Whether as front man of his band The Police, or since 1985 as solo artist, Sting has always enjoyed, and indeed been successful in, combining musical styles such as jazz, classical, folk and country– and in doing so, has created his own unique style.

The British artist, who, amongst other things, has also enjoyed success as an actor, is well-respected on the international music scene.

Everything he touches turns to gold, as did his collaboration with Schlagwerk endorser Rhani Krija in 2003.
What started as a studio project turned into both a friendship and a long-standing musical collaboration which is still in effect today.

Sting is currently on a major world tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra presenting his new album "Symphonicities".

Rhani Krija is also involved, as are numerous Schlagwerk instruments.
His current set-up is based on a Cajon Fineline comfort "Mocca", Cajinto and Bass Cajinto, as well as numerous cajon add-ons.
Also featured, as ever, are the Skin Udu and various frame drums.

Up-coming dates for the world tour can be found at:
http://www.sting.com

The highly acclaimed Confluence fuses Sawhney's music with Khan's unique blend of classical kathak and contemporary technique. Exploring how the independent stories of these two kindred spirits converged, Confluence offers the opportunity to re-visit their collaborative work together (Kaash, zero degrees and bahok) but it is more than simply a retrospective of their previous pieces. It is an exploration of the nature and fabric of creativity itself.

More information and tickets on: CONFLUENCE

"These are performers at the zenith of their powers, truly original creators of dance and sounds that mix all kinds of influences…The result is work so powerful and idiosyncratic that it sweeps you away"
DAILY TELEGRAPH

"It’s the small details rather than the big concepts that make it magic"
THE GUARDIAN

"Khan himself is a riveting soloist"
THE TIMES

Hand-made music is something which never goes out of style and this year’s event offers amateur musicians of all ages and levels of ability four full days of of intensive study with three of today’s leading exponents of this genre. Steve Baker, Dave Goodman and Martin Röttger have been performing professionally for decades and all have extensive teaching experience. The courses combine practical and theoretical instruction with ample opportunity for sessions in the evenings. The event will culminate in a full evening concert featuring all three instructors on Saturday, August 7th.

www.european-blues-masterclass.com

Martin Röttger & Sanna Hallmann - Cajon:
The original Beatbox!

Martin Röttger
During the past five years Martin Röttger has made a significant contribution to the rapidly growing popularity of the cajon on the European music scene, taking it into new places and moving outside the traditional area of flamenco. Originally a drummer, his cajon playing is characterized by grooving rhythms and infectious energy and has inspired numerous others to take up the instrument. In the late 1990s he founded the drum and cajon school “Drummatic” in Hamburg and has since taught at various other musical education institutes including the renowned Dante Augustin School in Switzerland. Today he is very active as a workshop instructor, presenting the first ever cajon courses at the Schorndorf Guitar Days and the Mediterranean Music School and has written several instructional books as well as working as a studio musician and performing live all over Europe. He cooperates closely with leading cajon manufacturer Schlagwerk and is also an endorsee for Sonor, Paiste and Beyerdynamic.

Sanne Hallmann
This year’s cajon course will include a special optional feature on the first day: Under the guidance of Susanna Hallmann, an experienced and highly motivating instructor who has given cajon building classes in numerous music schools, students will have the opportunity to build their own cajon in only one day, before learning the instrument with Martin Röttger. For those who already own a cajon, Martin will offer a parallel workshop on the history of the instrument, different types of cajon and the possibilities of augmenting it with other percussion instruments.

Thereafter, the course will reflect the fact that the cajon has come to be regarded as an instrument in its own right and is now an essential part of the arsenal of any drummer or percussionist. Nowadays it is often used instead of a regular drum set and is ideal for small line-ups and club concerts. The modern cajon offers the player the possibility of adapting drum kit grooves to a quieter and more compact medium which reflects the realities of performance today.

Course Outline

The basic strokes on the cajon: Tone, bass, slap, tap

Fundamental exercises

Commonly used techniques

Various rhythms for large percussion groups

Drum grooves and how to adapt them for the cajon

Working with playalongs

How to set up and tune the cajon

Microphoning the cajon

Course language: German, English if required

Musical requirements:
Students of all levels are welcome

playing surfaces covered with real goatskin with an inner wood membrane provide an unbelievably intense haptic perception. The tone can be best described as dry.

Each instrument is unique - in both sound and appearance!

Since its launch at the Frankfurt Music Fair, the Heck Stick has become one of the most successful percussion add-ons in the history of Schlagwerk Percusssion. Whether on its own, or combined with the Side Kick, word of the new Cajon "Hi-Hat" and its wide-ranging benefits has quickly spread. Thanks to its two height settings, the Cajon is now compatible with CP 403 (with a slightly lower seat height). What's more, the new height setting also allows a lower playing position with a Cajon of conventional seat height; allowing even more playing techniques to be used to great effect. Height adjustment is of course possible, regardless of whether the Heck Stick is positioned on the right or left-hand side.

Watch Demo-Video here.

Rhythm, visual effects, creativity, dancing, singing, activity and artists with incredible skills – that’s the language the new Mayumana show MOMENTUM is based on.
Performed for the first time in Madrid in winter 2008, the newest show from the renowned Mayumana House in Tel Aviv is now on world tour. So far, Mayumana has thrilled more than 5 million audience members with its shows. And Momentum is getting ready to increase this group of fans. Among other things, lots of inspiring rhythmic elements to delight the audience have been added to the show. In order to do so, a whole range of Schlagwerk Cajons and percussion instruments are put to use.

Because so much movement and variety place high demands on the instruments, along with the sound, special value has been placed on the sturdiness and stage potential of the instruments. All together, 14x Cajons 2inOne (CP 404) and 2x Booster Boxxes are used on stage by the artists.

The cooperation between the Mayumana House and Schlagwerk Percussion in the selection of the right instruments is a great example for the show’s work across
borders. Mayumana represents art with no boundaries, creative freedom and the
love of life.

Schlagwerk Percussion would like to say thank you for the fabulous collaboration.

links

• http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCajonManufactory

Percussion Discussion presents "The Magic of Drums" - duo with Hakim Ludin and Claudio Spieler. Wherever the two meet, they narrate legends of magical worlds and drum ceremonies. Hakim Ludin and Claudio Spieler are masters of virtuoso sounds and captivate with their energetic, trancelike performance.  Their years of experience on the international stage combined with a keen awareness of their audience's preferences guarantee a unique evening.
The magic of the drums soon draws the audience under their spell, carrying you off to the age old cultures of Asia, Africa and Latin America. By bringing together the traditional and the modern, the duo demonstrate the enchanting power of rhythm and percussion circles. Percussion Discussion moves playfully between jazz solos, percussive artistry and imaginative sound images. Through this, Hakim Ludin and Claudio Spieler reveal the multifaceted worlds of percussion: their drums sound in melodious improvisations and lend a new dimension to the term "percussion". Hakim Ludin and Claudio Spieler enchant their audience with their virtuoso musical performances: borderless – thrilling – fantastic. The pair bring fascinating tales to the stage with their incredible expertise and creativity. At the finale, the hall is filled with the happy faces of people who have experienced a concert full of power and energy together, who have had the chance to dance, clap and laugh together - simply magical!