[Thanks to Joaoclima for the photo, rollover for credits.]

I was frustrated with my pandeiro practice a few months ago, because I felt like I had enough practice to keep up with and play along with some slower sambas / pagoda tunes - but my playing didn't sound right, it didn't "fit" the music.

My pandeiro teacher had always stressed the active use of the left hand - in particular to bring the pandeiro to meet the right hand when playing. To be clear - this is true, and is not the problem.

I don't know about you, but when people mention Western European folk music, I am unfortunately quick to judge and assume it's not going to be of my liking.  But then I'd never heard Lo Còr de la Plana (links to MySpace....), a group of guys out of Marseilles who sing in the traditional southern French language of "Oc" (from whence "Occitane").

Back in 1997, I wasn't drumming much. I had a set of almost-new congas sitting in my room, and I didn't feel right playing them inside the apartment. I wasn't in a band, I wasn't playing with anyone. The last lesson I had was over a year prior, from a teacher who spent more of the lesson hour showing me cool stuff what I could (eventually) do if I learned the basics of what he was teaching.