Music has brought abundance in her life and took her in some faraway places beyond her imagination. Neda Rhamani, this 44-year-old, Percussionist, Vocalist and Choreographer, loves, breaths and lives music all the time.
Entering Neda’s home felt like stepping into a rich art gallery. Beautiful modern paintings in the hallway saluted me. I couldn’t help but constantly stop along the way, admiring some of the artwork. ‘I am obsessed with trays,’ Neda said as she welcomed me into her home. Yes, she sure is! Grand Persian trays and antique lamps from Afghanistan and Iran with intricate designs in the loungeroom and bathroom show Neda’s appreciation of her paternal roots. Dressed in vibrant colours, the walls reassured me that there is always summer, despite being in the middle of a shivering winter in Melbourne. The walls in her separate art’ studio are covered with all types of drums including Mauritian, Neda’s mother’s homeland.
With her mother’s encouragement, Neda completed a Bachelor of Art in Performing Arts at Melbourne University, which she really enjoyed. ‘My mother could see through me that I was a performer.’ By the third-year university, Neda was pulled into the thick of Melbourne’s music scene. She met very influential people such as Vincent Lamberti and Michael Grunden and became interested in Samba music and drumming. By the late 2000s, Neda metamorphosed from being a performing dancer to becoming a choreographer as well. Neda spent a lot of time learning more about Samba music from her two masters Vincent Lamberti and Michael Grunden to whom she is very grateful for building up her capability in music performance. She took up Portuguese lessons and within six months of meeting Vincent and Michael, they founded Tumbarumba, a percussionist music band of 6 -20 members depending on the size of the gig, playing metallic Brazilian Carnival’ Samba. ‘Tumbumrumba is an Aboriginal name meaning ‘hollow sounding ground’. Neda spent a lot of time in Melbourne’s pubs entertaining and learning what people like and how to engage them in dancing. Neda’s first performance was at a Melbourne soccer match between Iran and Brazil teams in Melbourne during the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games. The band still rock today, writing their own carnival and metallic sounds. ‘Tumbumrumba has enjoyed great success in the music world and works in strong collaboration with Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) who has been very supportive along the way.’ A sneak peep of Neda’s work can be found on www.nedalife.com
In Mauritius Islands – ‘He finds melody in anything.’
In 1994, Neda travelled to Mauritius Islands, her mother’s homeland. She met ‘Menwar’ meaning ‘Black hands’ in French – Créole, the lead singer for one of the famous local bands in Mauritius. ‘A very oldfashioned Afro-Créole musician who finds melody in anything, like dropping some dried sugar cane on a cemented ground to get some sound. He would then record that and make a note out of it. I find him incredible!’.
In Brazil – ‘Samba is about Freedom, Openness and Choices…’
Four years later after Tumbarumba was formed in 2003, Neda travelled to Brazil with some of her friends to study Samba music and the Brazilian people. She found that Samba in Northern Brazil is very earthy and settled in Peregrine. She also travelled to Salvador, Rio and Sao Paulo. ‘Samba is about freedom, openness and choices such as the choice of the design and colour of your costume.’ Participating in some of the great Brazilian carnivals and watching massive bands such as ‘Bloco’ performing, enriched Neda’s knowledge and understanding of Samba music.
Neda travelled to Madrid several times to be with her younger sister and to follow her passion in music. She also lived in rural England, in Crediton, to study poetry which she incorporates into her performance.
Solo workAs Tumbarumba grew, Neda found herself performing as a solo percussionist for African, Reggae and HipPop bands which she really enjoyed. Inspired by West African and Brazilian carnivals, as a vocalist, Neda uses her storytelling skills to connect with the audience to engage them in her performance.
‘This is when the world music scene has seen me perform with drums.’
‘I believe that as a performer, you need to be generous, so dance as well.’ Her love for dancing brought her to All-Colour Project, a band of 24 performers and dancers which performed in 2013 at Canberra 100 Year Anniversary for the first time. Despite not performing regularly, All-Colour Project performed at MAV’s many festivals and Federation Square festivals. As an Australian house band, All-Colour Project steps in when overseas professional singers can’t afford to bring their entire band. ‘This is when the World music scene has seen me perform with drums.’ Neda has toured with some of the big names such Grey Ghost, MC – Mantra backing up their rappers, chorus or playing Congo’s music with D’ Afrix to get their Hip-pop, Soul, electro roots, Rock or Reggae beats going.
Inspired by the African Iconic singer, Miriam Makeba
‘I am going to do what she did, continue to grow by putting one foot in front of the other, one at a time, continue to grow and be generous.
The moment she saw Miriam Makeba at WOMAD in Adelaide, Neda was moved and said to herself convincingly, ‘I am not worrying, why am I worrying? I am going to do what she did, continue to grow one foot in front of the other, continue to grow and be generous.’ For Neda, generosity brings abundance in life. ‘Generosity is energy, music, creativity and presence that a performer brings to the stage and needs to be present. Give it all to your audience.’ Where music has taken her and what it has brought into her life is beyond her imagination.
Attitude is one of the best ingredients for success
Neda believes that attitude is everything needed to achieve what you want to for your life. She is available and present when she performs. ‘I want to connect with people and more people. I am kind of doing life on my own terms’, she says, giggling. ‘I want to wake up and eat well. I am not perfect’. For Neda, respect of one another and being open to learning helps her get where she is today. ‘I will always take music, drums, dancing and people with me throughout my life.’
A word to women aspiring to perform
Neda believes that practice makes a better performer. ‘You have got to get out there, do a little bit of lesson, rehearse and then practices, but get out there, perform and perform’. Be available, share whatever talent you have got, and a lot more will come to you. Say ‘yes’ to what the world is offering you and see what is possible.’ Neda advises spending some time alone, nurturing good thoughts, write them all up, in your own words. Talk to friends and family about it and see what’s possible. Voice them all up to make dreams happen. Be yourself, be natural, we are here by nature.’
