I have been learning, performing and teaching Arabic percussion for around 15 years. The term "Arabic" I use in a generic sense to cover a wide area where similar styles, rhythms, technique and drums are found. More specifically North Africa the Middle East, the Arabian Gulf and some Mediterranean countries. The drums I play are Goblet shaped drums i.e. Darabuka and Frame drums i.e. Duff, Riq, Bendir etc. as well as percussion i.e. Finger cymbals and Quarqaba.

When I first started to learn I quickly found that there are very few active teachers in the U.K. and none locally and so I sought out all the available self instructional material I could find. After finding the few teachers I could and taking invaluable advice from them I now myself teach helping to promote this exciting style of drumming. Visits to Morocco, Turkey, Egypt and Israel have been inspirational in learning more about the drums and the cultural background and I sell drums from these countries. I teach drumming on a regular basis both locally and nationally and also run drumming and dance workshops with esteemed teacher and dancer Carmen Jones. You can also find me teaching at various Drum camps and festivals nationally and I regularly teach in schools and collages ( see TEACHING ). I play with my bands MAZAJ, THE ARABIC BALKAN GYPSY BAND, PANJANDRUMS and THE BABYLON ARABIC BAND covering some famous songs from across the Middle East ( see BANDS ).

I have a wide range of traditional and western copies of Arabic drums and percussion for sale ( see DRUMS FOR SALE ) and I review a comprehensive selection of Arabic drumming CDs and instructional videos / DVDs and books ( see VIDEO / DVD  CD's  BOOKS ). I hope to provide the interested student with the range of information available here in the U.K. or across the Net which I would have found so useful when I first started out. I hope you find this site one of the most comprehensive for all the information you need for starting to learn Arabic percussion.

Although I am predominantly self-taught I would like to thank the many great players and teachers I have met so far - do check these players out, they are fantastic:

Erez Monk ( from Yair Dalal's band ) Israel.  Salah Dawson Miller - UK.  Hassan Erraji - Morocco / U.K.  Hossam Ramzy - Egypt / U.K.  Suleiman Warwar - Palestine / Canada.  Amer Matri - Syria / Canada.  Numan Elyer - Turkey / U.K.  John Sleiman - Lebanon / U.K.  Tim Garside - U.K.  Louai Alhenawi - Syria / U.K.  Guy Schalom - U.K.  Adam Warne - U.K.  Hakan Kaya - Turkey.

  If you are interested in seeing the drums I play CLICK HERE 

                Chas choosing darabukas at Emin Percussion, Istanbul.                         Chas performed with Cara in this BBC2 documentary about the slave   

                             Emin was on hand to demonstrate their sounds:                                                       trade and sugar industry. Originally broadcast in 2005 :

TO CONTACT CHAS : chas@arabicdrum.co.uk