Photo above: Lanny Kraus, right, keeps up with his bongo drums. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
By Bob Sofaly
Lanny Kraus and Jane Caffrey got together one day in May and decided to play percussion instruments and invite some of their friends to join them.
Kraus said about 17 of their friends with no musical training in percussion showed up at Caffrey’s home with no idea what they were going to do. But they banged on drums, bells, anything they could clang together, and had a great evening.
A couple of months later and their group, the Beaufort Drum Circle, boasts 23 members and gets together at the education building at the Universalist Church on Lady’s Island for bi-monthly sessions with an assortment of drums and other percussion instruments and just drum without any direction or training.
“It’s easy. We sit in a circle, some starts a rhythm and we just have a good time,” said Kraus. “We all play drums on the steering wheel of our cars. We just take it one step more. All you need is a heart beat.”
Patricia Jordan said their goal is to play in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
“We’s really like to play there, hopefully maybe in September when it cools off,” she said. “People will be finished with their vacation commitments by then. We enjoy doing this and think other people would like to join it as well.”
All are welcome to this family friendly, free event. No is experience necessary.
Participants should bring some water and any non-electronic drum or other percussion instrument. Even an empty spackle bucket will do.
The events will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays on Aug. 7 and Aug. 21 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort, 178 Sams Point Road, Lady’s Island.
Visit the “Beaufort SC Drum Circle” Facebook page, email beaufortscdrumcircle@gmail.com or call 843-441-0169.
