...there's no place i rather be - than this journey of discovery

...june 9, 2006, sola and i, london uk
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wow. just wow. for those of you who don't know, sola is and has been the percussionist in jamiroquai for many a years now (that's jay slang). he is originally from nigeria, but raised in europe. i interviewed him for cover your lover - such a deep soul. he is a wonderful talent, but even more a very humble and kind man and on june 9th while on my vacation, i had the chance to take a lesson with him. his teaching style is loving, but serious. his craft isn't to be laughed at...you dig?
first let me point out, that drumming isn't my thing. but sometimes i see the guys drumming when i'm dancing and it always intrigues me. and i figured this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to drum with a member of my favorite band. all of a sudden, i heard the RENT song in my head, 'forget regret or life is yours to miss'. so i talked to claudia and we decided to do it..YIKES! i'm thinking sola will say that he doesn't have room because he has more serious percussion students, but he was more than happy to squeeze a lesson in for each of us.

so i decided to do it.

the day comes and it's hot as hell in london. i'm sweating like crazy and lost looking for the studio thinking 'oh great, i'm going to smell like sweat when i get there.' after help from some lovely people, i found it. i walked in and sola had his back to me just drumming away on his own. i didn't want to interrupt, so i just stood behind him and waited until he broke his vibe. and then i said hello and he greeted me like an old friend 'oh deesha', and gave me a big hug (this wasn't our first meeting). awww...but that sentimental moment lasted for like 2 - 3 minutes.

it was time to work.

he started with simple exercises (palm - tip) and basic education surrounding the congas, etc. he explained the origin of them and we started to do an exercise which is the foundation of playing. 1-2-1-2-1-2...over andover again with both hands. i was embarrased, i sucked really, but i think he could sense i was trying and he kept saying 'it's okay, let's do it again'. i was all good up until the very end of the exercise when we did these things called 'triplets'. i kind of lost it there.

then we did some rhythm type exercises and he would play them with me and i'd be fine and then he'd stop and i got lost, but i found my way.

up until this point it was just he and i and then my dear friend david came in..oh great - another person to be embarrased in front of! but david didn't laugh at me. just took pictures. i still say he should have gotten on the drums! claudia and her sister came in a bit later in time for her lesson, but i wasn't embarrased really, and i knew that her turn was next. i just stayed focused!

the hour went so, so fast - really. and it was hot as hell in there. sola told me to watch my form in the mirror and i could see my sweat. ick! at least he knew i was working hard. he would break into these percussion numbers defining the difference between African, Carribbean, Latin and European style of drumming. i could actually hear the difference. amazing...

we didn't talk about jamiroquai at all besides him recounting how he warms up on tour. i wasn't there for that. this was my time to be a student of sola's, and as a student you sit, learn, shut up and observe...all with a smile of course! we laughed a lot and he is a funny man underneath it all, who just likes sharing his gift and making those on the other end feel good about it. he spoke of the great percussionists that he looks up to - again, presenting himself as humane and not better than anyone else.

i couldn't thank him enough for taking the time to spend with me. it was this man who i had watched drum for years and years, but it wasn't like that really - i'm a huge fan, but i know when to be humble and when to go crazy. he was just sola to me. the talented and blessed sola.

by the time my hour was up, i was ready to be done. my arm was red and my hand! it was claudia's turn and she did lovely, she really did!

since returning home, i've done the exercises on the counter..just incase sola calls me up on stage to take his place (he joked about that) during a gig. i have to be ready! i honestly don't know what he thought of me drumming. i don't think i'd want to know! i honestly think he was a bit easier on claudia and i than he would be someone who does this for a living or has percussion as a passion.

it was wonderful and invigorating...an experience i will remember as long as my mind and spirit will allow me to. there was nothing else i had to concentrate on but finding that beat. this was my stillness in time. 'right on' sola...
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edit - i sent him an email thanking him and attached the pictures and he says this...

Hey thank you! Deesha!it was wonderful to see you again and I thoroughly enjoyed the "maiden voyage "into the world of percussion with you!Hope you're working on those "palm/tip" excercises!Enjoy Lovebox!PeaceSola