Drumming Circles

By Harriet Barovick

TREND Americans getting together to bang the drum communally

HOW IT STARTED An ancient ritual, first brought to the U.S. in the '60s by African jazz musicians, lately seized on by spiritual seekers

JUDGMENT CALL For women, it can be empowering; for everyone, not a bad way to access your inner beast

Yoga is fine, but if you want spiritual uplift with a little more noise, try beating on some bongos. African and Asian cultures have been practicing community percussion for thousands of years. Now Americans are fast joining "drum circles," informally or through organized centers, to reduce stress, connect with others or just jam. A recent study in the journal Alternative Therapies even found an increase in disease-fighting cells among participants in drum circles.

Rhythm circles have been especially popular with women, who say the once male-dominated musical form offers a powerful means of expression. But the groups, which have doubled in the past five years, are also attracting executives, health professionals and schoolchildren. The most popular drums are the Afro-Cuban conga and the West African djembe--a loud, responsive instrument with the brightest high tones and the deepest, most sensual lows. "Drumming is primal," says Kulu Spiegel, who conducts circles for at-risk youth and corporate honchos out of his World Beat Rhythm Circles in Durango, Colo. "It brings people together in a trusting way they often have never known before."

--By Harriet Barovick