Artist description One-man show consisting of world drums and didgeridoos played simultaniously, producing a wide variety of rhythmic and trance-like soundscapes.

Music Style Afro-aboriginal funk rock ...or something like that

Musical Influences World Drumming, aboriginal music, progressive rock, funk

Similar Artists Stephen Kent, Dr. Didj, Planet Drum

Artist History A kit drummer first and foremost, Andy Graham has played drums for various rock and funk bands since 1985. Drummers such as Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, Phil Gould, and Ian Mosely inspired his drumming style. Influenced by Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum in 1991, Andy developed a passion for African hand percussion. In 1994, Stephen Kent introduced him to the Aboriginal didgeridoo. Discovering the powerful sound of this unique ancient instrument, he used it in performance when the music did not require drums. Andy soon realized that it was a little too awkward to switch between instruments from behind the drum kit during a live performance. To remedy this, he built a special stand to hold a didgeridoo at face level, allowing him to play it without getting up from the drums. While practicing with this new arrangement at home, Andy began experimenting with the idea of playing both instruments simultaneously. He spent several weeks working through the frustration of adding yet another component to the already busy art of kit drumming. It was like adding another limb to his body. Upon successfully fusing the two very different playing styles, he found that this new sound had a life all its own. Excited with this new emphasis on world music, Andy added his other passion, African drums, to his setup, along with a new, improved rack that holds 3 didgeridoos, and such additions as cowbells, wood blocks, and a circular saw blade. In July of 1998, Andy began a series of public performances. The shows were well received and Andy decided to focus his efforts to refining this new solo act. Andy has since played numerous successful shows in the Bay Area, including several performances at the Luther Burbank Center, the Palm Drive Hospital Benefit in Sebastopol, the Health and Harmony benefit concert, and performances at local schools. Andy has also performed to worldwide audiences at various trade shows, including NETWORLD/INTEROP 2000 and PC EXPO 2000, and at COMDEX 2000 in November 2000. In 1999, Andy released his first solo CD, Primal Elements (available at www.andygraham.net). He is also looking into movie soundtracks and other musical collaborations, as well as taking his live show to national television audiences.

Group Members Andy Graham

Instruments Didgeridoos, drum kit, djembe, ashiko, jawharp, circular sawblade, breath work, and various other percussion.

Albums Primal Elements (available at andygraham.net)

Press Reviews The Press Democrat 1-23-2000: Undisputed champion of the one-man didgeridoo bandstand, Andy Graham has no rival when it comes to blending Old World aboriginal sound with New World drumscapes. Making the most of dedicated circular breathing, he conjures a warbling soundscape of cosmic bird-chirpings and bullfrog symphonies. The echoes and reverberations, occasionally sounding demonic, other times define the precursor to video game sound effects (remember “Defender” and “Qbert?”). In his arsenal are several didgeridoos, a drum kit, djembe, ashiko, shakers, sticks, jaw harp, and a sawblade. But what separates “Primal Elements” from many other solo didgeridoo soundoffs is Graham’s knack for bridging regular drum kit kicks with tribal musings. Just sample “Didgefunk,” “Thunder” and “Tantra” for a taste of the didgeridoo meets old-school Run-DMC, with an occasional round of stadium rock beats thrown in for good measure. The breathy “Rite of Passage” is a winded journey that captures all the loneliness of a long distance desert runner. Stripped of all devices but hands to leather, “Djembe” is little more than a drumming exercise, but it still captivates. Likewise, “Hyperspace” remains unadulterated, this time keying in on the didgeridoo, starting with a hollow, resonating growl and growing into a polyrhythmic throat dance. - JOHN BECK The press Democrat

Location Sebastopol, California - USA

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