#4750, Drums and the Drummers Who Drum Them

"Beat! Beat! Drums!" goes the Walt Whitman poem. Behold drum-centric music from Ezra Collective led by Femi Koleoso, Dave Lombardo's solo album, improviser and percussionist Valentina Magaletti (Holy Tongue, Tomaga), tabla master Zakir Hussain, jazzer Marcus Gilmore, and others.

Hear music by London quintet Ezra Collective, led by the versatile drummer, Femi Koleoso, who studied with the late, great Nigerian drummer Tony Allen. They may look like a jazz band, with their dueling horns, keys, bass and drums but their music also incorporates the sounds of Caribbean music, hip hop, and especially  Afrobeat – and on this song, “No Confusion”, a recorded conversation with Tony Allen. Also, listen to music from Nite Bjuti, a US-based, Afro-Caribbean trio of vocalist Candice Hoyes, Grammy-winning sound chemist and percussionist Val Jeanty and bassist Mimi Jones – who combine voice, bass, electro percussion, turntables, Haitian drums, dance and visual projections with an improvisatory approach. Hear “Mood (Liberation Walk)”, the opening track from their debut self-titled album.

Then, there’s music by Chicago drummer, composer, bandleader, and organic beat scientist Makaya McCraven, from his 2022 album, In These Times, an 11-song suite, created over 7+ years. Hear how he has refined his formula of unstructured improvisations designed, arranged, and heavily edited into flowing compositions; the one we’ll hear is “High Fives”, for the drum nerds (like me!) Also, hear the latest from Seattle-born, Brooklyn-based drummer and producer Kassa Overall, whose latest record, Animals, came out in May 2023. Overall’s record features contributions from Danny Brown, Shabazz Palaces, Wiki, Laura Mvula, Lil B, Francis and the Lights, Nick Hakim, and pianist/composer Vijay Iyer, who is featured on the tune “The Score Was Made”.

There’s also music from Flock, an impromptu collaboration which brings together London jazzers and experimental players: Bex Burch (Vula Viel), Sarathy Korwar, Dan “Danalogue” Leavers (Soccer96, The Comet Is Coming), Al MacSween (Maisha) and Tamar Osborn (Collocutor). Then, listen to “Good Hope,” a trio work by Dave Holland (double bass), Zakir Hussain (tabla), and sax player Chris Potter. And more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4750, Drums and the Drummers Who Drum Them (First aired 5/16/23)

ARTIST: Marcus Gilmore
WORK: David Virelle: Excerpts of Nube [1:30]
RECORDING: Live on the Soundcheck Podcast, 2019
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available
INFO: instagram.com/drummerslams

ARTIST: Sons of Kemet (drummers: Edward Hicks, Tom Skinner)
WORK: Hustle [5:18]
RECORDING: Black to the Future
SOURCE: Impulse!
INFO: https://sonsofkemet.lnk.to/blacktothefutureIB

ARTIST: Nite Bjuti (Percussion, Sound Chemist: Val Jeanty)
WORK: Mood (Liberation Walk) [4:02]
RECORDING: Nite Bjuti
SOURCE: Whirlwind Recordings
INFO: https://whirlwindrecordings.lnk.to/NiteBjuti | Due out July 28

ARTIST: Ezra Collective (drummer: Femi Koleoso)
WORK: No Confusion [3:15]
RECORDING: Where I'm Meant To Be
SOURCE: Partisan Records
INFO: http://ezracollective.lnk.to/WIMTB

ARTIST: Holy Tongue (percussionist: Valentina Magaletti)
WORK: Joachim [4:24]
RECORDING: Deliverance And Spiritual Warfare
SOURCE: Amidah Records
INFO: https://valentinamagaletti.bandcamp.com/album/deliverance-and-spiritual-warfare

ARTIST: Dave Lombardo
WORK: Warpath [2:22]
RECORDING: Rites of Percussion
SOURCE: Ipecac  Records
INFO: https://davelombardo.lnk.to/ROP

ARTIST: Marcus Gilmore
WORK: David Virelle: Excerpts of Nube [4:48]
RECORDING: Live on the Soundcheck Podcast, 2019
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available
INFO: instagram.com/drummerslams

ARTIST: Ian Chang
WORK: Food Court [3:10]
RECORDING: 属 Belonging
SOURCE: City Slang Records
INFO: https://ianyhchang.bandcamp.com/album/belonging-2 

ARTIST:  Kassa Overall (feat. Vijay Iyer)
WORK: The Score Was Made [3:08]
RECORDING: Animals
SOURCE: Warp Records
INFO: https://kassaoverall.ffm.to/animals

ARTIST: Makaya McCraven, drummer and organic beat scientist
WORK: High Fives [3:40]
RECORDING: In These Times
SOURCE: International Anthem
INFO: intlanthem.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Flock (drummers: Bex Burch, Sarathy Korwar)
WORK: Prepare to Let Go [4:46]
RECORDING: Flock
SOURCE: Strut Records
INFO: flock.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter / Crosscurrents Trio
WORK: Good Hope [8:21]
RECORDING: Good Hope
SOURCE: Edition Records
INFO: editionrecords.com