Daka-deemi, daka-deemi, daka-deemi, dak.
Sandip Burman spit out these solfege-like syllables as his hands and fingers became a blur, pounding out the same rhythm he sang on the tablas, traditional Indian hand drums with a goatskin head.
Burman, a Calcutta, India, native who is anything but a traditional in his approach to the tablas, met with sixth through 12th grade percussionists and members of the Mohonasen stage band in the Mohonasen High School band room on Thursday, March 27.
Turning to his sister, Sumi Burman, with whom he has performed for more than 25 years, the drummer mouthed a few words in his native language and the pair commenced with a rousing improvisation.
Sumi played the harmonium, a small reed organ and sang rhythmic solfege-syllables while her brother, as though possessed, smiled brightly at her, and began gyrating his head and torso for a distinguished performance that allowed the young listeners to immediately understand why Burman has been a constant sideman to some of the most noteworthy names in both Indian and American jazz and fusion music.
Burman has performed with classical Indian musicians like bansuri virtuoso Hariprasad Cahurasia and legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar. In America, Burman has shared the stage with Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, and a number of sidemen from 70s fusion powerhouses like Weather Report and The Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Most recently, Burman toured with Randy Brecker, of Brecker Brothers fame, as part of his `East Meets Jazz` project.
Burman said traditional Indian music appeals to jazz musicians because of the heavy emphasis on improvisation and rhythm.
`Duke Ellington, (guitarist) John McLaughlin, Miles Davis and many others came to Indian music because it was a new, intricate way to improve improvisational skills,` Burman told the students of Mohonasen.
Practice, he said, is key, and the skills won’t develop overnight.
`Think about a cup of water,` he said. `If you put one spoon of sugar in, it will be sweet, but two spoons of sugar will be sweeter. It’s the same with practice. If you practice for one hour, okay, but if you practice for 10 hours It’s very easy to be mediocre, but if you want to be good`that takes hard work.`
Burman also taught the 50 or so students about the expansive and sometimes hypnotic rhythms of Indian music. He demonstrated 16 beat, 10 beat and seven beat patterns that are a far cry from the two, three and four-beat meters that are common place in Western music.
`Clap along with me,` said Burman. `We are like a band and we must multi-task. It’s not about you, it’s about the whole team. If one person rushes, we’re all rushing.`
Keith Bushey, Mohonasen’s band director and facilitator for the performing arts, coordinated the event, which was funded by the band fund. He said he hoped some of the members of the school’s jazz band in attendance picked up useful tips about improvisation. He also called the event a `unique opportunity` for his percussionists.
`This is a new cultural experience for a lot of the kids,` said Bushey. `It’s a different genre with expanded meters and different inflections.`
Mark Riggi, a seventh grade percussionist who likes to play the drum set, watched intently as Burman produced beat after beat from his instrument.
`It was neat,` said Riggi who plans on continuing his study of music in high school. `I want to expand my horizons and look into different cultures.`
After Burman and his sister rushed off for a gig in Scranton, Pa., several students congregated around the band room’s hand drums and a set of bright red congas.
Trying to imitate Burman, they started drumming away, mirroring their beats with percussive vocals.
`I’m jealous,` said senior Alex Resilia of Burman’s virtuosity. `I wish I could play like him.` “