John has loved percussion since 1955, as a young boy. He explains,

"My dad gave me my first 'stereo' at age 10, in 1955, and the first record album I bought was 'Provocative Percussion.' I was hooked. Soon I got a set of bongos and a conga drum. At boarding school, I used to keep my roommate awake at night playing rhythms on my bed. Then, for some unfortunate reason, I did nothing to develop my love of percussion for almost 40 years until I was on a Men's weekend in the early 90's as a participant. A man staffing that weekend brought out congas and shakers, floor toms and rain sticks, and I found a new friend. Andy Mitran and I co-founded Ryhthm Beyond Words in 1995 and have been deeply moved by what rhythm and movement has brought to others in our workshops. In 1999 our mutual friend, Dick Levon, became a vital part of Rhythm Beyond Words bringing his creativity and musicality. Andy has since moved on after doing 24 workshops together. But Rhythm Beyond Words remains, and I hope to be drumming at my funeral."

As a psychologist, John is developing ways of using the wonderful environment created in a drum circle to open pathways for healing. The uniqueness of Rhythm Beyond Words comes from the blend of the psychological and the rhythmical.

"We do far more than teach group drumming skills, or create a traditional drum circle, wonderful as they are. We offer an opportunity for folks to get out of their heads and into their bodies, to experience the wonderful freedom that comes from exploring, risking and creating. And to willingly do this in the presence of others. We enter life with a beautiful passion to explore, create and experience. Over time, this is often trained out of us through unfortunate life experience. Music, especially rhythm, is so fundamental, so basic, so universal it offers a doorway to rediscover these basic elements of life. And as a psychologist, I am sensitive to ways we can marry the use of rhythm and percussion to freedom, creativity and discovery. I have seen people at our workshops break through walls of shame and fear to reclaim what I believe to be our God given heritage to experience life as it was intended . . . fully."

Our motto is safely risk where "no one can fail, and everyone makes music." We invite you to enter this magical realm of rhythm. Of rhythm that is indeed "beyond words." Discover once again what it's like to be free, to play, to move, to create, to explore, to give, to receive. Discover

Rhythm Beyond Words . . .