BUZZ Magazine, July 2016

B U Z Z Magazine 

Porcupine 

Live In St. Pete

2 / BAYBUZZ.ORG / JULY 2016

BAYBUZZ.ORG / JULY 2016 / 3

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Hey Tampa Bay! 

Well Summer is here and the heat has kicked 

up! 4 th of July is soon and we’re all so excited to 

celebrate with our family and friends. So we’ve added 

a special feature on where the bands are playing for 

the 4 th of July weekend and tips on staying safe. 

Recapping the last month, Pam and I had a 

very special visit to the WMNF, 88.5 Radio Station, 

where we joined Pete Gallagher for The Florida Folk 

Show. I met the beautiful and talented, Jessica Rose, 

who also assists Pete during his show. 

( We included some photos of our visit with you!) 

Please remember to nominate your favorite 

local musician for Best of the Buzz. Voting will begin 

on August 1 st . 

We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday 

and summer vacation. 

Constance 

Tampa Bay Local Music News 

Publisher 

Constance Hilton 

Editors 

Jennifer Lane 

Bob Feckner 

Contributing Writers 

Phil Traynor 

Dave Summersill 

Photographers 

Jennifer Lane 

Sales 

Pamela Wills 

Event Coordinator 

Pamela Wills 

Marketing Consultant 

Chantalle Soganich 

FIND US ONLINE! 

VOTING BEGINS 

AUGUST 1st 

2016 

BEST OF THE BUZZ 

Website: baybuzz.org 

Facebook:facebook.com/baybuzzmusic 

Twitter: twitter.com/baybuzzmusic 

Nominate your favorite local band to be added 

to the voting list. Winner to be announced at the 

annual BUZZ FEST in the fall. 

baybuzz.org 

PORCUPINE 

Funky De 

Sean Hartley 

Brad Elliot 

Elliot Dickenson 

Photo taken at The 

Ringside Cafe 

In St. Petersburg by 

Pamela Wills 


CONTENTS 

July 2016 / BAYBUZZ.ORG 

Porcupine 

24 

Letter from The Publisher 

Summer Camps for kids 

American Song Box 

CD Review 

4 th of July Band Weekend 

A Visit To WMNF 

What I Love About Being 

A Musician 

Dear Mr. Soundman 

The Pesky Pelican 

A New St. Pete Venue 

Mr. Soundman 

18 

Porcupine: Live in St. Pete 

Stick Martin’s Calendar 

Craic CD Review 

Who Is Recording: 

“Lie Low” 

Drumming in Tampa Bay 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer. 

20 

The Pesky Pelican 


BEST BETS 

Programs For the Kids 

July 8 

Music Industry Recording Arts 

(MIRA) Program Tour 

10:00 AM - 10:45 AM 

St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus 

Humanities Building, HS 118 

6605 5 th Avenue North 

St. Petersburg 

July 18 - 22 

Rock & Roll Band Camp 

“Learn to play like a rock 

star in one week!” 

All Ages Welcomed. 

Seminole Music & Sound 

10720 Park Blvd. 

Suite F 

Seminole 

(727) 391-3892 



Summer Camps for students 

6-10 Years Old 

New Tampa Piano 

Half Day Camps 

8:30AM - 11:30AM 

Full Day Camps 

8:30AM - 4:30PM 

10701 Cross Creek Blvd. 

Tampa 

(813) 994-2452 

July 11-15 

Rock Studio 3.0 

Summer Camp 

Produce and Record Your 

Own CD! 

Open to vocalist and musicians 

ages 12 - 18 with at 

least one year of experience 

on their instrument. 

$199 for the week 

5736 Missouri Avenue 

New Port Richey 

727-856-0263 


Shark Week Summer Music 

Camp 

Tampa Music School 

9am - 12pm 

A shark week inspired themed 

music camp. Activities include 

a steel pan ensemble, instrument 

centers, games, crafts, a 

rock star video and a pizza 

party at the end of the week. 

$140 

3310 S. West Shore Blvd. 

Tampa 

(813) 837-9245 


OPEN HOUSE 

School of Rock 

Come by and meet instructors, 

check out the school and participate 

in mini-trial lessons. 

RSVP for a specific time slot. 

620 S. MacDill Avenue 

Tampa 

(813) 873-8047 


Music Industry Recording Arts 

(MIRA) Program Tour 

3:00PM - 3:45PM 

St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus 

Humanities Building, HS 118 

6605 5 th Avenue North 

St. Petersburg 



American Song Box - What Is and Never Was 

CD Review by Phil Traynor 

The recording, mixing and mastering took place at the 

very well-equipped Springs Theater Arts and Recording 

in northern Tampa. Engineer John Zumwalt Stephan 

(noted in the Tampa Bay area for his many recordings of 

the Florida Orchestra and the Master Chorale of Tampa 

Bay and many regional and national acts) gave the band 

a very warm and accessible sound. I personally found the 

drums to be a bit up front in the mix, and I might have 

liked a little more clarity and separation between the 

piano and guitar to give them more of their own spaces 

in the mix; but the overall sound is very clean and organic, 

with just enough polish for a smooth, professional 

sheen. 

The moment the new CD from Tampa Bay based 

American Song Box starts, you’re transported to a 

comfortable and familiar place. The opening 

strains of “Play With Love” are jaunty and easygoing; it 

feels very much like a Randy Newman tune both vocally 

and instrumentally. This folksy rural character continues 

throughout the 10-song disc, with a consistently blended 

sound and with earnest, emotional songwriting demonstrated 

on every piece. 

The band’s acoustic full-band folk/Americana sound is a 

well-rehearsed one that shows their length of service 

together. Founded in 2011 by Scranton PA native Todd 

Murphy and RJ Kerker, who met at open mics in Tampa, 

the sound is fleshed out by the percussion of Chris Evans 

who rounds out the core trio; and the CD is aided by 

Clifton Roesch on bass, Angelique Van Dorpe on violin, 

and a purported “Eloquent Barbarian” on harmonica. 

Murphy’s guitar and Kerker’s piano lay a smooth and 

well-arranged chordal bed, and the rest of the supporting 

cast add tasteful touches throughout. The solo work 

from the harmonica, violin, and piano are all melodic, 

passionate, and musical. Murphy’s gravelly baritone is 

full of interest, warmth, and character; emphasizing 

emotion and expression. 

Standout pieces for me include the aforementioned 

“Play With Love”, the haunting “The Art of Self Undoing”, 

the gently entreating “One Hand on the Plow” and 

“What Is and Never Was” (all penned by Murphy); as 

well as the aching final cut “Forever Isn’t Enough Time”, 

Kerker’s lone compositional contribution. That said, 

there are no real holes from a songwriting perspective, 

and the album has a solid, logical, and pleasing flow. I 

suspect that American Song Box is even better experienced 

live; as this type of music is usually keener in the 

heat of the moment - I imagine Murphy to be a powerful 

performer in front of an audience, feeding off the emotion 

of the crowd. 

American Song Box has played most recently at prominent 

gigs like this year’s Orange Blossom Jamboree, 

Heatwave, and at the 2016 WMNF Americana Fest. They 

have an engagement this July 10 th at the Taste of Plant 

City, and a variety of performances through the Bay area 

this year, where you can obtain your own copy of What 

Is and Never Was. 

https://www.reverbnation.com/amersongbox 

https://www.facebook.com/americansongbox/ 


! 




VISITING WMNF 

THE FLORIDA FOLK SHOW 

It was early in the morning. Glad I found the soda 

machine and two quarters in my purse. I needed a 

Coke to help wake me up for the show ahead. 

Pam - behind me - was happy and excited about 

being on the radio! We’re walking into the studio - 

so this shot is “in action”. LOL. 

In the studio - 

awaiting the 

beginning of 

the show! 

Our 

photographer, 

Johnny 

Fish, took us 

by 

surprise! 

Meet Jessica Rose! 

An accomplished musician 

and an assistant on 

The Florida Folk Show! 

Pete Gallagher begins the show! 

“I think we’re on the air…” Share a Coke with Bay Buzz Eli and Bill sing! 


SAY, “WMNF” 

Pete Gallagher proudly wearing his 

Rockledge T-Shirt! 

Eli signs her songs as Bill plays! How awesome is that! 

Photos by John DiGorioli 


“Tzigani” by The Craic: CD Review 

With drums roaring out of my speakers spitting 

fire, a firehouse alarm of bagpipes and shouts 

from an excited crowd, the melody of the first 

song on The Craic’s (“The Crack’s”) latest cd Tzigani 

transported this listener to a time of homemade war 

paint, Scottish clan kilts, swinging sporran and probably 

too much mead. The only thing missing was a turkey leg 

hoisted in the air as the warrior/mead drinker stood with 

arms akimbo and brandished it against his or her foe. 

“Join the Fray” continued the theme with bagpipes held 

aloft in the forefront and gorgeous rhythmic and powerful 

rock-like drumming. “Someday, any day one fine day 

to break away. Someday, any day one fine day to join the 

fray,” voices chanted. Whereof is this fray of which they 

speak? It was such a rousing tune I’d love to find it and 

join them on their quest. 

The third song, “Ushti Ushti Baba”, began with long, 

languid lines I’ve seldom heard played by a bagpipe. 

Gorgeous, actually. Not punchy like the previous two 

songs; then the violin and drum joined in to bring an 

almost mythic, foreign yet classical Scheherazade-like 

melody to the forefront. Do you remember Scheherazade 

from your middle school education? She was that 

legendary queen and the storyteller of the Arabian classic, 

One Thousand and One Nights. I could almost smell 

the incense and feel the intrigue in the shadows. 

The rest of the fine and rousing tunes on this cd harkened 

back to the live show I saw the band perform at 

Gulfport a few months ago. I confess; my favorite song is 

“Step It Out Mary” because I love the story and also the 

conviction with which it is delivered. 

If you can see The Craic live, go! They are highly passionate 

and entertaining, as well as wonderful storytellers. 

If you are not able to catch them live anytime soon buy 

this cd as it is a close second in entertainment value, 

historical throwbackness (is that even a word??) and 

vigor! As in very vigorous drumming, piping, violin(-ing) 

and singing. I found myself dancing in my chair and 

trying to remember where I packed my veils and leather 

stomp boots … 

14 / BAYBUZZ.ORG / JULY 2016 

Recorded and produced in 2015 by Daniel O’Ryan and 

mastered by Aaron “Kailan” Berman, the band’s members 

are Daniel O'Ryan, Tonya The Norse, Leon Cecili 

Martin and Arnoldo Colina. 

About The Craic (from their Facebook page): 

The CRAIC is a 4-piece, themed drama & musical act 

using heavy percussion and medieval bagpipes. Many 

various styles of drumming and percussions compliment 

haunting "old style" pipes and vocals. The CRAIC is modeled 

after traditional medieval / renaissance theater and 

music yet also incorporates percussion techniques of 

Japanese Taiko, West African Djembe and Australian 

Aboriginal. The piping is modeled after traditional central 

European medieval styles, yet with a modern intense 

approach similar to that of a rock band. 

The CRAIC also uses various pots ‘n pans and swords ‘n 

daggers as alternative percussion instruments. Full skits 

are performed using these "instruments" in a heavy 

percussive and tribal way. The CRAIC has been likened to 

medieval versions of STOMP and Blue Man Group. 

Visit Craic on Facebook

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT 

BEING A MUSICIAN! 

“What I enjoy most about becoming and 

being a musician is the loss of self I can 

come to experience. Whether practicing, 

writing or performing, there comes a moment 

when the art over takes me and I 

feel like I'm being allowed in on a beautiful 

secret.” 

Todd Murphy 

American Song Box 

Plant City, Florida 

Daniel Childs 

Mission 180 

Largo, Florida 

“What I love most about being musician is that 

it gives me an avenue for self-expression. 

Whether it's an expression of Worship to God 

above, an expression of emotional condition, 

or an expression of the desire to climb higher 

in life... music gives me a place to talk about it. 

If one person out there here's my song and 

connects with it, then I'm satisfied with what 

I've worked on.” 

“For me it’s creating something of lasting 

beauty. A song lives forever. The effect on 

someone’s soul that a great song has is eternal. 

It’s a special gift that I cherish.” 

Phil Traynor 

Clearwater Floirda 





The Pesky Pelican - New To St. Petersburg! 

Meet Pete, the mascot of The Pesky Pelican, a new 

bar in St. Petersburg! You may remember it as 

McNalley’s located on 72nd Street North. Well, it 

now belongs to the proud new owners, Dan and 

Danielle Pemberton, who are enthused with their 

new project and happy to become a part of this 

awesome community. Not only with tasty food and 

drinks, but also with live music! 

Dan, what made you decide to open this bar? Great 

question. My daughter and I have worked on this 

plan for several years. She wanted to cook and I 

wanted to make beer. I had spoken with the previous 

owner several times about brewing in this location, 

but we never made it happen. When I found out the 

place was for sale it just seemed to make sense. 

When did you officially open? We took over on 

Memorial Day. We had a crew of family and friends 

come in to help us start the transition to the Pesky 

Pelican. We are still working on it and it will take a 

Is this your first bar? Yes. My parents owned bars 

and restaurants when I was younger, but this is my 

first. This is a major step in our livesto take this task 

on. It has been a lot of work so far, but when a 

customer leaves happy, it makes all the hours we 

spend in here worth it. 

How did you decide on the name? We wanted to 

keep the local flair of St. Petersburg. The pelican is 

our city bird. We wanted the place to be whimsical so 

Pesky seemed like a good fit. Our mascot, Pesky Pete 

just ties the two together. 

Barry Ertel 


little longer to get it just the way we want it. We could 

not have gotten anywhere near where we are without 

these folks! 

Do you offer a signature drink? We will be brewing our 

own beer in here soon. Right now we are serving some 

nice Mocktails made with wine based liquor. We also 

have Pete’s Punch which is Vodka, Blue Curacao and 

Lemonade. And we are doing Sunday Bloody Mary’s 

and Mimosa’s. 

Does the bar have a signature item on the menu? The 

Pesky Pete Burger! (Pictured on page 18) I will put this 

burger up against anyone in the city. It is an 8-ounce 

hand formed patty with grilled onions and 

mushrooms, bacon and cheese, with our special blend 

of seasonings. Come eat with Pete! 

Tell us about your weekly events! We are currently 

doing trivia on Thursday evenings from 7pm to 9pm. 

There is live music on Fridays starting at 7:30pm. We 

also have karaoke on scheduled Sundays. You can 

always follow us on Facebook to see what else 

happens to hit the calendar. 

The Pesky Pelican is open Monday through Thursday 

from 11AM - 11PM, Friday and Saturday from 11AM 

- 11:30PM, and Sunday from noon to 10PM. 

923 72 nd Street North 

St. Petersburg, FL 33710 

(727) 302-9600 



22 / BAYBUZZ.ORG / JULY 2016 

Photo by Pamela Wills

PORCUPINE 

It was a hot summer night in St. Petersburg when I met 

up with the guys from Porcupine. Before starting their 

show at The Ringside Cafe, located downtown St. Pete, 

we sat outside and had a nice conversation about 

the band, their ideas and what makes Porcupine, who 

has been together a little over a year, stand out in 

Tampa Bay. 

The first thing we talked about was their name. 

“We would play a name game and just threw names 

and words around,” Sean Hartley who plays guitar and 

bass said. “Porcupine is the one that stuck.” 

When asked about their style and genre of music, 

Funky De, who plays the keys (also known to play 

some mandolin and sings) explained they aren’t a 

band who falls into one category. “We focus on breaking 

away from the genre. We don’t want to be labelled 

as one thing, when we want to play a little bit of 

everything. Our music is for everybody! We hope to 

have a community vibe.” 

Brad Elliot, who is the drummer, went on to explain 

how each band members come from a different background 

and how they use that to channel in their 

unique sound. Brad who is from Chicago comes from 

a heavy metal background, while Funky De is from the 

bluegrass scene from Virginia. Sean is a native of Florida 

and Elliot is from a variety of musical heritage; 

starting out in a Ska band led him to classic rock. In 

college he studied classical music and jazz.. “One of 

the reasons I quit playing Ska is because it’s a very 

strict style and idea. It’s very scripted. Now we have 

the luxury to play what we want to play and the people 

seems to love it.” 

Porcupine is a very confident band where they also 

invite other musicians to play along with them. Some 

special guests have been Savii and Este Loves. In 

return the band is happy to be a backup band for other 

musicians. 

Every band member usually has a side project happening. 

Sean occasionally plays bass for the band, Tropical 

Disturbance and Funky De is currently getting ready 

for the Funky Seeds Reunion. “Funky Seeds was a very 

popular band. Unfortunately it is not coming back. So 

we’re doing the old songs that the fans of that band 

loved. But no, it won’t be making a come-back.” Funky 

De explained. 

Every band and musician knows there is a good side to 

this business and a not-so-good side. For Porcupine 

the happiness is playing out and having people enjoy 

the music. “Whenever we’re having a good night and 

there is a dance floor happening, that’s just a beautiful 

thing.”Funky De said. 

“Probably the downside is the lack of money. It’s a 

hard life. Very few musicians can actually make a living 

at it. And those who do, like us, are just a day away 

from disaster. You are never sure.” 


Each band member comes from a musical background 

and enjoys playing out every day. “For me,”Funky De 

said, “what inspires me to do it everyday is that I’m 

bad at everything else.” [Laughs] “For me there is no 

choice. But that is like a lot of musicians.” 

Brad went on to say that music is in their make-up of 

how they were built and who they were from the day 

they were born. “It’s been in me since I was five years 

old. Playing out now vibrates the same way now as it 

was when I played with friends when I was 13.” 

Porcupine started out as a cover band playing the 

beach bars, but now about to begin to write their own 

material. “We are all full time musicians and we click 

so well together, so we thought why not start writing 

originals.” Soon they will all write together with the 

goal of breaking genre. 

You won’t find this band out playing golf or surfing the 

beach as their only hobby (which is their livelihood) is 

practice. “Sometimes we’ll just grab some beer and 

get together just to play music for fun!” Funky De said. 

You can find out more about Porcupine on their Facebook 

page. The website will be up in the near future. 

“A lot of our shows is word of mouth,” Elliot said. 

Please visit them on Facebook and be sure to go see 

the band play live. You can catch them at The Katiki 

this July 17 th from 1pm to 5pm. 



NOW RECORDING 

Lie Low at 

Zen Recording in Pinellas Park 

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Driving up to a 

relatively secluded storage facility in Clearwater 

a few nights ago to interview local band Lie Low, 

I wondered what I was getting myself into… Greeted by 

Rochelle Siddiq’s friendly voice, I walked into an amazing 

rehearsal space, where the spirits of Jimi Hendrix, 

Bruce Lee and Bob Marley beamed amiably from the 

walls. Home turf for the band Offshore Riot, Lie Low 

members were setting up for practice. With Rochelle 

Siddiq’s strong, soulful, Kate Bush-meets-blues rock 

voice and a hard rocking combo of lead guitar, drums 

and bass, Lie Low knocked my musical socks off with 

their original tune “Firelamb”. Their EP, recorded at 

Zen Recording, is in the mixing stage now. Check out 

“Firelamb” now. 

Lie Low is a local band with an impressive performing 

roster for the last three years, “from Hooters to Jannus”, 

including stints at The State Theatre, Jannus Live 

where they opened for the Black Honkeys, the Orpheum 

in Ybor, etc. Rochelle said her greatest inspiration 

is the blues; Taylor loves Radiohead and Pink 

Floyd; and Gabe is a huge fan of 90’s music. 

The EP is due out later in 2016. The four songs are all 

original, and were recorded live in the studio: 

“Spell” – a love song; “Daisy” – inspired by American 

Horror Story, the Asylum series; “Firelamb” – jam rock 

tune; “Taps” – a requiem for a former bandmate. 

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/lielowmusic 

I asked Rochelle what they loved about recording with 

Steve Connelly at Zen Recording. “He’s a genius; he has 

perfect pitch – it’s like he can see colors when he does 

sound.” Steve is a longtime veteran of the local and 

national music scene. He did a world tour with the 

Byrds and has a lot of experience in the studio. They 

found out about him through the band Offshore Riot. 

During the recording process the band asked for input 

and he gave it freely, also offering them a lot of creative 

freedom. 

Zen Recording studio: 

www.zenrecording.com 

https://www.facebook.com/zenrecording/ 

(727) 525-1008 

The Band: 

Rochelle Siddiq – Lead singer 

Gabriel Mayor – bassist / rhythm guitarist 

Taylor Brown – lead guitarist 

Anthony Cella - drummer 



Drumming in 

Tampa Bay: All One 

Drumming in a circle of like-minded people is a tonic 

for the stresses of everyday life, an escape, a wonderful 

coming together of community that compares to 

no other. You can close your eyes, tap on your drum 

or shake your shaker and get lost in the rhythm of 

many people– or sometimes a few – drumming together. 

Or you can open them and see joyful smiles transform 

people who were likely strangers only moments ago. 

Or reunite friends who meet weekly to sit under the 

stars and share that heartbeat echo called drumming. 

We are especially fortunate here in the Tampa Bay 

area to have so *many* drum circles, actively engaging 

veterans and newbies alike nearly every night of 

the week! From New Port Richey down to Siesta Key - 

see the article sidebar that lists current drum circles 

open to the public. Some are newer circles; some like 

the Siesta Key Drum Circle have been around and 

loved for what feels like forever. 

“Rhythm is a heartbeat. It’s the first drum, a story in 

sound that reveals our imagination and celebrates 

our power. Rhythm is the multi-culti common ground 

of the human family.” - Tony Vacca 

Or dance wildly to the beat of their own internal 

rhythms… spin and levitate those lighted orbs called 

“poi”. It’s up to you, and it’s way bigger than that - it’s 

up to the group where the groove will wander any 

given night, at any given circle. Under the stars. In the 

sand. By our gorgeous Tampa Bay. 

It’s literally – All Good. And All One. 

“For us personally it’s a way for us to share our own 

thoughts about the world. It helps us show through 

music that all our problems are not needed, and that 

we can come together as people because we can come 

together to play music.” - Mamady Keita on the power 

of drumming. 

So let’s start with a nationally famous drum circle in 

Siesta Key, take a trip to the Sunday drum circle in 

Treasure Island, and then have a chat with some folks 

here in the Tampa Bay area who love the art and 

community of the drum circle and drum / spin / dance 

often in this Paradise of ours. 


SIESTA KEY DRUM CIRCLE 

*Photo courtesy of Jayson Cody; all rights reserved 

*Photo courtesy of Randy Martin; all rights reserved. 

When I asked Shawn what he loved about the circle, he said 

it is all about coming together to make music. Everyone at 

the drum circle doesn’t necessarily get along politically but 

they do get along at the drum circle – politics just don’t 

matter there. He plays the DunDun, which are large drums of 

African origin (see a Youtube video for more 

about this type of drum . 

And be sure to watch this fantastic dundun flash mob video 

from Melbourne, Australia . 

At the weekly event on beautiful Siesta Key Beach, local color 

is provided by belly dancers and hula hoop fans, as people 

bang on djembes, snare drums and drum sticks, shakers and 

other percussive instruments. 

*Photo and sand art design courtesy of Randy Martin, owner 

of Living Canvas Tattoo in Venice, FL. ; 

All rights reserved 

I spoke recently with Shawn Bowen of Sarasota, a longtime 

fan of the Siesta Key Drum Circle. His girlfriend Marguerite 

was there when the Siesta Key drum circle began on the 

autumn equinox of 1996. The circle came out of a creativity 

workshop sponsored by the Ringling School of the Arts. It 

continued for a number of years with people from local 

churches and members of the Native Descended Nation. 

“Rhythm is the soul of life. The whole universe revolves in 

rhythm. Everything and every human action revolves in 

rhythm.” - Baba Tunji 

The Siesta Key drum circle has grown to (sometimes) upwards 

of 1000 participants. The New York Times, Delta Sky 

Magazine and other national and local publications have 

featured this circle over the years. 

When: Every Sunday this is rain or shine from 5:30pm 

10:00pm at the public pavilion on Siesta Key, 948 Beach 

Road, Sarasota. If it rains the circle is held inside the pavilion. 


TREASURE ISLAND DRUM CIRCLE 

“Treasure Island drum circle is my peace, my love, my light. 

A circle with no facilitator no leader; no one is in control. 

Free to be you, express yourself, drum and free your soul…” 

– D.J. Palumbo / Lady Darjuxena, 2016 

Hula hoopers, shiny belly chains jangling, pastel and 

brightly colored fan wings, a saxophonist blowin’ his 

tunes, two flute players dancing deftly among the drums, 

children young (and old) grooving to the beats, djembes, 

homemade percussion, dunduns, tourists and locals – this 

and so much more is the wonderful Treasure Island Drum 

Circle every Sunday on the wide white sands of Treasure 

Island until the sun sets. 

The circle started with belly dancers after some time after 

the Siesta Key drum circle started, and the drummers soon 

followed. 

“Be patient with your drum, the night is long.” - Zimbabwean 

proverb. 

Pastel Dancer 

Hula Hooper 

This well known and exceptionally well-attended drum 

circle kicks off every Sunday afternoon near The Bilmar 

Resort and ends at sunset. 

When? Every Sunday approximately 4PM until sunset on 

Treasure Island’s beach, not far from The Bilmar Resort. 


D.J. Palumbo (Lady Darjuxena) 

A Vision in purple or royal blue, or red/white/blue for 

the upcoming July 4 th holiday – local performer (belly 

dance, fire dance) and educator D.J. Palumbo, aka Lady 

Darjuxena, makes an impressive entrance and she is 

greeted warmly by many who know her. A longtime 

supporter and participant in the Treasure Island Drum 

Circle, D.J. can be seen gracefully dancing with long 

fluid fans, spinning poi or adding her drum’s voice to 

the gathering. 

out. She wasn’t an active dancer then, “kind of shy” 

she said, but after a few weeks she decided to learn 

how to belly dance. The drum circle “… is like my 

church, my healing. You let everything go – any anger, 

any frustration – it’s like one big family and people are 

glad to see you.” She loves the community of the circle, 

renewing ourselves with the heartbeat of the drum. 

If you’re interested in learning more about D.J. Perform 

at your event you can contact her via Facebook 

or on the Mad Flames Fire Entertainment page. 

Christopher Corbell 

*Photo courtesy of Chris Corbell; all rights reserved 

Most recently she started the drum circle at the 

Sawgrass Tiki and Teahouse in downtown St. Petersburg 

and that’s where we caught up a few weeks ago. 

We talked about how she came to love the drum circles 

here in Tampa Bay. About nine years ago she was 

at a changing point in her life; she was becoming more 

spiritually aware. She had heard about Treasure Island’s 

circle so she went along with friends to check it 

Chris and I first met at the Thursday night drum circle 

at The Witch’s Brew (now Café Taino) in downtown 

New Port Richey and I was immediately impressed by 

his friendliness and mad drumming skills. Like D.J., he 

is an avid supporter of the local drum circle scene and 

can be often seen at Sunday’s Treasure Island drum 

circle and other circles such as those in Dunedin Causeway 

and Safety Harbor. 

Chris wrote this for our readers: 

The first time I ever attended a drum circle I was 

amazed by how I was welcomed and treated as a part 


of a family of people. Even while some of them had 

known each other for years, I was treated as if they had 

known me just as long. "Acceptance" was not something 

that my attention was ever on. In fact, I was given support 

and encouragement to release what I had to give 

through my drum. That was inspiring and was the beginning 

of my evolution as a drummer and member of a 

special community. Since those times I have met drummers, 

dancers, artists and people I might not have ever 

had the opportunity to meet and interact with otherwise. 

In my evolution as a drummer I have come to recognize 

that everything in this universe is in motion and has a 

vibration to life at a specific rhythmic frequency. Often 

times this can be quite chaotic and un-organized. When 

I drum, I can contribute to creating a sense of order and 

harmony with such a universe. Drumming allows me to 

exchange with more than just people at a higher level of 

perception. I communicate with every living thing and I 

receive communication back to a degree. And so I exchange 

the vibrational element directly through my drum 

as it can become a tool that I use to do so. I can tell you 

that I feel it when the rhythm and vibration begins to 

align and become harmonic. My body relaxes, my mind 

is clear and I can just be. 

During drum circle events there tends to be a sort of 

group consciousness of where the cumulative harmonic 

is at in the moment. This changes as the members of the 

circle "come together". There have been moments in a 

drum event where there was a serious lack of harmony 

and all of a sudden it happens where the vibe comes 

together all at once. It's an amazing phenomenon. And it 

is felt by the members for sure. When the set ends you 

hear it from the members and that feeling that the harmony 

created lives on. 

The purpose is to make music, celebrate each other and 

create the harmonic of life as a group. Some of the 

smallest drum gatherings I’ve attended that had only had 

4 or 5 members achieved the harmony and vibration 

necessary to get me there. That broad vibration that just 

blows me out of it all and into almost another dimension 

of peace and infinite space as a soul. I feel that drum 

circles are a vital part of any society where the weak can 

become strong, the hurt can heal and the weary can 

awaken. I recommend you attend one and not press 

upon yourself that you have to be experienced or great as 

a musician simply BE and experience. 

Adrienne Anderson 

I love seeing my friend Adrienne at drum circles – she is always 

smiling, and I’ve noticed she is one of the first people to show 

up for the drum circle event and she drums strong until the 

end. When I asked her why she has been going to local drum 

circles for the better part of 20 years she replied, “Whatever 

cares or troubles I have are gone after circle … for me, it’s a 

better feeling that I had with organized religion.” After she 

attended her first drum circle all those years ago she found 

herself counting the days until the next one. 

Like Adrienne, I have found drum circles a warm and welcoming 

environment where race, status and political affiliation 

does not matter. 

Photos by Jennifer Lane of JenMuse Photos 


Drum Circles in the Tampa Bay Area 

Sunday Tampa Weekly Drum Circle 

Al Lopez Park - 4PM to Sunset 

Tampa Drum Circle 

Crystal River Drum Circle 

Second Sunday of the month at Sunset 

Call Charlotte for exact location 

(352)-344-8009 

Pine Island Drum Circle 

Usually 2-3 times a month 

Check Facebook for dates 

Ususally 3 hours before Sunset 

PINE ISLAND DRUM CIRCLE 

NOTE: Calendar listings are provided by DJ 

Palumbo (Lady Darjuxena). This list is not meant 

to be all inclusive but a starting point for those 

interested in drum circles in our area. Drummers 

can find more information on Facebook. 

SUNDAYS 

Treasure Island Weekly Drum Circle 

Begins 4 hours before sunset & ends at sunset 

Gulf Blvd - Near The Bilmar Resort 

TI DRUM CIRCLE 

Siesta Key Weekly Drum Circle 

Begins 5:30PM - usually ends at 10PM 

948 Beach Road - Sarasota, FL 

SIESTA KEY DRUM CIRCLE 

MONDAYS 

Dunedin Causeway 

Weekly Drum Circle - 8PM 

On the Dunedin Causeway (on the way to 

Honeymoon Island; close to the kayak rental 

location) in Dunedin 

DUNEDIN CAUSEWAY 

TUESDAYS 

Dunedin Brewery 

Weekly Drum Circle 

8PM - 11PM 

937 Douglas Avenue 

DUNEDIN BREWERY 


Drum Circles in the Tampa Bay Area 

WEDNESDAYS 

Enchanged Earth Drum Circle 

Bi-Monthly Circle 

7PM - 9PM 

733 Main Street - Dunedin 

EARTH DRUM CIRCLE 

NOKOMIS BI-WEEKLY DRUM CIRCLE 

Wednesdays & Saturdays 

Casey Key Public Beach - Nokomis 

From US 41 (Tamiami Trail) 

NOKOMIS DRUM CIRCLE 

GILL DAWG TIKI BAR & GRILL 

This circle will be held once a month; the last 

Wednesday of each month 

5419 Treadway Drive #1 - Port Richey 

GILL DAWG DRUM CIRCLE 

THURSDAYS 

Cafe Taino (formerly Witch’s Brew) 


7PM - 10PM 

1219 Florida Avenue - Pam Harbor 

CAFE TAINO 

Safety Harbor Drum Circle 

3rd Friday Drum Circle 

737 Main St. South 

Suite 104 - Safety Harbor 

SATURDAYS 

Sawgrass Tiki & Tea Bar 

2nd Saturday of the month 

8PM - 11PM 

2315 Central Avenue - St. Petersburg 

SAWGRASS DRUM CIRCLE 

OTHER CIRCLES & EVENTS OF NOTE: 

FL NATURAL COAST DRUM CIRCLE 

This is a once a month Drum Circle 

(Every 4 weeks) 

The Airport Farmer’s & Flea Market 

17375 Spring Hill Drive - Spring Hill 

FL NATURAL DRUM CIRCLE 

NOKOMIS, FL 

Bi-Weekly Drum Cirlce 

Wednesdays & Saturdays 

Sunset 

Casey Key Public Beach - Nokomis 

FRIDAYS 

Lagerhaus Drum Garten Cricle 


7PM - 10PM 

3438 East Lake Rd. S. - Palm Harbor 

LAGERHAUS DRUM CIRCLE 

PARALOUNGE DRUM GATHERING 

Bi-Yearly - Spring/Fall 

3 Day Camping Event 

Next: October 6-9, 2016 

CAMP KIWANIS SILVER SPRNGS 

“The rhythm is in your blood” - African Proverb 




Stick Martin is 

the winner of our 

promotional video 

song contest. 

His song, 

“Gargamel’s fury” 

will be featured 

In our promo 

video. 

Send stick a note 

of congrats! 



Used Fender Rumble 350 

combo bass amp. Has a little 

road ware, but is in great condition. 

Beautiful sounding amp on wheels... 

Great for local and regional gigs. Got it 

for $500. Yours for $300. 

Fender Rumble 350 Bass Combo Amp 

The Fender Rumble 350 bass combo amplifier is a 

tried-and-true option when you need a punchy, 

powerful bass amp. This amplifier and dual-speaker 

combo delivers 350 watts of rich, powerful sound. It is 

yet another great product of Fender's long and 

celebrated evolution as a designer of great bass 

amps. The Rumble 350 is sure to deliver what you 

need both in live and studio situations, while its 

transparent and pure tone will accommodate a wide 

variety of musical styles. 

Really Ready to Rumble 

The Fender Rumble 350 forces 350 watts of roomshuddering 

power through a pair of 10-inch Fender 

Special Design speakers and a single piezo horn. 

Tools to Shape the Right Tone 

The amp features an Overdrive knob to bring crunch 

and growl into your tone. It can be adjusted both for 

Gain Amount and the Crunch Blend. The latter is 

intermixed with your clean tone, so you can find 

exactly the right sound for the situation. There's also 

a four-band active EQ onboard with semi-parametric 

midrange controls and Punch and Scoop presets. 

Truly Useful Features 

The Rumble 350's real-world-useful features include 

a Horn On/Off switch and an Aux input for CD, tape, 

or drum machine hookups. It comes with Delta Comp 

Adaptive Compression Circuitry to make sure that 

your signal doesn't clip when you're playing loud. It 

has an effects loop for outboard pedals and 

processors. When you want to run out a balanced 

signal to a mixer or another speaker, there's a single 

XLR line out jack with level and ground lift controls. 

And of course, there's a headphone jack for late-night 

practicing. 

plastic corners protect against bumps while the super 

rugged black metal grille protects the speakers. The 

side handles are spring-loaded and the all-metal 

casters are removable. The Fender Rumble 350 is 

truly a versatile and powerful option if you need a 

good bass amp in a portable package. 

Features: 

- 350 Watts into 4 ohms output 

- 2 x 10-inch Fender Special Design Speakers, 1-High 

Frequency Piezo Horn 

- 1 Channel 

- Passive/Active Switch, Mid Scoop Button, Volume controls 

- 4-band EQ (Low, Low/Mid, High/Mid, High) 

- 1/8-inch input 

- Effects Loop with Preamp Out, Power Amp In 

- Headphone Jack 

- XLR Line Out with Line Level Control and Ground Lift Switch 

- Black Carpet Covering with Black Metal Grille 

PLEASE EMAIL THE OWNER FOR INQUIRIES: 

Rugged and Ready To Gig 

The Fender Rumble 350's ported cabinet is protected 

with heavy-duty black carpet covering. The oversized 


Catch the Buzz 

baybuzz.org

BUZZ Magazine, July 2016

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