The Wonders Of A New Instrument

I bought a new instrument -

I'd first used one of these on a Lifemusic workshop in Chichester and had unashamedly coveted it since that time. My latest round of investment in my business included a plan to buy one of these instruments - a metallophone from Ghana in West Africa. It was made by a craftsman called Christopher Doozie   and sold by Ghana Goods in Bristol.










(The box it came in proved a popular acquisition, too. Ahem.)

I went to see my client J yesterday and took the new metallophone with me. J is occasionally an excitable, boisterous fellow and can put instruments through their paces, so I bear that in mind when deciding what to take with me. I want him to have the physical freedom to really beat the drums etc if that is what he wants and needs. He can also be incredibly gentle - for example when playing a cymbal with some jazz brushes. Many of my African instruments are especially hardy - being made to be played in a hearty way rather than a delicate way.

The other thing with J is that he is often wary of new instruments. He likes me to put them somewhere in plain sight - but out of his way - for two or three sessions while he gets used to them.

Not so the metallophone.

Although J didn't play it himself, he indicated in his way that he wanted me to play it instead and we had a long improvisation back-and-forth between me on the metallophone and J on a pair of bongoes and a conga. He played a phrase, I played one back. He laughed and smiled. So did I for that matter, because it was ten minutes of real musical communication between the to of us - a conversation. J sometimes has a very short attention span which can preclude he possibility of making longer improvisations with him but, as I said, this one went on for a good ten minutes.

Now. What instruments shall I buy next?? *rubs hands gleefully*