#hand drums

On the Ifness - Cacia’s (from U-Udios 4, U-Udios 2020)

Emotional Rescue is delighted to present a collection of works by the founding father of the modern drum movement, Glen Velez. Collated from his first 3 solo albums from 1985 to 1989, Sweet Season is a snapshot in to the pioneering composing and performance of this four-time Grammy winner. Born in 1949, of Mexican American ancestry, Velez grew up in Texas before moving to New York in 1967. Playing jazz on the drums he soon gravitated to hand drums from around the world (frame drums in particular), seeking out teachers from many different musical traditions. Among the many instruments Velez favours are the Irish bodhrán, the Brazilian pandeiro, the Arabic riq, the North African bendir and the Azerbaijani ghaval. Although these instruments are similar in construction they have their own playing techniques that open new possibilities. Sweet Season highlights this vocabulary, mixing and adapting techniques from various cultures to develop new ones. The music, often composed as cross-cultural ensembles, has a particular fondness for polyrhythms – superimposing different meters simultaneously – while incorporating Stepping Split-tone and Central Asian Overtone singing, plus bells, flute, piano, tambourine and more to complete the global horizons. This new genre of contemporary drumming has been hugely influential and seen Velez work with the likes of John Cage and Steve Reich, as well as teaching his virtuosic combinations of hand movements and finger techniques to many emerging players.

Priscilla Ermel - Martim Pescador (from Origens da Luz, Music from Memory 2020)

Androo - Hanko (Poly Dance , 2018)

Dialing in the tones. Beta57 sounding better than the M160 on the hi drum. Snare is a ‘60s Ludwig Acrolite, sounds so good. Even the overhead sounds pretty sweet (414) as I try some shakers too. Playing with my hands mostly.

Tambora residents in Jakarta, Indonesia, one of the most densely populated area in Southeast Asia, each morning using an active railways near Duri station as … source Street Food Bangkok

REVERIES 20 #17 “the snake eats itself” was originally published on Luke Janela

REVERIES 19 #59 “a path through an archway” was originally published on Luke Janela