Urban Didj

The name Urban Didj Sound Paintings represents a break from tradition and is a nod to both sound and visual aesthetics, as each of these receive equal attention in my instruments. Sacred instruments such as udu drums, pentatonic flutes and didgeridoos have offered me a way to honor and express so much of what I have learned and practiced over the years about healing, yoga/pranayama and art. In yoga we seek to acknowledge the interconnections between mind, body and spirit. In art and music there is inherently the same aspiration for many of us. I am forever grateful to all of my amazing teachers in art, yoga, and in life. I am in love with these instruments and all that they behold in the making and in the playing.  I hope they will also offer you the healing potential of meditation, music and art.

The didgeridoo, (also know as: yidaki, didgeridu, didjeridu) is deceivingly simple in its design. It is essentially a hollowed out tube.  Although it can be made out of just about anything including PVC pipe, fiberglass, ceramic, hemp, hardwood, yucca and agave, it was traditionally made from bamboo as well as termite eaten eucalyptus branches. This drone type instrument has been around for approximately 40,000 years; however, the name didgeridoo has only been around for 100 years or so, (according to "The Word Didgeridoo article"). There are many cultures throughout the world that create sound by blowing through tube like forms—yet Outback Australia is most noted for a distinct type of rhythmic drone and beat that incorporates emulations of nature such as tree frogs, dog barks, hyenas and bird sounds.​​

It is said that historically, primarily men played the didgeridoo. In certain parts of Australia, there are still whispers of a debate that asks whether women should be permitted to play the didge.  As I understand it, this springs from some superstitions and rumors that suggest women will loose their fertility if they play the didgeridoo particularly during sacred ceremonies. Traditions can be slow to change and in some circles a woman didge player and maker still might carry a bit of a stigma. When I first started becoming interested in this instrument, I had no idea to what extent men popularized it. Thankfully traditions that no longer serve inevitably evolve and change to reflect and serve a broader purpose. Today there are many brilliant, and recognized male and female contemporary musicians who incorporate didge sounds and rhythms into world, pop, beatbox, electronic and contra music as well as shamanic rituals and sound healing. 

It is really interesting to note that in some ways the study of yoga also holds a similar legacy.