Kevin's Watch

I'm a pretty big fan of percussion. Not close to an expert, but I have some pretty incredible cd's.

Planet Drum - Mickey Hart
Certainly the most popular one on my list. Incredible stuff, each piece completely different from the rest.

Heartbeat Drummers - Kodo
They're pretty popular, I think. Actually, I think Japanese drumming groups are MUCH better live, because the show - syncronization, power, etc - is great stuff. But still, the album is cool.

Ramana - Glen Velez
Velez is an extraordinary hand-drummer. He plays all kinds of different drums from all over the world, as well as things like African seed pods, Filiipino buzz sticks, foot bells, and other stuff. But even when it's just him playing one drum, like the bodhran, is amazing!!

Bougarabou: Solo Drumming of Casamance - Saikouba Badjie
The Jola live in Casamance. Bougarabou (boo-GAR-a-boo) drumming accompanies all Jola dance. Here's a few things from the liner notes:

Performances typically start in the evening and continue until daybreak. While an assistant wipes the sweat from his brow and feeds him a fortifying potion of roots, Saikouba plays through the night without stopping. Some performances last for days.

Before playing, Saikouba puts on bracelets of banana-shaped bells (sijaowangas) and heats his drums in front of a fire to brighten their tone.
...
Like other bougarabou drummers, Saikouba commands a repertoire of rhythmic phrases, called ropes (kanu). Each rope has a name and is often associated with a particular individual. For example, one Jola dancer's rope is called Tboj lit; takumunyup, Bakari (Step smartly; don't squat Bakari). A dancer will approach the drummer and ask him to "play his rope."

The first time I heard this disc, I looked at the back to see who the various drummers were, and how many, but there wasn't any reference to Saikouba's co-drummers. Turns out he's the only one!! It took me a long time to figure this out, because, from the sound, there's no way less than three people were drumming. But it's all him. He has four or five drums set up, and I don't imagine you can actually see his hands as he plays. They're probably just a blur for hours on end.

Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion - Bela Bartok
(For the record, the piano is a percussion instrument, because the hammers hit the keys.) This is a pretty awesome piece, with all kinds of things playing along with the pianos, even a snare drum. 20th Century music at its finest.

You can't go wrong with any of Mickey Hart's (former drummer and percussionist for The Greatful Dead) solo albums. Pat Metheney, Ottmar Liebert and Santana boast some of the best percussionists in the world! Phil Collins' stuff with Brand X is damm amazing. I played percussion (and harmonica) with a Jersey group called Lynx (Greatful Dead/Allman Bros oriented band) and Steel Breeze (a Dead/Jazz/Reggae band out of Maryland) playing congas, timbales, bongos, tamborine, triangle, fish, cowbell, penny whistle, whistles, "slide flute", kazoo, gong, jewsharp (cracked a tooth on that one ) and pea tupperware. Oh that I knew of a Rainstick back then!

danlo wrote:jewsharp (cracked a tooth on that one )

Ouch!!

Thanks for the recommendations, Fist! I'll keep those CD's in mind. I've never seen a Kodo show, but we do have a locally based Japanese drumming ensemble called Fubuki Daiko. I first saw them in concert a few years ago and WOW! They took my breath away. Like you said, the synchronized movements and the power of the sound are amazing. You're right: this stuff is meant to be experienced LIVE. Recordings can't capture the raw energy and presence of drummers like these.

I haven't seen Kodo either, but I saw a group play at the International Festival at Hunter Mountain, NY, one year. They were a NYC based group. It was pretty awesome.

Jamie Muir

Back in my musical days I had a five-string bass guitar with the bottom string tuned to a low (almost below human hearing) A. It needed an unGodly powerful amp, but it could be used to make some interesting percussive effects as well as to quell riots. It enabled the band to use some really weird rythyms as the bottom string, when slapped, could be made to sound like a kick drum.

Fist and Faith wrote:Heartbeat Drummers - Kodo
They're pretty popular, I think. Actually, I think Japanese drumming groups are MUCH better live, because the show - syncronization, power, etc - is great stuff. But still, the album is cool.

I expect you're right about live being best, Fist. I have on video a show about Kodo, and I infinitely prefer it to my Kodo CD.

Gotta love Moby Dick.

And, since King Crimson is on my mind, I think Bruford is extraordinary.

Nav: do yu have any recordings, I'd love to hear that!

I've got a few old cassettes somewhere, but I wasn't allowed to use that particular setup when we were recording, as it drove our drummer mad and the producer guy didn't like it either.

I lifted the idea from another bass playing friend who was in a metal band, so I'll ask him the next time I see him.

thanks