drumix! combines Western and African drums in the most creative ways. Not only because of their stake holding arrangements but Lucas and Aly play many different instruments that people just never have heard of. With that being said the crowd took some useful new instrument knowledge home as well.
Besides his drums Lucas also plays the Udu (see the image on the right), Water drums, Timbales, Conga\'s and the Cajon. From Nigeria to Baarn, Holland you could say, because Lucas\' Udu\'s are home made. The Udu is originally from Nigeria, but Lucas\' Udu\'s are being home made by his wife Roos.
Ali, who played with Miles Davis and the Rolling Stones amongst others, is the seventh son of Doudou N\'Diaye Rose, the 75 years old Sabar master from Senegal who is still touring the world with his Dakar Troupe. For many years now Ali has been active in The Netherlands and abroad. In Holland he is a member of Drums United and Slagwerkgroep Den Haag. Besides the Sabar he also plays the Djembé\'s, Bougarabou and, just like Lucas, the Water drums in Drumix!.
To build your own Water drums you don\'t need a swimming suit. You just need some calabashes that you cut in half and fill them with water. In the streaming videos added to this article you\'ll find out how to play these wet drums. Ali and Lucas show how intense these instruments can sound. Whether it is improvisation or written material that they play, you have to find out for yourself. The best thing to do is to visit a show of Drumix! when you have the chance and experience it yourself.
For more impressions of the show click on the attached images and videos. More images and videos are available on the Drummerszone page of Drumix! and the artist pages of Lucas and Ali.