Drummers will take centre stage in a bid to help raise funds for a much needed van for The Centre's children.

Eddie Ming's Rhythm Lab drummers will play at The Salt Fish and Corn Bread Friday Dinner for Sammy Wilson, which takes place at The Centre, on Angle Street, in Hamilton.

The event will also feature Hands of Afro Kool, The Man and the Monkey, Drum Sunday, The Tiny Tots Drum Team, Nick Swan's Percussion Ensemble and Sifu Kevin (Lamb) Watson. Mr. Watson will perform both a Native American tomahawk war dance and in a Tai Chi and Kung Fu demonstration.

The drummers, who will be knocking out the Samba beats, prepared for the performance with visiting percussionist Memo Acevedo, who teaches at New York's Drummer's Collective and New York University.

Mr. Acevedo, who teaches Latin, Samba and Afro-Cuban beats, said he has been drumming for the past 35 years.

“I am Colombian and people are always asking why I am teaching Afro-Cuban and Brazilian, but the thing is, I always say music doesn't have flags,” he said.

“I have been fortunate enough where I have been able to play with Brazilians and Cubans. I have played Rock and all kinds of other music.”

After winning the Juno Award and having a successful career in Canada, Mr. Acevedo moved to New York to teach. “At this stage of my life I'm so much into education that I believe that this is one of the ways to keep the children of today out of trouble and to give them hope,” he said.

“Eddie and I have been talking about putting on this programme for at least five years, and I am really touched that by his own efforts he has created this. I'm ready to go back to New York and tell people (instructors) to get here because these young people are so beautiful to me.

“I have had them here from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and they are no trouble.

“I am used to teaching professionals and in the past my experiences teaching kids have been really bad, until these ones. I was ready to do it because of Eddie and Nick, and somehow there is a huge difference between the youth here and there.”

Before Mr. Acevedo came the drummers knew only the basics of Samba, said Rhythm Lab instructor Nick Swan.

“This is the great thing about the Lab, they cover all the basics.”

Mr. Swan said he first met Mr. Acevedo at New York's Drummer's Collective four years ago. “Professionals and amateurs come from all over the world just to be there,” Mr. Acevedo said.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with show time at 7 p.m.. Dinner follows at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at The Centre and the Music Box for $15.