RHYTHM-INSPIRED kids at the Village of Arts & Humanities in North Philadelphia play to the beat of a different drummer every Friday when the Philly Drum Project brings guest teachers and free lessons to the Hartranft neighborhood.
Crowdfunded by the local drumming community, the 10-Friday pilot project at the Village, on Germantown Avenue near 10th Street, teaches funk to hip-hop to gospel to jazz with Philly-based guest drummers who have worked with stars from Lady Gaga to Meek Mill.
Guest drummers come and go, depending on their touring schedules, but the steady-Eddie, heart and soul of every Friday session is lead instructor Marcus Myers from the University of the Arts.
Myers personifies the Philly Drum Project's drummers-helping-drummers community vibe, said founder/director Ryan Crump.
"Three years ago, I bought an old 1970s Ludwig drum kit, and I needed a particular wingnut for it," he said. "So I had to go on eBay and all this stuff.
"Meanwhile," Crump said, "I realized I had all these extra drum parts in my basement."
Crump started the Philly Drum Project as a way to share gear, and beats with other drummers.
The project's members do that monthly at Boot & Saddle, on Broad Street near Ellsworth in South Philly. Crump created the free Friday lessons as his first outreach to young drummers in a neighborhood.
"Once Ryan told me it would take place in North Philly," Myers said, "and once he told me the type of kids who were going to play drums - kids from schools where activities like music have been cut - I said, 'Sure, sure, man. I would love to do it.'
"I'm having the blessing to be part of somebody's life that might not have had the chance to get lessons from a professional musician."
Myers loves teaching a wide range of wannabe to with-it drummers. "We have kids that may love funk to kids that may never have heard of funk," he said. "We have kids who are shy. We play in front of each other so music can break you out of that shyness.
"I see people who have a passion for this and passion is what makes me want to teach," Myers said.
"When you come here, you might not be the most skilled, but if you share a passion for it, we can work with you because out of passion comes commitment."
Guest instructor Alex Maio plays drums with two touring dance bands, Downtown Shimmy (juke joint blues) and Fried Bananas (hot swing).
"I like seeing people dancing, physically reacting to our music," Maio said. "Their energy is feeding directly into the bandstand. It's awesome."
Maio said free drum lessons in North Philly, which also feature an exhilarating exchange of people-to-people energy, are equally awesome.
"A lot of kids are into drums," he said, "but they just don't have the means to pay for lessons. This is the means."
On Twitter: @DanGeringer