Performances & Classes

Events & Workshops

Beginner Doumbec Classes - Click here for flyer
every other Saturday, 2:00 - 3:30pm
Starting June 14, 2008, Oakland, CA

July 15, 2008
Tuesday evening, July 15 during the 9:00pm set of open mike, Mary Ellen will be the featured vocalist at Anna's Jazz island, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA. right off Shattuck. Being the featured vocalist means that Mary Ellen will sing 4 songs in a row rather than the 1 or 2 at random during the open mike. The entire event runs from 8:00 - 11:00pm with a $5.00 cover. The accompanist for the evening is pianist, Ellen Hoffman. Mary Ellen often plays the Arabic tambourine several times for other vocalists.

July 24, 2008
Thursday evening, July 24, Mary Ellen appears as a guest artist on vocals and tambourine, and cymbals with the Mack Rucks Jazz Ensemble in Berkeley, CA
ANNA'S JAZZ ISLAND
Presents THE MACK RUCKS JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Featuring:
Glen Pearson - piano
Ron Belcher- bass
Roger Myers - drum
Mack Rucks - trumpet & flugel horn

Special guests:
Clinton Strowder - vocals
Mary Ellen Donald - finger cymbals, tambourine, vocals
Date: Thursday, July 24, 2008
Time: 8:00 - 11:00pm
Place: Anna's Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way (near Shattuck)
Admission: $12.00
for information call: (510) 654-DRUM (3786)

August 3, 2008
Mary Ellen teaches Rhythm Essence for Dancers, a zill workshop, August 3 at the Belly Dance Fantasy Festival, produced by Tatseena in San Leandro.

Sunday afternoon from 1:30 - 2:45 pm

In the class, Mary Ellen will cover:
1. exercises for strengthening cymbal technique.
2. how to recognize and differentiate some of the significant rhythms played for belly dance performances.
3. how to creatively mix playing cymbals on variations of a rhythm with cymbals just keeping the pulse with fillers.

Mary Ellen's instructional cd's and books and classy new T-shirts will be available for purchase at the class for a discounted price. Mary Ellen will also perform at the festival . . . . . . to be announced.

For details and registration check out the Festival page at www.tatseena.com.

Sunday Afternoon, August 17 in Oakland
Mary Ellen's Jazz Birthday Bash Concert: no. 65
~ Click here for flyer~

Musicians:
Mary Ellen Donald: jazz vocals, doumbec, tambourine, cymbals
Mack Rucks: trumpet, flugelhorn
Marco Casasola: piano
Aaron Germaine: bass
Greg German: drum set
Clinton Strowder: special guest vocalist
Susanna Goldenstein: Middle Eastern percussion
Kevin Cloud: cajon
Shabnam of Oakland dances to Latin jazz
Reyna Alcala of New York dances to flamenco belly dance fusion

Time: 2:00 - 5:30pm
Place: Humanist Hall, 390 27th Street (between Broadway and Telegraph), Oakland, CA 94609 ~ (parking available for early arrivers)
For directions: http://www.humanisthall.net/
Fee: $25.00 in advance, $30.00 at the door (includes a variety of beverages and festive refreshments).
Tickets go on sale after July 15 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/37235
For more details call Mary Ellen at (510)654-DRUM (3786) or visit www.maryellendonald.com

Rave Review for Mary Ellen's Birthday Bash
Sunday, August 12, 2007, Oakland, CA

Hello Mary Ellen,

WOW! Your Birthday Bash at Humanist Hall was the most amazing musical feast EVER! I do not want to forget to thank you ever so much for celebrating your birthday at Humanist Hall!

It was such a fantastic, spectacular, world class, music and dance phenomenon. The music was so gorgeous. Your medley, your song about summertime, was the best tribute to summer I've EVER heard. It was so beautiful and haunting, it gave me goose bumps. And the belly dancer was out of this world, pure liquid, pure magic. Your music and song, and her dancing, were all so wonderfully creative and eclectic and captivating -- it was impossibly enjoyable -- hard to describe -- completely fulfilling!

Thank you again! I have the deepest appreciation for your music!

~ Fellowship of Humanity

Middle Eastern Percussion Classes with Mary Ellen Donald
- Middle Eastern Percussion Classes
- Beginner Doumbec Classes

Booking

Sittat al Qalb (Women of the Heart)
Mary Ellen Donald: Cymbals, Doumbec, Tambourine and Tar &
Nanna Candelaria: Belly Dance
In an educational and entertaining drum and dance duo! Available for performances in schools K-12 through out the San Francisco Bay Area. Call Young Audiences of California at 415-974-5554 to learn how to book this uplifting presentation for schools in your area!

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Hot Arabic Band For Hire!

Nazir Latouf, from Syria: oud and voice; Mary Ellen Donald: doumbec; and a first rate tambourinist, either Terry Holgate or Susie Goldenstein.

A perfect Arabic band for any occasion: private parties, belly dance recitals, world music concerts, Arab weddings and Arabic cultural events.

Nazir's extraordinarily rich repertoire spanning the entire Arab world, Mary Ellen's mastery of Arabic drumming and the charismatic, passionate playing of the two of them together make sparks fly and audiences beg for more.

Call Mary Ellen to hire the band that aims to please and does: 510-654-DRUM (3786) Check out sound bites from Nazir's CD "Arabian Passion", elsewhere on this site and video clips from "the Silk Road Experience" DVD also on this site to see for yourself.

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Mary Ellen Donald is available for out of town workshops and shows. For more information, call Mary Ellen at (510) 654-DRUM (3786) or send e-mail to: me@maryellendonald.com

Listen to a live performance of Nazir Latouf and Mary Ellen Donald.

To hear a song sample, click on Listen
Ahla Tarik (The Sweetest Path) - Egyptian Melody	Listen	Listen
Oud Taqsim by Nazir Latouf	Listen	Listen
Allah Allah Ya Baba	Listen	Listen