Quoting T.R.A.P. Director Eddie Tuduri:
“T.R.A.P. is an educational program that addresses basic life skills in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. This program started 11 years ago when I broke my neck in a bodysurfing accident in Carpenteria, California.”
This is an amazing story of a man, his message, and the healing power of music.
Eddie Tuduri has been a 1st call touring drummer since the early 70’s with The Beach Boys, The Eagles, Dwight Yoakam, Ronnie Hawkins (Canadian Tour) and others. He has also recorded with Ike Turner, The Five Man Electric Band (of ‘Sign, Sign, everywhere a Sign’ fame), and local heroes Chilliwack.
Eddie flew in from California to record on Chilliwack’s 1978 album Lights in The Valley. He doesn’t like to brag, though.
“I flew in and did the record in one day… They didn’t put my name on it, or say that I was the drummer, but somewhere on the back of that record, it says ‘Thanks to Joe’s Pizza, Harry’s Whatever and Eddie Tuduri’ (laughs).”
Fast forward to 1997. After the surfing accident, Eddie found himself paralyzed, hospitalized, and unemployed. The drummer was now faced with the biggest obstacle of his life. Doctors said he wouldn’t walk again, let alone go back to his job as a globe-trotting rock drummer.
One day Eddie asked the Orderly to place a drumstick in his one moveable hand, and he began knocking out a beat on his bed, or table leg. Then something incredible happened.
“A little old lady rolled in from the other side of the ward and said “Eddie, I want to play! So we gave her a cowbell…We had this little groove happening in the ward, and we were all laughing.”
Soon, more and more patients wanted to play. They clapped along, sang along, etc. Spirits were high, and doctors took notice. Drumming soon found its way into the everyday routine for this group of patients.
“All the therapists began to find a use for it, which they called Rhythm Therapy.”
Eddie says the media noticed his situation, too:
“Modern Drummer wrote about my accident, and I mentioned that I wanted some bongos and congas and some percussion items, and all the gear merchants started sending things to the hospital. They said Eddie, you need to stop. There was thousands of dollars (in gear) and they wouldn’t stop sending. I didn’t really know what I was going to do.”
Luckily, Eddie recovered from his accident and walked out of the hospital, albeit with a cane, only 6 weeks from surgery! He credits his recovery to the Rhythm Therapy he received, and thanked the patients and doctors and friendly folks upon his release. The hospital staff liked Eddie so much, they decided to bring him back twice a week to lead drum circles. Eddie found himself drumming for a living again, and soon The Rhythm Arts Project was born.
Eddie is living proof that rhythm and music-based therapy works. And it’s not just for accidents. People with physical and mental conditions like Downe’s Syndrome, William’s Syndrome, Tourrette’s, and MS can benefit from the project. In fact, Eddie’s recent work has mainly focused on working with people with those conditions.
Eddie describes a typical T.R.A.P. session:
“We sit in a half-moon and I sit in the centre of that. We start with Djembes. What we really focus on in the beginning is to get everyone to tune in, to listen to each other, to listen to me, take direction, take turns, respect each other, and support each other.”
Get to know your peers first, and then join them on the route to recovery.
“Everybody’s individual. If I was teaching the 3rd grade, in a typical school, those children would all be within that range, you know what they could comprehend. Now, I could have children who are 5 to 12, or 12 to 18 or 18 to 80! We’re working with many different levels, different ages, different cultures, different languages, all in the spirit of fun. ”
Teamwork, co-ordination, speech and simple math are among the exercises covered. Once the initial introductions are complete, the real magic happens. Eddie uses the human senses – touch, sound, sight – to allow people to cope with their various conditions and communicate to others in the group. The results are incredible.
Eddie is now taking his show in the road, showing the benefits of this program. Eddie is back in to Vancouver as part of a Cross-Canada promotional tour.
“This is our (T.R.A.P’s) first venture into Canada, but I’ve been working here off and on since the 70’s... From 82 to 85, I worked and toured with several different acts like Ronnie Hawkins, The Downchild Blues Band, The Lincolns, and Rocky Rouletti. I worked from Coast to Coast. I’ve probably seen more of Canada than most Canadians! (laughs) I fell in love with it. I have lots of friends in Canada. The Pearl Drum Company helps me to promote and market the rhythmic arts project here. They and the Sabian Cymbol Company are taking us from Toronto to Vancouver.”
At each stop along the way, Eddie presents the T.R.A.P. Promotional Video. You have to see it to fully understand what it’s all about. For a clear-cut demonstration of how this organization works to change lives and unlock creativity and character from individuals who are challenged by physical, mental and developmental disabilities, go check out:
www.traponline.com
*Click on the T.R.A.P. Video logo
For Eddie, now 60, the next step is franchising, and branching out the organization:
“I’d like to see 10 or 15 people who have the same passion for this and can carry it on. My goals are to clone myself and all these other folks to carry this program into the future.”
If you are interested in improving the lives of disabled people through the magic of music, please check out The Rhythm Arts Project. For more information, Eddie can be contacted at: eddie@traponline.com
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