Lenny Seidman (Tabla and Percussion)

Attended: Don Cherry World Music Intensive around 1976,

Career Highlights:

a) Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra co director 1996 - present.
b) Spoken Hand collaboration with Zakir Hussain and Rennie Harris PureMovement entitled "Flammable Contents" 2002.
c) Spoken Hand collaboration with Philip Hamilton's "Voices" entitled "Skins & Songs" - 2012.
d) International tour with Rennie Harris' "Facing Mekka"  2003 - 07.
e) Tour to Poland with Philip Hamilton's "Voices" 2012.
f)  Atzilut (Arabic/Jewish ensemble)... United Nations and Germany
g) APPEX residency @ UCLA, 6 week collaboration with 35 performing artists from throughout Asian diaspora - 1999.
h) Composer for Nadine Patterson's feature film, "Tango Macbeth" - 2012.
i)  Lenny Seidman Tabla Choir - 1996 - present.

My Creative Music Studio Experience gave me the inspiration and affirmation to put it all on the line and become a composer and performing musician. CMS turned out to be a pioneer, creating the template for all subsequent projects of this kind.

Among the many fond memories, the following amuses me the most: Don Cherry led us all in the final full group performance. I recall that as the music unfolded, my eyes were closed, focusing on the images that the music created for me. When I finally opened them, I gazed up to the top row of audience where I saw the robe-clad monks from the nearby monastery devouring a strawberry shortcake that was baked by the CMS kitchen. All I could do was smile. I'll never forget it.