Next time you pass by the desert in Dukhan and you hear a melodic humming on the beats of African drums, don’t be surprised. It indeed is African drumming but the players mostly are the amateur drum-lovers from the local expatriate communities led by South African master drummer Patrick Dilley.
You can actually join them. Inviting people to his group, Drumming Qatar, Dilley is holding the next interactive drumming session on the beach near Dukhan to celebrate the full moon on July 22. There will be drums, fire and facilitation provided, you just have to bring something to barbeque and to sit on.
“We welcome everyone even with the basic knowledge of drumming. It is basically an interactive sitting where you learn how to play at the spot and then join in with the group. It creates an amazing atmosphere,” Dilley tells Community.
He arrived in Qatar in 2011 and Drumming Qatar is an extension of his band formed 15 years ago in South Africa.
“In the first hour or so, we take you through the basic of playing a drum. And then the audience just follows me with the rhythm. It is very easy and we have all different kinds of drums that we provide to the attendees,” says Dilley.
He says the people are facilitated with interactive drumming team building using African drums and percussion at the event. At his group, he also facilitates interactive drumming workshops, conference opening and closing, parties, family days, festivals, incentive events, school workshops, community drum circles and tuition.
Dilley is an experienced professional drummer (traditional West African and drum kit) from South Africa who has performed solo and with his Team Spirit Band at festivals in South Africa, Namibia, the Middle East and China.
Patrick plays many different percussion instruments and drum kit but specialises in the West African djembe drum and its’ associated instruments. He is a qualified Learning Facilitator and uses these skills when teaching at schools or for running interactive teambuilding sessions using drums and rhythm.
He currently performs solo and with his Team Spirit drumming band and plays drum kit in a rock band. “The benefits of hand drumming are far reaching. There is something about the African drums especially that seems to get right down to the root of one’s soul and djembe is becoming increasingly popular internationally. It is such a versatile instrument for professionals or someone just wanting a bit of stress relief. It’s a real community instrument,” says Dilley.
His band, the Team Spirit Band, was formed in Cape Town in 2004. Patrick Dilley (aka Mr P), met Atsu Dagadu who was supporting Afrika Djane on dun dun at a workshop in Rustler’s Valley (South Africa) in 2003.
After a visit to Ghana to study and work with Atsu and other masters, Mr P returned to South Africa and formed The Team Spirit Band, who kicked off “The Big Drum” stage event (Cape Town) in 2005 with Atsu as lead drummer.
Shortly afterwards the first recording was done and the five track EP Djochwa Hawale was released. 
In 2006 Prosper Dagadu joined the band bringing some fresh ideas directly from 17 years of working with The National Theatre of Ghana. Within 72 hours of his arrival, they were in New Wave studios (Ryan Donnelly, St Francis Bay South Africa) recording Djembe Dance, an album of 18 traditional and created songs,
The next step in the band’s development can be witnessed by listening to the latest track, Wozani e Afrika, which demonstrates the musical diversity of the talent within the group.
The artists that collaborate with Team Spirit on Wozani are Patrick Dilley (djembe, drumkit), Michael Thorn (dundun, piano), Thomene (vox), Ladji Kante (djembe, balafon), and Thabo “T’Boz” Motau (djembe, steel pan). Dan Dewes (Groove Lab) plays guitar on Wozani alongside praise singer Mbulelo. Other artists that have performed with the band include Abdul Ala, Atsu and Prosper Dagadu, Moeketse Gibe, Charles Maema, Gavin Bonner, Rod Triton and Dingiswayo Juma, and Zenzele Ngwenya.