Russell Buddy Helm

Drumming is a graceful use of force that can save our lives.

excerpt: “History of the Groove” Russell Buddy Helm ©2014 All rights reserved

One perception of force is what Hollywood sells us; massive retaliation. That military concept came into its own modern definition during the Civil War when General Sherman and his Army of the North burned and pillaged, and raped all the way from the Potomac to Atlanta, then coastward to Savanna. When the women of Savanna heard what had become of anyone who stood in the way of General Sherman, they sent their men into the swamp and told them, “We’ll handle this.”

“Whatever General Sherman is drinking, give it to the rest of my generals.” Abraham Lincoln said as he read the telegram from General Sherman on Christmas Eve 1864; “My Christmas present to  you Mr. President; Savanna intact.”

Drumming can be like General Sherman or it can be like Bruce Lee. Honey gets the bees, guys. Grooves for women to dance to are different than going at it, mano a mano. Women smell much better when they are sweating and dancing than guys who are banging. The grooves for dancing are not muscle oriented, they are flow based; quick and light instead of ponderous. Just enough force to get the head vibrating, no more is needed. The drum is a voice and it has many tones and sounds harsh if hit too hard. Hitting quickly and getting away from the head creates a better tone than leaving  your hand down too long. This quickness is a martial arts technique as well; pulling away from the hit lessens stress on the hand or foot and delivers more power into the point of impact. Controlled force is music.

Drumming can be a way for people who are lacking confidence about their own power to learn how to use force gracefully. We must learn how to use force. It is often trial and error, with fewer injuries if you have good teachers.

We played in a New Age store in downtown Savanna called Moon Dance, in a building that had been a slave auction house a hundred and fifty years earlier. Now people of all origins walked, talked, ate, shopped, and drummed together in an atmosphere of cooperation and culture. We had come a long way. This was before 911. People were not scared. A catholic minster approached me, “I would love to have that drumming in our church.” he said with longing in his voice. “But, not yet.”

excerpt: “History of the Groove” Russell Buddy Helm ©2014 All rights reserved

excerpt: “History of the Groove.” Russell Buddy Helm ©2014 all rights reserved

2012. Would you marry us? They asked me after experiencing a dolphin full moon drumming cruise on St. Pete Beach in Florida. The Gulf is calm and the dolphins follow us out of the Boca Ciega Bay into the open Gulf waters at sunset. They cruise around the boat, swirling, dancing, clicking and whistling. When the full moon has risen, they sometimes give us a show on the way back to the dock by leaping up into the dark sky between us and the moon. They know that we are entranced by their maneuver so they do it again. Picture perfect; glistening moon drops exploding around them as they go airborn exactly in the middle of the bright lunar pathway on the water leading to our boat. Twice. How do they know? They know what we need. Inspiration. The sweet young couple were very sincere, so I had to get ordained. I did it on line, got it right the second time, and only lost twenty bucks on a shiester look alike page, then got to Universal Life church; a legal organization that has been ordaining people for decades. I know as well as anyone that getting a piece of paper, and a legal status does not make one an authentic anything, but I felt different. I kind of had to take a part of me more seriously than I had in the past. I had to respect that part of my life. So I’ve done quite a few more marriages, met more friends, and it has always been an important event. After the ceremony we cruised out into the mellow gulf waters, the bride still had her white gown on, sitting by the railing listening to the hiss of the water moving by the hull of the vintage fifty two foot Morgan yacht. We all heard the dolphins sing to her. Three dolphins stayed close to her, starboard, aft, to my right, so even I could hear them with my good ear as I gently drummed with her new husband, a big band jazz drummer and one of my more technically and psychicly advanced students. The three dolphins stayed close to the hull, two feet from the bride, and sang in a moving harmony. It was not human harmonies, but it was so very pleasing to feel and hear. It permeated our souls. I had never heard it before. None of us had, even Captain Dan. It was transcendant and we all could do was smile and listen. There was a lot of love on the boat and the dolphins felt it and gifted us with this present. Her husband and I continued to drum looking out at the stars overhead, listening to the breeze carry our tunes with the dolphins out across the glistening gulf waters. It doesn’t really fit into any description using words, but the drum can help create that experience.

excerpt: “History of the Groove.” Russell Buddy Helm ©2014 all rights reserved

I keep coming back to the drum for the feelings of having: Rhythmic knowingness.

This is a wider, greater consciousness than what we usually have to work with on a daily level but some people, like avatars, live and work at a level of knowingness that borders on mystical, even miraculous. I have experienced this through working with drumming as a meditation. But, is it a test or a gift? Both.

“I see the Goddess in your eyes.” Spoken at the height of rhythmic consciousness can come back to haunt. The tantric energies can be unlocked and allowed to operate in the human sphere of the energy at a high leel of knowingness without the intellect understanding. Rhythm, drumming,  maintains my equilibrium. Balance is rhythmic. Yoga releases memories that create tension. Drumming washes away. Desperate demons assuaged.

“Look at the opportunities in front of you. Not the ones behind.”

Drumming goes forward, creating a model of reality that is everchanging and fluid with Grace. Not being distracted by demons or mere distractions. Striving to be something that I am not. What I want to be. Creating and broadcasting  consciousness, and… making a prophet and profit.

“Great things happen to me.” becomes “I accept great things happening to me.” Allowing, and not restricting. Flowing instead of clogging.

So finally we are on youtube, every week, tuesday, friday at 7, sunday at 3 Pacific.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ottac7hAJjE

http://missawesomeness.com/affirmation/

Watch live video from buddyhelm on www.justin.tv

Watch live video from buddyhelm on www.justin.tv

excerpt: “History of the groove” Russel Buddy Helm ©2014 all rights reserved

2001.

She was standing next to me in line at a pot luck lunch in a beautiful lakeside state park in the wooded hills of southern Indiana amongst a bevy of sweet well fed midwesterners who were celebrating something I wasn’t quite sure of. “Has anyone told you that you look exactly like Buddy Helm?” she said sincerely as we scooped potato salad onto our dixie plates.
“No. Never.” I said.
“You really do.” she insisted.
“I am Buddy Helm.” I eased her mind.
She squinted up at me, “What are you doing here?”
I did a drumming workshop at a farm up the road a few miles and they brought me here. I’m gonna play a little.”
“You want to come down to the Gulf coast and drum at our retreat center outside of Gulfport, Mississippi?”
I set up a whole string of gigs Eastward from the Crescent City. I was having a great time planning strategy and booking dates. But still didn’t have anything in New Orleans. I thought it was odd. When I arrived in Asheville, North Carolina, Katrina hit and I realized that I was very lucky not to have been there. The Goddess of the Crossroads might have been looking over what I was doing and putting in a protective hand. Someone seemed to.

excerpt: “History of the groove” Russel Buddy Helm ©2014 all rights reserved