Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 33 He's been chasing that feeling ever since. While working at the Feathered Pipe Ranch, an educational center in Helena, in the late 1980s, Marsolek was "inspired" by rhythmic music created during evening circles. Also working at the ranch was Marsolek's friend, Michael Harrison, who first introduced him to the polyrhythms of West African music. He was immediately "addicted." "It's comprised of layers of music on top of one another that are beautifully interlaced," explained Marsolek of West African rhythms. "It's a metaphor for all the diversity we find in community." Marsolek followed his newfound passion for rhythm and drum- ming by later forming a drum-building company and musical ensem- ble—The Drum Brothers—along with his two brothers and father. Over the past two decades, Marsolek has continued growing his passion through teaching classes and workshops throughout Mon- tana and the United States. He has led circles at churches, schools, senior centers, detention centers, and even on plots of land with nothing but hay bales to sit on. For Michael McDaniel, a Butte resident who teaches a drum-guid- ed meditation class, drumming has long been part of his heritage. McDaniel grew up in North Carolina and recalled watching his grandfather play the drums in a church ensemble. Following in his footsteps, McDaniel took up drumming as a child and went on to play in a number of bands over the years before starting to teach. Through his own research on Ancestry.com, he also discovered dis- tant relatives who were part of African djembe drumming cultures. "I feel like I really connected," said McDaniel of learning his ances- tors drummed. "It helps me in what I do." By simple definition, drum circles are informal groups of people playing percussion instruments. Traditionally used drums include frame drums, djembes, dununs, and ashiko drums. But a drum circle is more than just a circle of instruments. It is a shared experience of the participants. It is a means through which healing, stress reduc- tion, self-realization, self-expression, and a sense of connectedness can take place. Today, facilitated drum circles are used by a variety of groups and organizations for things like team-building exercises, diversity appreciation, stress reduction, music therapy, socializing events for conferences, cooperative learning settings in classrooms, and much more. Each circle, however, is as unique as its participants. While the circles that Marsolek and McDaniels lead are distinct, they both draw on the core element of connection. Two to three times a year, Marsolek holds bereavement camps for kids and teens who are suffering the effects of losing someone. Good Grief Camp in Kalispell and Camp Francis near Great Falls are two of these camps. The camps address the needs of grieving children by decreasing their sense of isolation and normalizing their experience and feelings. of Montana of Montana of Montana "WEST AFRICAN RHYTHMS ARE COMPRISED OF LAYERS OF MUSIC ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER THAT ARE BEAUTIFULLY INTERLACED. IT'S A METAPHOR FOR ALL THE DIVERSITY WE FIND IN COMMUNITY."

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