Drum Brothers

Drum Brothers present high energy performances that feature a diverse mix of world sounds: West African djembe and dounoun drums, Middle Eastern frame drums, Australian didgeridoo, close harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, and original compositions. The members are: brothers Matthew and Michael Marsolek, Lawrence Duncan, and Nathan Zavalney. Talented multi-instrumentalists, Drum Brothers move easily between uplifting percussion arrangements with audience participation to the softer textures of ethnic flute, clay udu drum, and guitar. Each concert is a journey through a rich landscape of World rhythm and culture. They have performed throughout the Northwest and in Canada.

For over a decade, Drum Brothers have been presenting classes and drum circles for all ages, celebrating the rhythms of life and the joy of community music-making. Over the years, they have brought World rhythm and drumming into schools and educational centers for children and adults, they have drummed with trouble youth, disabled people, bereaved children, and cancer survivors, and they have sparked many ongoing community rhythm circles in cities around the Northwest and in Canada.

Their newest release

Featuring some of Drum Brothers favorite live performance material, REMEMBER is filled with driving West African rhythms, dance grooves, polyrhythmic vocals, didgeridoo, guitar, ethnic flutes and world percussion. 4 cuts of this new CD are complimented with the djembe playing of master drummer, Abdoul Doumbia, from Mali, West Africa. Drum Brothers first met Abdoul in 1995 and have brought him yearly to Missoula for rhythm festivals and classes. Abdoul is the one of the formost representatives of Malian jembe drumming living in the United States today.

"Without his friendship and generosity, this album would not have been possible." -from the liner notes

Drum Brothers began performing together as a musical group on New Year?s Eve 1994 as a part of Missoula?s inaugural First Night celebration. The early group consisted of Matthew, Michael and David Marsolek, and Casey Alexander. The band soon developed a following in Western Montana and released their debut CD, POWER OF RHYTHM, in early 1997. In mid 1997, David and Casey left the band to follow other interests (David continues to manage the drum-making shop in Arlee Montana). Multi-instrumentalist Lawrence Duncan, joined the band in June, 1997. Nathan Zavalney, who first connected with Drum Brothers as Matthew?s student, followed in November.