Tag Archives: instrument

The Hobby Hoarder Takes a Lesson in BeatBoxing

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Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow

If there’s anything I love about New York City, it’s the spontaneity of life. You can be walking down 5th Avenue and have an urge to play chess, go stunt jumping, or walk the Brooklyn Bridge–and then be able to do ALL OF IT in one day. So it doesn’t surprise me that when I woke up last week and thought to myself, “All I want to do is beatbox this week,” that I was able to make it happen–with the help of Grey Matter BBox.

What a lot of people don’t know is that each time I meet someone new for these hobbies–activities–I get a little bit nervous. It’s hard to gauge through an email, a tweet, or an information box on a website how welcoming people are going to be to an entire lesson being shot on video–or how each person will be as a teacher. I’ve been very fortunate so far that most of the instructors or teachers for each hobby have been totally into the project and willing to be a part of it. But, this time, especially, Grey Matter was by far one of the most laid back, kindest, and most generous teachers I have had over these last six months. And he taught Justin Bieber how to beatbox–that’s pretty sweet…

And like I said–there’s nothing I enjoy more than the spontaneity of New York City. Check out Grey Matter as he performs across NYC with other talented New Yorkers:

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Grey Matter

@GreyMatterBBox

Facebook.com/GreyMatterBBoxNYC

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The Hobby Hoarder Feels the Rhythm & the Rhyme: Steel Pan Drumming

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“Why do you want to play the steel pan drums?” Freddie Harris II asks me.

I look at him, and I think to myself, “Why not?” Then I take a moment, and I say, “Because I want to culturally diversify myself–I want to take a stab at something new–and well because I was asked to leave the school band in the 4th grade, because I squeaked too loudly on the clarinet.”

::Laughs::

“Good enough for me,” he says.

Freddie Harris II is Freddy Harris III’s father. And he’s an awesome teacher. They both took me–a complete novice to the steel pan drum—and taught me how to play a scale, harmonize, and “march.” Together, we all had a great time.

 

Hmm… Maybe steel pan drumming is my future… or … maybe not–with bloopers like this one:

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Make sure you check out the true professional:

Freddy Harris IIIĀ 


(From Freddy Harris III’s Youtube site)

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