| One Friday in November, I began a journey from | | | | while seeing the expressed pain and anguish was |
| New Jersey to downtown New York City to visit | | | | something else. In my past communication with |
| old work friends. It was my first visit since the | | | | commuters, yes, we would talk, but often to |
| tragic September 11th attack. Although I've | | | | simply kill time. Now it was evident we were part |
| traveled this same route--the commuter train to | | | | of the same "family".Once he found out I was a |
| the Hoboken station from 1996-2000--there were | | | | drummer, and I found out he was a keyboard |
| now, of course, changes in the environment when | | | | player, the tone took a tremendous upward shift. |
| I got to Hoboken.For one thing, it was the first | | | | It was amazing how that shift even allowed us to |
| time I had to ask a fellow commuter how I would | | | | get into specifics. We were now glowfully |
| get downtown from the Hoboken train station, as | | | | discussing drum techniques such as Steve Gadd's |
| in the past, I always took the path train to the | | | | work on "Aja", and Jeff Porcaro's hi-hat sound |
| WTC. I began to ask a commuter, and that's | | | | and groove from "Rosanna". I began to explain |
| when I noticed the next big change: A great | | | | some hand technique including the moeller stroke. |
| sense of relatedness and unity amongst | | | | We started to laugh at the similarity, joy and |
| commuters. Not that we were void of any sense | | | | appreciation we had! One can now sense that we |
| of that in the past, but now we were faced with | | | | had come to relate to one another on two |
| a massive perspective shift: As a whole, we've | | | | levels.No experience can ever erase our |
| experienced a never-expected nightmare to our | | | | September 11th tragedy. However, the friendly |
| previously-thought "invincible" New York City.The | | | | environment change I witnessed between NYC |
| first gentleman I spoke to was extremely helpful | | | | commuters now was actually heartening. And, in |
| and more than willing to offer his help on how I | | | | the case of the conversation I had with this |
| would now get downtown. His knowledge and love | | | | second gentleman, drums were a vehicle that |
| for the city was evident.Then another gentleman | | | | significantly uplifted the mood of our conversation |
| came up to me and began speaking. This second | | | | -- which, especially for this gentleman -- brought |
| conversation I had really reinforced my conviction | | | | him a temporary escape from his painful, visual |
| of the universality and positivity of drumming. | | | | memories.We know how widespread the positive |
| Make no mistake: The conversation began in a | | | | effect of drums is. Is it any coincidence that |
| dark tone, as he depicted to me his firsthand | | | | drums are now being linked to health more and |
| witnessing of September 11th. This man is an | | | | more? Or why REMO has a department called |
| employee of a large corporation located a few | | | | Health Rhythms? Or why there are programs |
| blocks down from the WTC. Yes, I've heard | | | | such as Drums not Guns and Drumming for |
| some details on the news and through casual talk | | | | Success? Or why Dom Famularo and Zoro have |
| previously. But to hear it from someone firsthand, | | | | such an inspirational effect? |