I had once heard African drumming master Baba Olatunji say that the relationship to his djembe was a "trinity". The soul of the tree it was carved from, the spirit of the animal whose skin made the head, and Baba's heart in performing with it were a sacred triangle of sorts.
Read moreTen Questions with Bermuda Schwartz
Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz has been drumming now for fifty-one years, thirty-six of them with Weird Al Yankovic. Jon has a passion for vintage instruments and is quite a collector, with a lot of rare drums and cymbals in his collection. Those who know Jon also recognize his particular fondness for Ludwig drums. Among them are Vistalites, huge concert-tom kits, and wooden kits in multiple configurations. He’s also a Ludwig artist whose real-world input is highly-prized at the factory. I caught up with Jon currently on tour with Weird Al in the states.
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