JAN' '19 / UPDATE !
Thank you for checking in , everyone !
Despite my best intentions , ’18 'got away from me‘ & I’m only now finding the time for this much overdue update. Here’s some highlights from last year - & also what’s coming up this { ’19 } year too .. your patience is appreciated !
First off , I’m a week or so away from again traveling to the West Coast for the ‘NAMM' show [ look it up if you’re not familiar ] - & similar to ’18 [prior to visiting the show], I’m doing a day’s Masterclass at San Diego’s “Studio West" which will involve playing & discussing studio work .. the evening will involve cutting two tracks with an ensemble - all good fun ! After namm , I’m recording with Alex Wright & Marvin Etzioni .. then catching the ‘red-eye’ back to Boston in time for the monthly “KBMG” date in Beverly , MA ! Whilst we’re on the subject of “KBMG” , our new CD ‘ Live at Chianti ‘ is storming up the charts [ “ shurly shome mishtake ? “ Chart Ed. ] . The band continues to be my main focus, although there’s many other things going on for me here in New England , as you’ll read. Later in March , I’ll be in the UK for the annual / spring “Feast of Fiddles“ tour around the country ; said tour is preceded by a date with my friends [& top 'jazz-ers'] John Donaldson , Andrew Cleyndert & Mark Lockheart - & I’m also doing two dates with the Bob Brookes’ band .. details on all those are on my site here. Going forward , I’m pleased to let you UK folk know I’ve again been invited to take part in the [“Fairport”] “Cropredy” music festival which takes place in August in Oxfordshire . 2019 is the 40th anniversary of the festival itself ; as well as guesting with ‘FC’ , I’ll also be playing a set with Richard Thompson .
Ok ; here’s an overview & some highlights from ’18.
JANUARY started off with a trip to Washington DC to play with Maryann Redmond .. Maryann is great singer [check out ‘Redmond/Cooley/Langosch’ “Compared to What" CD] .. then it was off to the W. Coast for “NAMM”, etc., ..
MARCH / APRIL included sessions in NH for Dave Howland [another cd that’s now available - tis worth checking out] & also sessions for Carlos Almeda - those also took place in New Hampshire. The highlight of March was the party Caron threw for my 70th .. lets just say a grand time was had by all ! I left for the UK later that month, & as well as the “Feast of Fiddles" tour, did a nice date with the “Blues Band’s" Gary Fletcher.
MAY saw a visit to us here from another good friend, Neil Percy - Neil is head of percussion at London’s Royal Academy of Music & also the principal perc’ with the LSO - & is truly a top chap to boot ! May also saw the first of many dates throughout the year with Cassandre Mckinley - I can highly recommend her new CD “Dragonfly” [which i’m on - bias alert !]. I also continued to work on Debra Cowan’s CD ; I’m producing , arranging, playing drums & keyboards on this - it’s [gradually!] coming along & we’re hoping for a ‘ 19 summer release.
JUNE/JULY - we got to see chum Joan Armatrading in Boston [I played on the ‘Love & Affection' & ‘ Shouting Stage’ CD’s - we 'go back' !] & she was on fine form . “Bad Moon Rising” [a fun band that - unsurprisingly - plays ‘Creedence’ songs] played the Marblehead Arts Festival to a great reception - & I then started my tenure at the Berklee College of Music teaching the ‘ 5-Week Summer Program ‘ - again that year , I had some very enthusiastic students ! Top UK friend Dave Payne also paid us a visit .. & I was flattered to be included in "DrumHead" magazine's "EnSnared" issue .. y. truly & 40 other drummers talking about their favourite snare drums [+ pictures!] .. serious 'drum-porn' if you're that way inclined !
AUG' included recording sessions for Ian King that had my friend Kevin Barry on guitar - look out for that one this year .. & there was a much needed break for Caron & myself on the New Jersey shore ! SEPT' ; one of my regular dates is playing in the house band for the “Cold River Radio Show" . This is recorded in northern New Hampshire in front of a live audience, & then broadcast a few weeks later .. think “Prairie Home Companion” format-wise & stylistically . On the Sept' show , the band got to back-up Jon Pousette-Dart .. there’s been many super guests over the last few years & the show is always enjoyable to do. I also got to play with the wonderful Joyce Anderson & Harvey Reid at Marblehead’s “Me & Thee" that month - they're super people & wonderful musicians.
OCT' commenced with recording sessions for Alan Estes [with Jon Butcher at the helm] .. & there was also a cool CD release date for Alice Howe - my friend Freebo [best known for his work with Bonnie Rait] produced her CD, & it was a delight to hook up with him again & play Alice’s music. I also got in [yet!] another visit to the Zildjian cymbal factory - friend [to players everywhere] Paul Francis - Z’s main R&D chap - continues to come up with terrific ideas & is simply on top of his game .. whada guy !
NOV' included a super concert for Marblehead’s Art Association with Cassandre , bassist Bob Nieske & pianist Tim Ray ..
DEC' - the usual pre-Christmas frantic-ness also saw sessions for Mark Hennessey ..
NB ; As well as the events mentioned above , I also did ‘live' New England dates in ’18 with [in no particular order] - Dennis Brennan / J.B. Amero / Fozzie Hill / Shelleye Valauskas / Brian Templeton / Bob Davis / Milt Reder / Chris Stovall-Brown / Paul Ahlstrand / Didi Stewart / Fly Amero / Debbie Larkin , Jeff Stout .. my sincere apologies to anyone I’ve omitted !
If you’ve got this far , THANK YOU .. & I hope to see you somewhere on a date this year ! With my fondest to you all - DM
