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Body of Work
Guid
Wimmin
Composed and arranged by Val Graham
Rejoicing in their vibrant resonance, the surdos provide the thrilling heartbeat to this piece where the prevailing essence is one of pleasure, passion and power. Written in rave style, Guid Wimmin is a tribute to Scottish women of the nineties - bold, beautiful and bursting with attitude. Pure dead brilliant. You'll just want to get up and dance!!
Mad
Dog Samba
Composed by Erin Clare Scrutton. Arranged by SheBoom
A riot of samba rhythms, this piece is a variation on a theme. Having initiated the women's drumming movement in Scotland and beyond, SheBoom enjoys ongoing connections with other women's bands, each with their own version of Mad Dog.
Edinburgh
#1 by Erin Scrutton
SheBoom learned this samba style piece to enable the band to play jointly
witth Edinburgh women drummers Commotion, at Pride Scotland 1998. In return,
SheBoom taught them our piece Guid Wimmin.
Loud
and Proud
Traditional. Arranged by SheBoom.
Hypnotic rhythms inspired by Koma (meaning fetish). For a full day in January, an African women's secret society congregate to drum, sing and dance naked in their devotion to the Goddess Koma - She who oversees women's affairs. The women's faces are covered with masks to resemble themselves. Whilst men celebrate by carving these masks for the women, they are not allowed to witness the ancient ritual.
Damenation
Traditional. Arranged by Erin Clare Scrutton and SheBoom
Inspiration for this Afro-Samba piece comes from the Brazilian band Olodum. Its provocative introduction in the form of a call and response between the repenique and the other drums is complimented by the seductively sensual samba groove which dares you to dance to its passionately pulsating beat.
Afro Punk
Composed and arranged by Val Graham
Not for the faint-hearted, this dangerously subversive piece moves swiftly from sedate civility into a body-slamming head-banging ear-zapping heart-bursting frenzy of electrifying attitude. Accenting their wild impatience with the convention of maintaining a regular tempo, the snares and repeniques lead the other drums in a furious race towards the stars, symbolising the outright rejection of traditional definitions that confine rather than release women's energies. Be warned, there is no return.
Still
Live!
Composed and arranged by Chris Morrow
Specially written for SheBoom in 1996 during a period of collective dissonance and lethargy, this invigorating piece celebrates the rejuvenating and healing power of music. Written in the style of a batucada, its galvanising but gentle rhythms arouse and stimulate, restoring both performer and audience to fresh appreciation of life and all that it brings to us. Soon after learning this piece, an energised SheBoom represented the City of Glasgow at the 1997 European Cultural Celebrations and Still Live! Was performed in five Bavarian venues to thousands of people from all over Europe.
Gingersnap by Helen Smith
Written in 2000, this was Helen's first musical outing (and we are still
waiting for her to come in). As the name suggests, this is an upbeat and
chirpy number which welcomes solos from the surdos, snares, tambourims
and bells at different stages throughout the piece.
Hangin'
Aboot by Helen Smith
Appropriately named for a band who spends much of their time waiting for
things to happen. The idea suggested itself during SheBoom's trip to Slovenia
in 1998, where we were constantly hangin' aboot for stragglers.
Lager
Through A Straw by Helen Smith
One night in a pub ... 'Lager' came about after an offhand remark led
to the exclamation, 'That sounds like a song title!' This piece has a
bit of swing to it and once again allows the snare and surdo players to
show off a bit.
Chocolate
Timbalada by Erin
Scrutton
Fab
favourite with all who play and listen. Who can resist so much chocolate?
Swamp
Composed by Val Graham. Arranged by SheBoom
Paradoxically located within the very heart of a contemporary urban sound, the pounding energetic and exuberant rhythms in Swamp support the spaces that permit quieter voices to be heard. Making room for differences, the magical sounds of guiro, agogo bells, tamborim, shakers and cowbells, including a flirtatiously intimate conversation between tom and tamborim work together in delightful harmony with the main grooves. Some ask "Why Swamp?" Some say "Because of the alligators".
Planet
Drum by Val Graham
Another
VG classic, rocking happily yet strangely fierce and angry - performed
most often at anti-war and peace rallies. If only women who drum rule
the world ...
Erin's
Afro by Erin Scrutton
Groove
to this and you are guaranteed an instant boost to your energies. Plenty
here for your body to enjoy.
Microwave
by Erin Scrutton
An
old favourite from 1994.
SheBoom c/o Northwest Women’s Centre, 17 Shawpark Street, Glasgow G20 9DA, Scotland, UK