Here are the tracks for Drum Lion, Enjoy!
The Drum Lion Story
The name Drum Lion is a play on words from “drum line.” I spent over 10 years playing in drum lines – probably my favorite thing I have ever done! And everything I have ever done since reflects the experience and lessons learned. This year 2019 is the 50th Anniversary of De La Salle Oaklands Drum Corps winning the Canadian National Championships for the first time. I was and am proud of that accomplishment.
As Pat Clemence and I finished MacGuffin there were a number of ideas or sketches that did not end up on that record. A project I am extremely proud of by the way! I think it is the best work we have done. One area I wanted to investigate was the use of the “Ostinato.” I spent countless hours practicing and the concept of the ostinato transformed from repetition to a Mantra.
Slide Groove
There is nothing more invigorating than a great groove. Start with a sketch. Build it. Enhance it. Embellish it. Invigorate it. Enjoy it.
Alli
Written for Alli. No idea where this came from? But I guess that is what happens when someone is your Muse. I was sitting at the drums and keyboards. It simply appeared. Channeled it. And I am so ever grateful that it came – possibly my favorite tune.
Land of the One-eyed Man
Legally blind, the idea of drumming and paying attention to sounds more than motion. Things move faster. Much faster when you aren’t watching!
Where’s the One
I love playing with time. And have always been attracted to beats that start and you are tricked into where the “one” is!
Beachwalk 2A
Possibly my oldest tune – it has gone through revisions and rewrites and every little while I go back and rework it. It is truly a living thing. I wrote this many many years ago immediately after a walk by the ocean at Mile Zero on Vancouver Island. I used to go to the beach in the middle of the night with a drum and used the ocean sounds and waves as a metronome and sometimes inspiration.
Judy’s Tune (Remix)
This started on Kalimba. A young lady I knew years ago was sitting and crying – she was going through rough times. I started playing a small riff on a Kalimba I had with me. It made her smile. I took that riff and wrote her a tune… I hope it makes you smile! This is the latest revamp.
Constellation
As a rudimental snare drummer (Drum Corps and Pipe Band) I love thinking about all the electronic instruments I have at my fingertips as if they were being played on a field … in a march. I imagine a huge drum battery marching past.
Trance Drums
As is mostly the case when I see a great performance I am inspired!!!! Thanks for the great show in Victoria Laila Biali! She used BoomWhackers in a tune! I used to teach kids drumming using Boomwhackers! they loved it! I did too!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Zen
Another tune inspired by a great performance. I was at a Marcus Miller concert and happened to be standing in front of the stage about 5 feet from Marcus. Mesmerized by his playing I went home and wrote and played this completely on the Zendrum. My ode to a great bass player!
Terra
A real organic gritty drum piece. Like a lot of my compositions, they start with a groove. I play it maybe a dozen times, different ways and from there the layers start.
The Drum Lion Street Beat
As mentioned before the composing with electronics superimposed as rudimental instruments fascinates me – also being able to add World Beat flavours!
Pain Beats
Well I assume it has to get darkest before the light?
Then. I add some accompaniment, No rhyme or reason – simply a diversion.
Recorded on Mac with Logic Pro X,Roland V-Drums, V Expressions, Zendrum, BFD, Battery 3 & 4, Toontrack (EZ Drummer 2 & 3 & EZ Bass) Roland Cloud and Aubit Samples.