Tassa Originals: Mr. Boodoo Singh and his son Lenny (Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa Band)

Featured in this clip are two famous tassa drummers: Mr. Boodoo Singh and his son Lenny. You all have seen so-called "Boodoo Singh" tassa clips on youtube, but never seen or heard the two foundational drummers that started the championship legacy and paved the way for the group's recognition. Mr. Singh has been playing tassa over 60 years and even though he is retired in drumming, every now and then he picks up the drum and plays a sweet rhythm, like in this clip. In case you all don't know, Mr. Singh won the first tassa taal in 1984 and since then, his family based tassa group known as the "BoodooSingh Tassa Band", won countless first place awards in which his eldest son Mr. Lenny Kumar (the one playing bass in this video) was the "cutter" (lead tassa drummer) and innovator. Aside from being the lead cutterman, Lenny was also Singh's original bassman in his family lineage. Lenny is also credited to composing the ever popular tassa hands known as "chutney" and "bhangra" as well as many other beats, cuts AND taals; he also INVENTED a certain modified plastic shell tassa (not to be confused with the nut-and-bolt tassa) that is pretty popular and seen in places like New York, yes this was Lenny's invention and innovation. Lenny started his tassa training at the tender age of 5, but it was at the age of 8, through training from his father, Lenny become a professional tassa drummer and played alongside with elder drummers such as Hyder Ali, Bhutwa, Halo and John Brown (all whom are deceased). In 2004, Lenny decided to take a new approach based on his vision for tassa and created the Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa Academy; a couple of his band members/students are featured in this clip as well. Within a small amount of time after T&T Sweet Tassa was formed, a franchise of the band was created in Central Florida. Again with Lenny's leadership, the new group has achieved national and international recognition, by taking a different path in comparison to other tassa bands. Mr. Boodoo Singh has also retired from drumming, but on many occasions, he will travel w/ his son Lenny and will sometimes pick up a tassa and play a melody for many listeners. Trinidad & Tobago Sweet Tassa functions as an independent and fully democratic band in which they do not partake in the mainstream tassa world; the band is progressive in nature and are doing things no other bands have done before. Don't be fooled by imitators who claim connection and relation.

[@guyanese2000]

this makes me dance everytime i listen to this :) keep it up brother

[@Logistics2011]

@codeblutoronto The type of drum referred in the description is something totally different that came about in the early 2000s, I wasn't talking about a non-goatskin drum in general. Either way, thanks for the comments...respect

[@infinityx33]

The only thing wrong about this video is that it is too short!

[@josepersaud7131]

wow nice.

[@luckyreubs]

@codeblutoronto dude you got to carry it by krishna in malick he say he invent that drum....