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ABOUT RHYTHM TRADERS:
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Rhythm Traders, founded in 1992, is a locally owned
full-line drum shop in a 11,000 sq/ft facility, featuring a 5000 sq/ft showroom, an equal 5000 sq/ft
of warehouse and repair facilities, plus an additional 1000 sq/ft in lesson studios. Recently selected as Oregon's only Five-Star Drum Shop, we have the Northwest's most extensive selection of drum sets, cymbals, marching & symphonic percussion, djembes, congas, and world percussion. We offer lessons, repair, rentals, school packages, and have an extensive kids' drum section. We have Portland's most comprehensive drum lesson program, and a large Community Lesson Room for drumset master classes and group samba, conga, & djembe lessons. Every year we bring some of the world's best drummers for clinics which in the past have included Steve Ferrone, Alex Acuna, Benny Greb, Mamady Keita, Famoudou Konate, Horacio "el Negro" Hernandez, Luis Conte, Donny Osborne, Russ Miller and many others. Five-Star Bill of Rights: As North America's leading independent drum shops, the owner-members of the Five-Star network are dedicated to providing all drummers with:
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For drum sets and accessories, we're authorized dealers
for Ludwig, Yamaha, Roland, Gretsch, Pearl, DW, Mapex, Sonor, and Brady in addition to the used and
vintage kits we offer. We have the region's largest cymbal vault, with Zildjian, Meinl, Sabian,
Paiste, Wuhan, UFIP, Istanbul, and Amedia cymbals stacked floor to ceiling. We stock a large
selection of Gibraltar parts and bulk supplies; Remo, Evans, & Aquarian heads; Vic Firth, Promark,
Vater, Regal Tip, & Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets; Roc-n-Soc thrones; and hundreds of CDs,
method books, and DVDs for all drummers. We have the largest and most comprehensive World Percussion showroom in the country with LP, Gon Bops, Contemporanea, Meinl, Fat Congas, Tycoon, Toca, Remo, Rhythm Tech, and JCR as well as local craftsmen. We carry our own line of Latin instruments including congas, timbales, bongos, cajons, and bata drums. And we import the highest quality hand-carved djembes, dununs, bells and other African instruments ourselves from the same craftsmen in West Africa who first supplied us with master-quality instruments nearly 20 years ago. Stop by in person or online, and discover our low prices and huge selection of drums, percussion, cymbals and accessories. Find out what Oregonians have always known; that they can shop locally while still getting the best prices, and superior product knowledge & customer service from fellow drummers. We have FREE on-site parking, and there's NEVER sales tax in Oregon. Sticks, heads, and cymbals are 40% OFF everyday. Come see why we're The Drummer's Toy Store... |
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 Alex Acuna Workshop 2009 at Rhythm Traders | ||
OUR HISTORY: | |||||
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A drummer since the age of eight, company
founder Brad Boynton set off in 1990, for a nine month trip to West Africa, with a degree in
Anthropology and his backpack. He chose Africa because it appeared to be the epicenter of rhythm
itself. Whether it was American jazz, Brazilian Samba, or Cuban Rumba, all roads
pointed back to Africa. While in Ghana, he lived with nomads, drummers, drum makers, fortune
tellers, and oral historians. | ||||
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Brad apprenticed with a master drum carver, Teacher
Boateng, who taught him the entire process of carving a drum, from cutting the tree to repairing
and maintaining the drum, to playing it for village ceremonies. | ||||
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When the apprenticeship was finished, there was a ceremony with all of the village carvers and Brad was
presented with his own set of tools. "Are you going to carve drums in America?" asked his teacher. Brad
answered that although he wanted to, it would be very hard to make a living doing so in America, where value
is placed on time and use of technology. All of the carvers discussed it, and decided to ask Brad if he would help market their drums in the U.S. THe carvers advanced him a few dozen drums to be paid for when they sold, and Rhythm Traders was born. | ||||
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After finding funding and a store front, Brad returned to West Africa to hand select
more drums and other percussion. After several months, a container was full and
on its way to the U.S. In the summer of 1992, African Rhythm Traders
opened its doors on West Burnside in Portland, Oregon. | ||||
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Word quickly spread that "The Traders" was packed floor to ceiling with a great
diversity of drums, with classes, repairs, drum supplies and good conversation.
Months have turned into years, and the storefront has moved several times, each location
has gotten successively larger, but
Brad's philosophy is still what guides the business: "...it's not enough just to sell a drum, you have to know the culture it comes from; the people who made it; you have to be able to repair it; and you need to offer lessons so it can be properly played. I owe it to my customers to know about the instruments that I sell. It's that simple," Brad maintains. | ||||
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Along with our website, launched in 1997, we've grown into one of the most extensive drum shops in the country,
shipping worldwide. We manufacture our own house brand of instruments from all over the world. And while to this day we still work
with the carvers in West Africa who helped us start the business, we also import instruments from Turkey, Asia, and beyond. We are
able to buy direct, support fair-trade worldwide, and pass the savings on to YOU.
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Brad, and members of his staff, have traveled worldwide to look for higher quality and better value in drums. As always, they seek
to learn about the cultures and the people who produce the drums. Over time, the quality and range of drums we carry has expanded
and improved. Care is always taken to pay above market value for all products and to develop our business relationships
with reciprocity, sustainability, and fair-trade in mind. | ||||
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With every trip abroad, Brad takes bulging suitcases full of things as a way of giving something back. We've brought toys and clothes
to preschool children in Guinea, planted trees and brought textbooks to students in Ghana, brought instruments to musicians in Cuba,
funded costumes for a performing group in Senegal, and brought tools and money to build a top-flight workshop for our carvers in Ivory
Coast. Many carvers work exclusively for our business and we want them to feel a part of the company. | ||||
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In a continuing effort to know more about how instruments are made, we have been to places like the Sonic conga factory in Havana;
to the Adams timpani factory in Holland; the Sabian cymbal factory in New Brunswick, Canada; and to the Meinl percussion headquarters
in Germany. Why? To share it with you. You can see glimpses of what we do on YouTube and in our Photo Gallery. | ||||
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Welcome to the Rhythm Traders' family: African Rhythm Traders, Latin Rhythm Traders, and Rhythm Traders Drum
Sets & Combo. It's been a long, joyous ride, and we couldn't have done it without you...our
loyal customers and friends. THANK YOU!!! | ||||
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Rhythm Traders is dedicated to providing
you, the musician, with the highest quality products available. Whether it's a custom
Brady snare drum, a meticulously hand-carved djembe from West Africa, a hand-hammered cymbal
from Istanbul, a vintage drum set, or a tambourine for church...we strive to know our products
and offer you the best. |
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For Drum Sets and Combo, we are authorized dealers for Yamaha, Ludwig, DW, Roland, Pacific,
Mapex, Pearl, Gretsch, Sonor, and Brady. We also manufacture our own "Broadway Series" house
brand of kits. We carry snare kits and bell sets for the beginning drummer in the family and have
a rent-to-own program to get the kids started early. |
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You get the musicians discount everyday! Our stock drum heads, sticks, and cymbals are always
40% OFF. We offer FREE lesson, FREE PAS (Percussive Arts Society) membership, FREE assembly
& tuning, and LIFETIME tech support on EVERY kit we sell. |
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Our Cymbal Vault, the largest in Oregon, is stocked with Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Paiste, UFIP,
and hand-hammered Istanbul cymbals. We import Amedia cymbals directly from the cymbal-smiths
in Turkey, and we bring in our own line of student cast cymbals from China starting at just $25.00. |
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Our Stick and Mallet section is stocked full of orchestral and drum corp sticks, and mallets, including
Promark, Vic Firth, Vater, Regal Tip, Ludwig, Zildjian, Ahead, Innovative Percussion, American Drum, and
Swarms. |
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To the African beat, we carry Ivory Coast, Mali & Guinea djembes and dununs for the beginner to professional
player in a range of sizes and quality. We have "backpacker" djembes, the perfect
size for traveling. We carry all Sabar drums from Senegal, Ewe drums from Ghana, with all the accessories like
stands, straps, mallets, and cases. We have countless other types of bells and shakers, from all
over Africa, and drum making supplies such as goat skins, rope, rings, pulling tools, and much more. |
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In our Latin Quarter, we've got congas from Meinl, Gon Bops, LP, Matador, Tycoon, Pearl Percussion, Remo, and Toca.
Not only do we usually have all sizes (Requinto, Quinto, Conga (a.k.a Segundo or Tres Dos), Tumbadora) in stock, but
we can order nearly anything. We also carry our own house brand of Latin Rhythm Traders instruments, including Ash Congas in
5 sizes (including our 14" Super Tumba..."El Monstruo"), Brass & Copper Timbales, and Bata drums. |
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We carry Brazilian and other Latin percussion by Fat Congas, JCR, RMV, Artcelsior, Contemporanea,
and Metalworks by Pete Engelhart. We also have great berimbaus and surdos from
Brazil. In addition, we have an extensive selection of
instructional books, DVDs, and CDs to improve your samba, rumba, or timba grooves. |
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We stock drum bags from Protection Racket, Humes & Berg, and XL/Protechtor. We carry a full line of hardware, from great
little companies like Roc-N-Soc, to the big guys like Gibraltar, Yamaha, and DW, who carry everything for both the percussionist and
kit player. |
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We have an extensive selection of instructional materials....from the classic books
for the beginner to the latest DVDs for Pro's wanting to find a deeper pocket. If you are a drummer,
you've got to come check out the Northwest's most extensive drum source! |
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We've got a special kids' section for the smallest musicians...carrying great Remo Kids
drums, fun percussion, mini djembes, and CDs. We also have lots of bells,
kazoos, harmonicas, xylophones, whistles, and shakers. We have great bell sets and snare drum kits
for your beginning band student, too. |
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We have a great selection of World Percussion, whether it's
darbukas and dumbeks from Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan, Tablas from India, Bodhrans
from Ireland, singing bowls, Peruvian cajons, Ibo drums, authentic donkey jawbones, or hand-crafted marimbas. |
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We carry a wide selection of CDs and DVDs from all over the world, specializing in top session drummers,
hard-to-find releases, African, and Latin music. Afterall, one of the best ways to learn is by putting on the
headphones and playing along with your favorite drummers! |
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We stock all of the drum building supplies you need and have a huge parts wall with bulk supplies (hoops,
lugs, felts, snare wires). For djembe builders, you'll find rings, djembe rope,
goat and cow skins (with and without hair), and drum shells. We have knowledgeable staff
who can give you pointers on drum repair and building; the same knowledgeable staff who put together and tune
each and every drum before it's sold.
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What more could a drummer want? Well, what about Audix mics, Roland triggers and Handsonics, Boss drum machines, samplers,
amps, cords, cymbal clocks, and mousepads? Clearsonic sound shields and acoustic treatments for churches and home studios,
and perhaps most important...ear protection. We'll custom fit your Proplugs earplugs while you wait. |
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Rhythm Traders believes deeply in education and has lesson studios, including a large community lesson room, for drumset
master classes and group conga, djembe, and samba classes, in addition to private-lesson space. Our all-star team of teachers
includes many of Portland's finest musicians, including James Travers, Israel Annoh, Caton Lyles, Alex Yore, Derek Reith, Brian Davis, Sekou
Soumah, Donny Osborne, Carlton Jackson, and Miguel Bernal. |
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Brad, Owner (with "Piloto" (on right) in Cuba) Dubbed by the rest of us, "El Terifico", Brad is the man with the vision. Not only a great drummer, but his love of Rhythm Traders is what keeps our company growing and continually striving. This is not just a business to Brad, but a way of life and an integral part of the community. To him, drumming and travel are ways of sharing his passion with others. He has traveled extensively to Cuba, West Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. He has studied in Guinea with Mamady Keita, in Senegal with Leopold Lo, in Ghana with Mustapha Tetteh Addy, and in Havana, Cuba with Eduardo Velazquez. You'll catch him out on the town playing Timbales with Melao de Cuba. |
| "Sarge", Store Manager "Sarge" has been a part of Rhythm Traders since 2002. Not only our Store Manager, he also heads up our drum set, cymbals, and accessories division. When asked what wisdom he would like to impart..."Start your kids drumming right away...it's great fun, expands their minds, and is a great stress reliever. I got my first pair of sticks in sixth grade, by eighth was playing rock n'roll cover tunes at high school proms and look at me now! Ok...bad example...BUT I am great fun to do business with!" "Sarge" established our lesson programs and continues to play at proms around town...he's also a rockin' M.C. |
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Bryan, Sales & Drum Repair Bryan has been with us since 1996, helping with customers and heading up our repair department. He is the "gigin-est" reggae bass player in town... and he knows lots about drums. You can also find him playing with Portland Latin bands, Afincando, Cuba Aché, and Melao de Cuba. |
| Mario, Mail Order/Customer Service Mario has been with us since November 2004 and has the huge job of getting our orders out and making sure that our customers get all their questions answered. A self-taught kit drummer, he's been playing in bands for over 10 years. Mario grew up in Guatemala and comes from a long legacy of Latino musicians and is grandson of Enrique Sandoval. He's also a great vocalist and conguero, playing with Cubaneo every Thursday night. Mario tambien habla espanol para todos los hermanos Latinos. Si pues! |
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James, Sales and Teacher James has worked for us for over a decade. He has studied and taught drums for over 17 years. His specialties include Timba, Salsa, Funk, and Reggae. He has been in many of Portland's top bands such as; Agua Miel, Rubberneck, Black Angel, Linda Hornbuckle, Bobby Torres, and African Kings. James regularly travels to Cuba and is Portland's specialist in contemporary Afro-Cuban drumset--timbale applications. |
| Alex, Sales Alex has been with us since 2006. He moved out here from SW Michigan for Portland's great music scene. Can be seen playing around town with Reggae Ambassadors. Influences include "El Negro" and Chris Pennie. Alex's specialty on the sales floor is drum set and percussion. He's got some pretty sweet dance moves, too. |
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Douglas, Sales Douglas is a recent addition to the Rhythm Traders staff. He is a native Spanish speaker from El Salvador, a super sick conga player, and our new resident Latin percussion expert. Douglas can be seen playing around town with his cuban dance band, Afincando, and running soundboard at all of our events. |
| Jeff, Sales Jeff has been with us since 1994. He was with the Peace Corps in Ghana, speaks some Ewe, Twi, and Ga, and is our Ghana specialist. Jeff can be found playing hand percussion all around town in his free time. |
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Sekou Soumah, The Triple Threat We call Sekou the "triple threat" because he builds beautiful djembes, is a phenomenal djembe player, AND dances. Sekou has been building our "Master Series" Djembes for us since 2001. He has built our djembes for Giovanni Hidalgo, Mickey Hart, and LP President David McAllister. Sekou has traveled and performed in Guinea, West Africa, is a certified Tam Tam Mandingue professor, and has appeared in African Dance videos, including Tinkanyi with Moustapha Bangoura. He teaches African dance and drumming classes in Portland and is continues to apprentice under Moustapha Bangoura for dance and Mamady Keita for djembe. |
| Tobi, Drum Repair In addition to helping us with drum repairs, Tobi was the general contractor for the shop renovation in 2001...AND worked tirelessly on our huge move/renovation to the new store in the winter of 2009. He studies Afro-cuban percussion and is a member of the Lions of Batucada. Tobi has traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Brazil. He studies Brazilian percussion with Jorge Alabe and is our resident Samba and Talking Drum authority. |
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Kirstin, Website Developer The woman behind the scenes (isn't there always one?)...Not only Brad's wife, but also the web designer and developer, and most importantly, mother to her "Little Drummer Boys" (that aren't so little anymore). Working continually to keep our website fresh, full of new products, and as fun as possible. |
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THE FIVE-STAR BILL OF RIGHTS: |
As North America's leading independent drum
shops, the owner-members of the Five-Star network are dedicated to providing all drummers with:
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| Easy Exchanges: | You may return or exchange your instrument within 14 days with receipt. |
| Easy Layaway: | Just 1/3rd down. No interest, no minimum payments. |
| Free Lessons: |
With every drum set sold, and the purchase
of congas, djembes, Ghanaian drums, and Brazilian percussion. (Sorry, In-Store only) |
| Buy-Sell-Trade: | Bring in your elderly instruments and cymbals for CASH or credit on anything in the store! |
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 African Rhythm Traders Djembes, Dununs, African Drums, CDs & DVDs, Drum Building Supplies, Bags & Stands, and more! |
 Latin Rhythm Traders Congas, Timbales, Bongos Latin Percussion, CDs & DVDs, Supplies, Stands, & more gear! |
 RT Drum Sets & Combo Drum Sets, Cymbals, Percussion, Snares, Cases, Sticks, Hardware & Gear, at LOW prices! |
