I thought you'd be interested in seeing this video. Modou Diouf is leading us in a tune called Tyzen. We are all playing different parts. I'm playing the chol which is one of the bass accompaniments though I know the other parts too as it's one of my favourite tunes!

After Drum Camp I spent two lovely days with a friend in Essex then went to Whistable to stay with my preggers daughter and her hubbie.

We had such a wonderful time and there are lots of photos over at Facebook

We visited an absolutely amazing place called The Grotto at Margate - the actual town seemed like the backend of nowhere - ghastly place but the Grotto was extraordinary - rumoured to be 2,000 years old - certainly no Christian influences or images

GROTTO PHOTOS CLICK

We spent the rest of the time enjoying ourselves with their friends and going to the beach and the local Whitstable Regatta

MORE PHOTOS CLICK

EVEN MORE PHOTOS CLICK HA HA HA!!

For those who can't be bothered to click the links here's just one for fun:

Hi there folks - Efx is up and running thanks to Chica sorting out some banned IP addresses. Personally I've been double posting here for months but at least it's working again.

Thanks Chica xxx

I'd suggest everyone one does a back up here. If anyone doesn't know how it's simple.

After you've posted your Efx entry (not in the edit/entry control panel box) highlight and "copy" the whole entry, come to your Vox and press CREATE. "Paste" the whole entry in and give it a title. Even photos and links will copy over - so you don't have to upload everything again! It really is easy and means you have a back up - or vice versa to Efx might work too but I usually post first at Efx and copy to here.

Here are a few photos from Drum Camp - it's a wonderful summer school with about 400 participants. There's a choice of different workshops mornings and afternoons up to 4 in total. I did djembe and sabar and in the evening great entertainment.

It was my fourth time so I know  a lot of the people.

After Drum Camp I spent two days with an old friend who lives in a lovely place in a studio. Here's a little clip of the nearby Osea Island and me in her place at the piano.

MVI_8060

Me at my friend's amazing place - it was built in the 60s and has glass all around and a separate photographic studio and darkrooms.

Chandrapiano

I'm now in Whitstable, Kent with my daughter and her husband and here's a link to photos of the amazing beach huts and my daughter etc.

Photos from Whitstable

Keep well all xx

Just a quick line to say I've left Drum Camp and am staying with a friend in the middle of nowhere. Moon Palace is parked in her garden which is lovely and peaceful.

I've taken some good photos and video clips which I'll put up in the next few days.

My magic mobile broadband dongle has been useless as there's been no mobile broadband signal on this side of the country so I'm doing this on my friend's computer!

See you soon!

Just a quick line to say I've left Drum Camp and am staying with a friend in the middle of nowhere. Moon Palace is parked in her garden which is lovely and peaceful.

I've taken some good photos and video clips which I'll put up in the next few days.

My magic mobile broadband dongle has been useless as there's been no mobile broadband signal on this side of the country so I'm doing this on my friend's computer!

See you soon!

Anyone of my Efx readers feel free to peruse "my neighbours" - there are lots of efxers here you might find you know quite a lot of each other!

Efx is down for the third day and no-one seems to be able to fix it until Keith or Martin check in *scratches head and wonders how long that could be?*

In other news I'm preparing Moon Palace for a longish summer trip. I'll be back and forth to Bristol for only odd days from now till early September. I'm looking forward to going although I'll miss people in Bristol too!

I'll be writing, practicing and playing music, going to a summer school and a festival or two including WOMAD and The Big Chill plus seeing friends and family on the East side of the UK.

I can get on line in the van so will continue to blog when I can. It goes without saying that I'll take the camera and cables so hopefully will be able to upload some photos though I haven't tried that yet with the mobile broadband!

Tonight I'm auditioning a potential bass player so I'm hoping that'll go well - it would really be great to add to me and Paddy who plays keyboards with me. If it works out we'll aim to do gigs in Bristol and around from September onwards and we're also hoping to put on a night on August 14th in between trips away either at the Cafe Delight or the Lansdown.

Back from a wonderful day in Birmingham listening to Prem Rawat (known as Maharaji) speaking on peace and inner fulfillment.

If I was able I'd try and convey what he said here - but I can't so I just give you this link.

Words of Peace

Efx2blogs is out of action today - fingers, toes and everything crossed that it comes back on line soon.

Thank goodness last night's gig was really good!

There weren't tons of people but those that were there were really appreciative and I thoroughly enjoyed playing to them.

I felt Paddy and I played well and it was good to play some new songs as well as some off the album - we did a half hour set which went down well - it made up for the last couple of gigs that were rather disheartening.

I enjoyed the other musicians playing as well.

Here's a link to some other photos:  More Photos

Sorry I've been such a slacker updating my blog but I've been very busy!

Last weekend I went to visit an old friend who lives in Bury. She's from Barnsley originally and unlike me is an avid football fan.

Anyway - on Friday we had a lovely quiet time just chatting and catching up then on Saturday we took the tram into Manchester and then the train to York - what a beautiful town that is!

We walked round the ancient streets which are forbidden to cars which makes it so much nicer to walk around than most places.

The old town is surrounded by a pretty intact old town wall:

The Minster is fantastic but was too full of tourists to go round this time but this is the outside (well what I could fit in - you can't stand back far enough to get it all in!)

After a decent lunch in a lovely old cafe we went to the Museum at the Castle where they've recreated streets and building through the ages:

You know you're getting old when you see things you remember from your childhood in a museum though!

Anyway - the rest of the pictures are HERE

On Sunday we lounged about and watched the Euro final which was a really good match and I enjoyed seeing Spain win.

The drive back on Monday was long but I'd enjoyed seeing my friend as I only see her about once a year.

Tuesday I had my usual drumming and open mic and tonight I had a practice as I have a gig tomorrow night here in Bristol. It should be a good one unlike the one I did last week in Weston!