Mark Palmer
In this series we are exploring the origins of freeform group drumming in the United States—a leaderless, egalitarian, repertoire-free form of communal music-making that emerged from the counterculture of the 60s, a practice that later became known as “drum circle”.
Even from the title, it may seem like an improbable format for music. So we’ll try to answer four questions.
- Why American?
- Why Freeform ?
- Why drums?
- Why a circle?
Themes:
- American — The form evolved uniquely in the United States at a moment in history when Americans rose up against authoritarian forces and asserted their rights to free speech, creative expression, protest, and equal treatment before the law. The practice of beatnik/hippy drumming in parks functioned partly as a way of asserting the right to use public space for creative expression, despite government attempts to control what was ‘appropriate’ under the guise of protecting property, etc. The leaderless, all-equal structure has been described as a “mini democracy”, where influence runs between peers, never top-down.
- Freeform arose from Beat Aesthetics — improvising on hand drums was to the Beats what the scroll was to Kerouac: a method that makes spontaneity the point. There’s a strong confluence in 1967 as prominent Beatnik figures mixed wild improvised music with psychedelics at small events that expanded to mass ‘human Be-In” festivals.
- Drums appeared because many people had bongos, which were portable, ok outdoors, cool, required no musical skill…and because the organizers of the first Human Be-In festivals encouraged people to bring drums, flutes, and cymbals.
- Circles formed organically as friends clustered together around campfires or shared drums in casual outdoor gatherings at the Human Be-Ins, Grateful Dead concerts, and picnics.
For now, this is a work-in-progress collection of research material posts, trying to trace the history, which may evolve into a more cohesive format—or even a video documentary—at some point.
Constructive comments and reference materials are welcome. See these posts below.
P.S. If you just want to see naked hippies dancing and drumming, go to the Video of 1960s drum circles post.
Original Meaning of “Drum Circle”
1 - Bongos and Beatniks
2 - Why Freeform? the Beat Movement
3 American Folk Heroes: This Machine Kills Fascists
4 - The Beatnik Riot, Sunday April 9, 1961