In 1994, Jonathan Mande fled the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo with his parents and nine siblings. Traveling first to Cameroon, they eventually emigrated to the U.S. For Jonathan, who didn't speak English, school was a struggle; he was often in trouble and ended up being diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD. But then he met Jorge Perez-Albela, a 50-year-old professional drummer and teacher from Lima, Peru. With Jorge's guidance, Jonathan found the rhythm within. "We started jamming, and it was a 'click' instantly," Jorge says. "You know we were speaking the same musical language right away."
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