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 by Brian Melick
The beautiful Udu Drum originates from Nigeria. Surprisingly, it began not as a percussion instrument, but as a common clay pot made for carrying water. When a potter from the ancient Ibo Tribe inadvertently made an opening in the side of one of his vase-shaped water vessels, he discovered the pot's earthy, musical sound. Because some believed its haunting tone to be the "voice of the ancestors," the simple side-hole drum -- sculpted from earth, water, fire and air -- came to be an important part of religious ceremonies in southern and central Nigeria. Though the drum had different names depending on the region in which it was used, "Udu" was the Ibo name, meaning both "pottery" and "peace" in the tribal language.
Today's Udu® Drum has become accessible to percussionists through the efforts of one man - artist, industrial designer, and master ceramist, Frank Giorgini. Some twenty years ago, Giorgini began painstakingly handcrafting the clay drums by traditional pottery techniques and engineering them to acoustic perfection. He created a versatile musical instrument that appealed to percussionists worldwide. They are so beautifully designed that a prominent museum in New York City added them to their permanent collection. As the demand for his handmade drums grew, Giorgini needed to devise a system to produce them in greater quantities. Now Latin Percussion, in partnership with Frank Giorgini, continues the process of producing Udu drums that have "the voice of the ancestors."
The The LP Udu® Drums are instruments of the finest quality. They are capable of creating beautiful sounds in the hands of both trained musicians and novice players. Their low, unique vibrations are as pure and spiritual as a heartbeat, and their high pitches can be compared to the Indian Tabla Drums. Their tones are similar to the African Talking Drums, and they have sound qualities that no skin-covered drum can obtain.
Since 1986, Brian Melick, Percussionist has been playing Udu Drums. Brian has adapted many hand playing styles and has also developed new techniques specifically for the Udu Drums. The following are lessons taken from his book, The How To of Udu, A Presentation on Performance. To obtain a copy of the book, cassette, and/or video please contact Interworld Music Inc. at 800-698-6705 or Brian Melick, RD1 Box 127, Ravena, NY 12142, email uduboy@uduboy.com . To learn more about Brian, please visit his website at www.uduboy.com.
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