Patakin: World Tales of Drums and Drummers

Where do drums come from? From the god Ayan, the Yoruba tell us; from Skeleton Woman, the Inuit say; from the stolen voice of the nevilala bird, according to the slit drummers of Vanuatu. Recounting ten myths about drums and drummers from around the globe, storyteller and accomplished drummer Nina Jaffe shows readers both the universal power of drums and the richness of folk traditions. The author, playing with master drummers, provides the beat behind the story in a CD that comes with the book. Here’s a collection one can read — and listen to — again and again.