A seminar that will take its audience on a journey through the sounds and rhythms of the percussion instruments used in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions. World-recognized percussionist George Lernis will go over the origins, styles and techniques of those instruments by demonstrating and performing: riq (Arabic tambourine), darbuka (goblet shape drum), daire (frame drum with zills) and bendir (frame drum). George is a Cooperman endorser and will be presenting this workshop on Cooperman made drums. Participants are encouraged to bring their own drums, or use one of the drums provided by Cooperman for the duration of the workshop.

This workshop will be followed by a Jazz performance in the evening at the Next Stage theater. George Lernis’s quintet will perform the music from his latest album “Between Two Worlds”. The name of his album was inspired by the 15th century Turkish mystic Hacı Bayram Veli’s poem “Between Two Worlds” and depicts George’s journey as an immigrant originally from Nicosia, Cyprus who eventually moved to the U.S. The music showcases George’s bi-musicality, blending Jazz and Middle Eastern music in a tasteful and respectful manner to both of these rich musical traditions. Lernis’s quintet features a stellar group of musicians including the wonderful Turkish vocalist, Heiraza AKA Burcu Gülec, Swedish born bassist Bruno Råberg, American trumpeter Emiel De Jaegher, and Turkish piano, oud, and ney player Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol.