Shyamuu (the junkyard percussionist) is an original member of the Drums No Guns world percussion ensemble, where he excelled on hand drums and established himself as one of the most talented bucket players in the world. Shyamuu has performed with some of the most talented master drummers on the planet, including the incomparable Sheila E (Sheila Cecilia Escovedo). He is renowned for his impromptu street performances in Richmond, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Denver, Colorado. He is also widely known for his signature slogan “I am the work, A product of my experiences.”

Shyamuu has overcome trials and tribulations from growing up in a ‘broken home’ to surviving juvenile and adult incarceration. He says, “It’s not the environment that defines who you are, it’s the experiences in your environment that do.” Shyamuu promotes a dynamic and relevant message of self-respect, self-responsibility, and self-justice to people of all ages and backgrounds, through sharing his signature Junk Yard Jam (JYJ) workshop at community centers, detention facilities, national conferences, organizations, and schools across the country.

Shyamuu created the JYJ when he was 11 years old. His ability to produce multilayered polyrhythms on recycled materials formed into percussive instruments evolved into an extraordinary skill set. Likewise, his compassion for the youth and his keen facilitation skills are starting to crest. His interactive sessions are exciting, inspiring, motivating, and uplifting. 

The Junk Yard Jam brings together yoga and mindfulness, trauma awareness and resilience, performance art, and culturally responsive circles. JYJ is an arts-based approach to restorative justice for school and community settings. This transformative community building and community healing circle blends street drumming with traditional rhythms. It’s a potent mixture of junkyard and world percussion instruments. This contemplative practice combines
5-gal plastic buckets, re-cycled metal pots, pans, trash can tops, 5-gal water jugs and crates with bongos, congas, djembes, djun djuns, doumbeks, shekeres, surdos, and much more! Social dance, ritual poetic drama, spoken word poetry, and visual arts are integrated into the mix to spice up this transformative rhythmic experience.

JYJ is a mindfulness based restorative practice (MBRP) developed by Drums No Guns, Foundation in Richmond, Virginia as a response to community gun violence and school shootings across the United States. JYJ has been implemented in Washington, DC, New Haven, Hartford, and Chicago to promote community health and wellbeing. The Junk Yard Jam is currently being employed in schools and communities throughout Richmond and Denver. This innovative restorative justice practice involves the power of sound, rhythmic vibration, drumming, creative movement, call & response, words, images, circle process, mindfulness, and other strategies for trauma awareness and resilience in order to restore hearts and minds.

Ways to Engage

Classes
Circles
Presentations
Performances
Workshops

Your donations help to support youth and families traumatized by gun violence.

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