I wanted to let folks know how happy and moved I was at the end

of our performance on Saturday, May 13, at Pumps & Grinds. I was amazed

to find that the tips we accumulated from that small but vibrant venue

reached $100.

As I announced that evening, I will be sending your donations to the

Seattle World Percussion Society office. For those of you reading this

letter who did not attend our performance of African based rhythm, we dug

into our pockets for the following reason.

For the past eight years the Seattle World Percussion Society, with a

lot of support from John’s Music in Wallingford, has organized a free

percussion festival, smaller but like Folk Life in spirit. There are workshops

on a variety of rhythmic traditions from Japan to Ireland to Cuba as well

as performances by percussionists from all over the U.S.

This year the festival had all its Saturday proceeds from donations

and T-shirt sales stolen. The cash was taken and the checks were tossed in a

mailbox and returned to the festival office. Despite the return of the checks,

the majority of their fund-raising efforts, $4,000, was lost, money that is

put toward funding the festival next year.

We had a good turn out at Pumps & Grinds, folks from North Bend

to Duvall were there and I am pleased to send such spirited support for

world percussion from the Snoqualmie Valley to Seattle. We’ve got a great

community out here and I am proud to be a part if it.

Thank you Robert, Jacob, Elliot, Cat, Sarah, John, Kimberly,

Rowan, Bill, Sue, Bones, Zac, Eaglesong, Sally and all the other good folks

I’ve forgotten or didn’t have the opportunity to meet.

Lee Grumman and the Occasional Drums

Carnation