Dave Scoven released “Drum set meditations: Solo Compositions for Film and Dance" August 1, 2011.
“Drum set Meditations" is a collection of 15 spontaneous solo compositions for drums and percussion. The compositions are themselves rhythmic meditations, influenced primarily by rhythms and tones from Asia—northern India, Japan, China, and Tibet. The performances remain in the order that they were originally recorded over the three-day session. All of the performances are first takes, direct to stereo. Nothing is overdubbed. All parts (drums and percussion) were recorded simultaneously.
Improvisational music of this kind cannot afford to be too self-conscious—in order to maintain the creative flow, the artist must be open to an organic process and an honest result. The attentive listener can hear how each part of a piece informs the next. There are passages that mark transitions in direction. Though sometimes complicated, the compositions are not meant to be displays of technical prowess. Simple rhythms form the basis for stream-of-consciousness, flowing compositions that explore the tonal musicality of the drums and percussion. Standard (Western traditional) solo drumming was avoided, for the most part—the objective was to allow organic compositions to happen in the moment.
Drum set Meditations is a minimalist, utilitarian soundscape. The pieces are intended to be used— in film, for modern dance, for active listening, and for rhythmic meditation. The hope is that choreographers, especially, will find the compositions interesting and useful, stimulating and inspiring the creation of new pieces in dance.
The superb mastering of this recording, by Mike Fossenkemper at Turtle Tone Studio in New York, has preserved the honesty, dynamic range and impact of the performances. Recording engineers and producers will hopefully appreciate the reference recording quality of the album.
“Drum set Meditations" is a collection of 15 spontaneous solo compositions for drums and percussion. The compositions are themselves rhythmic meditations, influenced primarily by rhythms and tones from Asia—northern India, Japan, China, and Tibet. The performances remain in the order that they were originally recorded over the three-day session. All of the performances are first takes, direct to stereo. Nothing is overdubbed. All parts (drums and percussion) were recorded simultaneously.
Improvisational music of this kind cannot afford to be too self-conscious—in order to maintain the creative flow, the artist must be open to an organic process and an honest result. The attentive listener can hear how each part of a piece informs the next. There are passages that mark transitions in direction. Though sometimes complicated, the compositions are not meant to be displays of technical prowess. Simple rhythms form the basis for stream-of-consciousness, flowing compositions that explore the tonal musicality of the drums and percussion. Standard (Western traditional) solo drumming was avoided, for the most part—the objective was to allow organic compositions to happen in the moment.
Drum set Meditations is a minimalist, utilitarian soundscape. The pieces are intended to be used— in film, for modern dance, for active listening, and for rhythmic meditation. The hope is that choreographers, especially, will find the compositions interesting and useful, stimulating and inspiring the creation of new pieces in dance.
The superb mastering of this recording, by Mike Fossenkemper at Turtle Tone Studio in New York, has preserved the honesty, dynamic range and impact of the performances. Recording engineers and producers will hopefully appreciate the reference recording quality of the album.
