University of Utah instructor George Grant wants complete musical freedom.

His diverse collection of percussion instruments looks like an exotic music store, or even a toy store. For Grant, sound is color. He uses the pitter-patter of tabla (a traditional drum from India), the ringing of bells, the splashing of cymbals and even the droning of his voice to create impressionistic aural paintings.

This eclectic mix of sound, along with a non-technical approach, forms the basic of Drum Talk, a class that Grant believes is for anyone who wants to make music.

Grant grew up playing in high school marching bands and local rock bands, but it took him a while to musically find himself. While in college, he discovered free jazz and experimental musicians like guitarists Ralph Towner and John McLaughlin, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, and multi-instrumentalist Egberto Gismonti.

He eventually abandoned popular music. Indian classical music inspired him
to take up tabla, which he studied exclusively for 10 years.

He eventually brought other instruments into this music, including the Persian zarb drum, cymbals and frame drums. Although Grant has played with Indian musicians and the tabla remains his "favorite instrument," he does not see himself as a part of the Indian tradition.

"I am a Westerner," he insists. "I use the tones and the sound of the tabla to express what I want to express, instead of using the tabla to carry on the tradition of India."

Grant believes that someday his voice may replace the tabla as his favorite and central instrument.

Some may see Grant's music as esoteric but he developed Drum Talk because be wants music making to be accessible to everyone.

"Drum Talk is about including people instead of excluding people," Grant said. Therefore, his class does not require technical ability or previous musical training.

Grant teaches his students to make music by having them learn simple drum patterns with their voices. Then he has them play the patterns and improvise on drums.

This "if you can say it, you can play it" approach may seem unusual to musicians in the European tradition. However, Grant says that it is not new.

"It's the heart of dozens of drum cultures," he says. After students feel comfortable, he allows them to invent their own vocal patterns.

Drum Talk, according to Grant, does not represent a single musical tradition, or a single drum culture. He calls it "personal music" because it allows people to incorporate their own ideas through improvisation and invention without judgement from others.

"We're doing it for ourselves; we're not doing it to please anybody else," Grant says. "It's just for personal recreation, and personal reflection."

Although the music is about free expression, it is not chaotic. Grant compares it to a musical conversation. The students are required to listen and respond to each other. Some play supporting rhythms while others
improvise.

Grant feels that his class is therapeutic because it helps students conquer their fears about making music and performing in front of others. "I psyche them out to take a chance," he admits. "Our fears about making music are completely unnecessary, because nothing bad is going to happen."

The first step in the fear conquering process is to get the students to perform the vocal patterns and talk about how they feel doing it. "It's petrifying for some people to do this stuff," Grant said.

The second step is to talk about why the students might be afraid to play music. Grant says that they eventually come to the conclusion that their fears are unfounded. When they lose their inhibitions, they can make music
freely using their voices and Grant's collection of percussion instruments.

"It's philosophical training. We don't get into much technical training at all," he said.

Grant has been teaching Drum Talk at the University since 1992. He also performs, gives private lessons and workshops. He often works with public and private schools, at-risk youth groups and prisoners. Beside performing with local musicians, he has performed and recorded with sarodist Aashish Khan of India, son of the world renowned sarode master Ali Akbar Khan. He also recently performed with classical guitarist Benjamin Verdery and flautist Keith Underwood. He is currently working on an instructional cassette.