LINEAGE & LANGUAGE: Conversations in Afro-Cuban Drumming is an exploration of Afro-Cuban Batá drumming as a linguistic and communicative system, presented by a foundational pioneer of the tradition and his long-time student, carrying the lineage forward.
In 1999, Afro-Cuban and Haitian percussionist John Amira released The Music of Santería, a pivotal work documenting decades of research and reconstruction that shaped the history of batá tradition. After 13 years of study under Amira, Marcus Kreiger now collaborates with him to curate deeper rhythmic vocabularies and rare patterns for an expanded second edition.
This clinic grants participants access to material seldom encountered outside of oral-based learning, offering an immersion in batá as a complex medium. While much instruction focuses on isolated rhythms or performance preparation, this session connects drum patterns to the vocal songs, prayers, and spiritual structures they reflect, illuminating both form and function in Afro-Cuban percussion.
Opening with a live batá performance, the clinic moves into a mix of demonstration and deep-dive breakdown – explaining the integral roles of the Iya, Itótele, and Okónkolo drums, dissecting the dialogue between them, and demystifying stretched tension and release – subtle rhythmic nuances between 4/4 and 6/8 that cannot be fully captured in notation. It concludes with all of these elements combined, letting participants hear and feel the music through newly initiated ears.
Presenting this clinic at PASIC gives percussionists the chance to engage with batá as an interactive transmission of knowledge, expanding their expressive vocabulary in Afro-Cuban drumming and gaining practical techniques to add nuance to their playing. Participants will deepen their understanding of the spiritual context and intangible qualities that make Afro-Cuban music a living, speaking art — insights that can transform how they perform, teach, and interact musically.