This is beautiful. Justin Vernon with Bon Iver drummer S. Carey accompanying on piano and vocals.
Bon Iver at AIR Studios
Blues Armada
Drumming with Blues Armada last night in Doncaster on Ian West‘s beautiful DW hip kit.
Brassing It Up
Brass Banding tonight out in Huddersfield for rehearsals with the Golcar Brass Band for the Yorkshire Regionals.
Johann Johannsson – An Injury to One is the Concern of All
Taken from the Icelandic composer, Johann Johannsson’s slow burning and brooding epic score The Miners’ Hymns, taken from Bill Morrison’s film examining the culture and history of mining around Durham.
FOR SALE: Paiste Crystal 14″ HiHats
Mint condition. Barely used.
Unique angular shaped bell gives them a silky and crisp controlled sustain perfect for recording situations.
£245
Dance Studio Rehearsal
Rehearsing in a dance studio this afternoon. Safe to say it has natural reverb set to 11.
Bats For Lashes – Glass
I recently rediscovered Bats For Lashes following a lot of extensive listening to Bjork and found this video from Glastonbury with exquisite tom playing that I am very fond of from Sarah Jones.
Circles Studio
Today was a day in the studio with Circles recording some live demos. The new material sounds amazing and am dead excited for the following year!
Luke Cannon Quintet
Every first Thursday of the month, the Luke Cannon Quintet will entertain at Doncaster’s Relish Bar and Grill playing a varied set of jazz.
Circles Rehearsal Kit
Despite our many affairs and the fact that none of this kit matches, I still have a lot of love for this Circles rehearsal kit.
The kit is my Brady snare, Mapex bass drum, Yamaha tom and a percussion plus floor tom!
2012 Begins
Happy New Year!
Usually January is a quick chance to take a breather and enjoy a bit of space whilst gigs hold fire. However, this week is so far looking busy with Circles and function rehearsals along with a studio session with Circles and three gigs. Now best tune my drums!
Here’s a wee picture from a recent record shopping trip to Manchester.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas one and all! Here’s what I put together for Christmas dinner. Yum!
Dave King Trucking Company – Good Old Light
Taking time from his duties in The Bad Plus and Happy Apple amongst many others, Dave King released his Trucking Company album ‘Good Old Light’ earlier in the year, which I sadly missed at the point of release, but AJ Nash kindly introduced me to it. Dave King describes the album as ‘if the great Nashville bands of the ’60s and ’70s could improvise and were Coltrane fanatics.’ Awesome. Listen here!
Keith Jarrett – Endless
Thanks to Dave Walsh for showing me this. This is a stunning track from the ’87 live album from Keith Jarrett (w/ Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette) titled Changeless. The track grows beautifully and is genuinely one of the best things I’ve heard all year.
John Martyn – Small Hours
Heard this on 6 Music yesterday. Beautiful.
Albums of 2011
Here is a Spotify playlist I have compiled of my favourite albums of the year. The list is as follows:
1. Jóhann Jóhannsson – The Miners’ Hymns: United To Obtain The Just Reward Of Our Labour
2. Three Trapped Tigers – Route One or Die
3. Bon Iver – s/t
4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – s/t
5. Wild Beasts – Smother
6. tUnE-yArDs – Who Kill
7. Washed Out – Within and Without
8. Sebastian Rochford / Pamelia Kurstin – Ouch Evil Slow Hop
9. Round Trip – s/t
10. Battles – Gloss Drop
Festive Gigs / Studio Sessions / Sun Ra
As well as a few festive gigs, studio sessions and lots of composing; this weekend I went to see the mighty Sun Ra Arkestra in Manchester, which was truly inspiring.
Delivery
This morning I had a lovely delivery from Remo with some skins, including the new Powerstroke Pro bass drum skin – can’t wait to give it a go! In addition just skinned a new Evans Hybrid Coated snare head onto my Brady. Absolutely beautiful skin. They’re made from two unique weaves of fibers originally used on marching snare drums that give a phat and round sound, and that is also perfect for brushes. Can’t see myself going back now!