There’s music in "them thar gourds" and it will be on exhibit at the 49th annual Ohio Gourd
Show Sept. 24 between 2 and 5 p.m. at the Darke County Fairgrounds, Greenville.
Five music groups will be performing this year. OGADE (the Oxford Gourd and Drum Ensemble) comes from
Oxford, Ohio. They play traditional West African rhythms as well as some original compositions using a
variety of gourd instruments including guiros, shakers, thumpers, flutes, xylophones, and string
instruments as well as a variety of drums.
The Circle of Rhiannon Tribal Drum & Dance Troupe features American tribal style Belly Dancing.
Their exotic and colorful costumes enhance an unusual and entertaining experience. They hail from the
Hamilton & Fairfield, Ohio area. The Circe will be accompanied by both OGADE and a third Oxford
group, the Sirenz. The Sirenz will offer a variety of gourd related songs. The fourth group will be the
Judy and Warren Waldren Duo. They come from Butler County, and sing and play traditional American and
Appalachian folk and minstrel music. Warren accompanies Judy on his gourd banjo. This year we will also
be featuring a fifth guest virtuoso didjeridu artist Phil Clark, an ethnomusicologist from the
University of Illinois.
On Sept. 25 in the afternoon a small group known as Tulisoma will again have a "jam session"
between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. People who have gourd instruments are invited to bring them to this
jam session and join Tulisoma in making great gourd music.
