Camp Iroko Afro Cuban Drum Camp

One Voice Music & Bombo Productions

Dates: 6th – 10th August 2025

Camp Iroko is a five-day Afro-Cuban folkloric drum camp in Wymondley Woods in Hertfordshire that has been running annually for 12 years. This all-inclusive event boasts a 20-acre conservation area with mature woods, a stream, pond, grassland and an open fire pit. We have camping and indoor accommodations with access and facilities for the disabled. We pride ourselves on creating a supportive musical community that caters to different abilities, from beginners to advanced. As well as structured workshops and masterclasses, evenings are often for spontaneous music-making and sharing.

The topics include Cuban rumba, Bata, Bembe, Guiro, Iyesa & Congo, plus songs for all these traditions.

Tutors
Ravin ‘Raz’ Jayasuriya, Dave Pattman and Vicky Jassey

COST – (includes all meals, accommodation and tuition)

TBC

Booking deadline by 18th July 2024

How to Book

Booking will open in April 2025

Times
Arrive from 6 p.m. on Wednesday to register, put up a tent (if camping), etc. Depart on Sunday by 5 p.m. A full schedule will be sent nearer the time. There’ll be workshop sessions on Wednesday evening, all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and Sunday morning and afternoon.

Indoor accommodation
The Centre has five dormitories, each sleeping 6-8 and furnished with bunk beds with storage facilities beneath. There are separate male & female showers/toilets.

Camping
The Centre is situated within a 4-acre campsite. So there’s plenty of room for you to put up your tent or yurt. There are separate male & female showers/toilets for campers.

Instruments
Some instruments will be provided but if you can, please bring your own from the following list: congas, bata, shekeres, cowbells, drums sticks. You can specify which instruments you can bring on the registration form. Please bring earplugs.

Food
Vegetarian food is provided for all meals during the weekend. If you have any special dietary requirements/allergies, please let us know on the registration form.

Free time
During your free time, you can go for a walk in the woods or enjoy some of the on-site activities.

Your help during the weekend
To help keep things tidy and ensure this workshop runs smoothly, we kindly ask all participants to help with certain household duties.

Venue
Wymondley Wood Scout & Guide Centre, Wymondley Road, Willian, Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 2UB

Families
Families with children under 16 are also welcome. Please get in touch with us for family rates.

There are several sports, games and outdoor activities available for children and young people. If there’s sufficient demand, we’ll also be happy to offer music workshops.

Children under 14 need to be supervised at all times during the weekend. There are reduced rates for non-participating adults (guardians) attending purely to supervise children. Camping options are available for families. Indoor accommodation is subject to availability, and we can only confirm this nearer to the time of the workshop.

Bombo Productions

4.7

Based on 21 reviews

review us on

Federica Fusco

15:43 15 Dec 22

I have been attending many percussion courses with Bombo productions over the past few years. Yesterday, we completed the Batà Course. We learnt how to play multiple toques on different drums, learning rhythmic sequences, conversations and variations, hand techniques, developing coordination, autonomy and important patterns for future improvisation. We learn how the rhythms fit with the singing and the clave. All sessions are filmed and shared privately so that you can practice at home and be ready for the next class.Dave is an amazing teacher with huge passion, knowledge and patience. Vicky is a great musician, singer and a very inspiring thinker. They both make this learning experience special and I am so grateful for this.This course was also for me a chance to know more people who share a similar attitude towards art, music and life. I met very special people there.Vicky and Dave also organise music nights in London where anyone can play and apply what you have learnt in a wider context and with other amazing musicians!So it's clear that I highly recommend bombo production to all amateurs and professional musicians :D

Geoff Baker

21:23 18 Oct 22

Vicky and Dave are true experts in Cuban music, but their courses are accessible and everyone is made to feel welcome, whatever their background, so the group is very diverse. They are great teachers – highly knowledgeable and keen to make good music, yet always with a smile and a laugh. The music is gorgeous (they make their own arrangements, so you can only get it here!) and the atmospheric rehearsal space adds to the charm. Highly recommended!

Adam robinson

18:35 13 Oct 22

It's rare to find anyone as knowledgeable as Dave and Vicky. It's even more rare to find people who are as generous and welcoming. Anyone who has an interest in Afro Cuban music will be able get involved, learn and be pushed just enough - regardless of playing ability. I couldn't recommend their courses/workshops highly enough.

ohad lustigman

19:35 07 Aug 22

Highly recommended for anyone interested in Afro Cuban folkloric music, Bata or Salsa.Dave and Vicky have figured out the perfect formula to share their very deep knowledge in a really fun and relaxed but also intensive and challenging way.In both their online courses and face to face workshops, they are making sure to gently push you a bit further from where you are at -whether a total beginner or an advanced player.Only thing to be aware of is that this might be addictive.

Mariya

20:37 08 May 22

Over the past couple of years I have taken a number of courses with Bombo Productions and also attended their folkloric Afro-Cuban percussion retreat in Spain last year and I have to say that learning percussion with Vicky and Dave has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me. Dave and Vicky are wonderful teachers and people, who love sharing their knowledge and passion for music. I feel so much joy and gratitude after every class I take with them!Most recently, I attended the Level 2 in-person Salsa course offered by Dave. What I love about Dave’s salsa classes is that we get to learn a bit of each instrument in the percussion section. While I only have congas at home and the congas are (perhaps) the instrument I am most interested in, I always wanted to understand how the congas interact with the other percussion instruments. And I love it that I can now play a bit on the other instruments. And I absolutely love it that when I listen to salsa music, i can now distinctly hear the timbales, the bongos and the congas… it feels great. Thank you, Dave!The other thing I really enjoy about the salsa classes is that we don’t just learn patterns on the instruments, but we apply these to a specific song/arrangement prepared by Dave; as such we also learn to listen to (and play) the breaks, changes in clave, etc.I can’t speak highly enough of Dave and Vicky’s classes – whether these are salsa, batá, rumba or coro. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

simon todd

18:17 29 Apr 22

10/10 Salsa level 2 course!Seriously If you want to learn and understand Salsa music, arrangements, technique and the secrets of this Afro-Cuban music style, Dave Pattman is the man. Over the years I've done workshops with Dave and always been a great and rewarding experience.Very warm, friendly and energetic teacher, with extensive knowledge of this music.Can't recommend the course enough, Sometimes the courses run in a nice little studio in central Hackney or online over a 6 week period. New to online lessons it didn't take long to get into it, you get an upload of the lesson which is great, and the arrangement, with minus one options of instruments.Also Dave encourages you to send in videos of your playing with the tracks , so you really get a lot for your money.Prices are very reasonable for such high level tuition.This side of Havana Bombo productions is the place to go if you want to learn the real essence of Afro Cuban drumming, music and culture.

Dave Longman

10:59 29 Apr 22

I attended a level 2 salsa percussion course.The course content was perfect for me as I have covered the basics so many times. In these sessions, we used the patterns to build up 2 different salsa arrangements which was just what I needed - a real-life context in which to play the instruments. This was all supported with shared resources including minus-one tracks to play along at home.There were new patterns/techniques to learn for all the instruments - congas, bongo, timbales and guiroThe tutor had a wonderful, relaxed manner and was encouraging and supportive, while also finding ways to push our different ability levels.I would definitely attend another course sometime.

Camp Iroko 2025 – Afro-Cuban Folkloric Drum Camp

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