Wow! I just got a call from Efrain Toro!

Ian Ballard

Silver Member
So, I got into his teaching through the Drum Channel, watching his master class on "rhythm". Efrain has taught lots of "famous" guys, such as Terry Bozzio. The videos blew my mind with his very esoteric and unique way of relating nature, vibration, waves to rhythm.... things that I have always found to be interconnected. I found him on Facebook and added him, he accepted and I messaged him, had a nice conversation and he said he'd call me. Well, he actually did. I have to say, it was one of the most enlightening and interesting conversations I've ever had. I highly recommend checking this guy out. Truly a master percussionist and great mind.
 
Way to go! Sounds great!
 
All round superb stuff. I've not heard of Efrain before, but always cool when someone of note takes time out to contact you & take an interest. Says much about the man :)

Anyway, he's obviously a cool dude - CHIMES BABY!!!!!
 
He was one of the Latin teachers when I was PIT.

He was a little out there for where I was at the time. Very talented player though.
 
Are Efrain's books available anywhere?
 
He was one of the Latin teachers when I was PIT.

He was a little out there for where I was at the time. Very talented player though.

I think when you are in the Western, linear perspective of writing music left-to-right and approximating the multidimensional reality of rhythm with dots and stems, what he teaches would seem "out there". However, I'm a weirdo and very into the spiritual and esoteric elements of music and when you study world music, you realize nobody else thinks about music the way Western folks do. Music does not come from dots and stems. It comes from a multitude of harmonics, waves and a multi-dimensional perspective, not a linear one. His ideas hit me right in the gut and the way he makes 5's and 7's virtually link up perfectly BLEW MY MIND.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4254goXVX8

Even though Efrain is playing in "7"... count 5 in between the musical phrase and you'll see what I mean. It's like 5 and 7 are one.

Here is how he explains it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KT-b568Id0

Of course, to really "get it" you have to see the whole master class which is on Drum Channel. At first, in my linear subdivision mind, I was like, "WTF?"... but play a hand drum ALONG WITH his examples and it will hopefully hit you.
 
I think when you are in the Western, linear perspective of writing music left-to-right and approximating the multidimensional reality of rhythm with dots and stems, what he teaches would seem "out there". However, I'm a weirdo and very into the spiritual and esoteric elements of music and when you study world music, you realize nobody else thinks about music the way Western folks do. Music does not come from dots and stems. It comes from a multitude of harmonics, waves and a multi-dimensional perspective, not a linear one. His ideas hit me right in the gut and the way he makes 5's and 7's virtually link up perfectly BLEW MY MIND.
.

Yeah, I get that. The context was it was a beginning Latin class, early in the year. Richie Garcia had been the instructor, but then he got hired to go on tour, so Efrain came in.

And the class is all young, green players. We're all still just learning how to play ubber basic latin grooves, and suddenly Efrain is discussing polythrmic fills and esoteric soloing concepts, and it was like,hey, wait a minute, how can we do fills and solos when you haven't even taught us the basics yet!

Had it been toward the end of the year, for the advanced Latin class, it would have been great. But it was like going from zero to 60, while skipping everything in the middle. LOL.
 
I'll check him out later tonight.
 
I think when you are in the Western, linear perspective of writing music left-to-right and approximating the multidimensional reality of rhythm with dots and stems, what he teaches would seem "out there". However, I'm a weirdo and very into the spiritual and esoteric elements of music and when you study world music, you realize nobody else thinks about music the way Western folks do. Music does not come from dots and stems. It comes from a multitude of harmonics, waves and a multi-dimensional perspective, not a linear one. His ideas hit me right in the gut and the way he makes 5's and 7's virtually link up perfectly BLEW MY MIND.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4254goXVX8

Even though Efrain is playing in "7"... count 5 in between the musical phrase and you'll see what I mean. It's like 5 and 7 are one.

Here is how he explains it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KT-b568Id0

Of course, to really "get it" you have to see the whole master class which is on Drum Channel. At first, in my linear subdivision mind, I was like, "WTF?"... but play a hand drum ALONG WITH his examples and it will hopefully hit you.



ohhh that video is GOOD.
 
At least he didn't call you up and ask for that money you owe him ;)

I have to be honest. Getting a random call from a Puerto Rican number (though he lives in California) I thought he was a salesman at first. I feel kinda bad because I answered the phone in a snarky, "Hola!".

It's all good. ;)

I've been wanting to get a Cajon for quite some time but now I'm convinced. I NEED one!!
 
Yeah, I get that. The context was it was a beginning Latin class, early in the year. Richie Garcia had been the instructor, but then he got hired to go on tour, so Efrain came in.

And the class is all young, green players. We're all still just learning how to play ubber basic latin grooves, and suddenly Efrain is discussing polythrmic fills and esoteric soloing concepts, and it was like,hey, wait a minute, how can we do fills and solos when you haven't even taught us the basics yet!

Had it been toward the end of the year, for the advanced Latin class, it would have been great. But it was like going from zero to 60, while skipping everything in the middle. LOL.

Dear Ones!
Thank you all specially Ian for taking the initiative to open a communication line about my teachings etc.

I must clarify a few points and fill in some blanks.
First of all I am sorry you had a rough time in my class a PIT but you must have been assign to it wrongly I mean you should have been in a noter group or taken the class at a later quarter.
Also my friend Richard Garcia was my sub. and not the way you recall it ;-) I actually met Joe Porcaro at my first movie session which was for a most well know movie "Fort Apache The Bronx" with PAul Newman. The session lasted 4 days and Joe told
me that he and Ralph were planning to open a school and if I wanted to come and do a workshop on latin drumming and I said yes of course. So about a month later he called me and the masterclass was apparently very successful so that he offered me a job at PIT who had just opened a month before! It was not until about 3 years later that Richard became my sub as I had many well known drummers sub for me before. I went on the road with CSN (Crosby, Stills and Nash) and got a new guy in town called Chuck Silverman to sub for me because I needed someone that was not a working traveling musician to be there but after my first 3 month tour when I came back I had a meeting with Joe and Ralph about the fact that Chuck was telling everyone that I did not know what I was teaching ;-) so HE WAS FIRED!!! Then here is when I remembered about Richard whom i had met about 3 years before visiting some friend from PR that were living in LA!

So there you go! All these stories and many more are included in a new book about my nightmare in Peru 3 years ago, soon to be published called "THE PERFECT SURFING DAY" in which I also document about my neighbor of 18 years, best man in my wedding and musical partner and how he and other very mediocre top studio dudes in LA had plotted from time to time to not have me in their recording sessions crew… AMAZING to say the least but true… It is actually very exciting stuff…NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THNG BABY!!!
Inspite all I have done way over 1,000 recording sessions with many Grammy wining albums and blockbuster movies and Top TV shows as well as award winning commercials…!
I also have 16 books and 4 more on the works… 6 new videos coming up and 2 are already bring sold on AMAZON etc… for a total of 8. ALL AT RHYTHMLINEINSTITUTE.COM

MY new drum book almost finished is called FROM LINEAR TO HARMONIC… some of the top drummers in the world have my books and used them quietly and some endorse them. I have never made any money in education as I was a studio musician for a while and the most I taught at MI was 9 hours in a week.
If any of you would like to know the thruth about things you must ask the characters if you will. Have the guts to call the dudes and ask them but to spread misinformation is as bad as lying!

Be well and in RHYTHM… I try!
Sincerely
et
 
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