Help me find recordings of street percussionists.

April 30, 2007 1:10 PM

You know what is f***ing awesome? Street drummers. ESPECIALLY this one. Do you know what I want? Their albums.

Do good quality recordings of these drummers exist? Do they have MP3s that I can download somewhere? Do one of you, perhaps, have a CD, and I can Paypal you 10$ to drop in the guy's bucket?

I've already stripped the audio from the linked youtube posts, but the quality sucks, and I would like to have more.

posted by fake to media & arts (18 comments total)

I don't really think that the Sheetrock Bucket Orchestra has released any records.
posted by dr_dank at 1:18 PM on April 30, 2007

There's a Bill-Laswell-related album called Neils and NY Street Percussionists. If you happen to find a copy, I'd like to buy it.
posted by box at 1:25 PM on April 30, 2007

It appears that Jamal Evans, the 'street percussionist' on the album I mention above, also appears on this Jonas Hellborg album.
posted by box at 1:28 PM on April 30, 2007

Dave Chapman and Larry Wright did a track on the Laswell-associated project "Bahia Black." I guess Laswell had a thing for the street buckets in the mid-90s.
posted by rhizome at 1:46 PM on April 30, 2007

He must've seen that Mariah Carey video.
posted by box at 1:56 PM on April 30, 2007

This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to do some field recordings. If I had the gear I just might.
posted by DieHipsterDie at 2:07 PM on April 30, 2007

I don't really think that the Sheetrock Bucket Orchestra has released any records.

You may "really think" whatever you want. Youtube interviews with Larry Wright mention that he's been in a movie; at least one other artist mentioned an "album" which is what brought me here. The apparent popularity of Mr. Wright, times the availability of cheap, quality field recording equipment, over the popularity of percussion acts like STOMP, equals a good probability that such recordings exist -- evidence that your vaguely derisive comment does not provide.

Thanks all for the pointers to the Laswell stuff (and the Jamal Evans name), I hadn't heard mention of it. In the absence of any available recordings of these guys, any solo percussion performance recommendations in a similar vein would be welcome.
posted by fake at 2:13 PM on April 30, 2007

This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to do some field recordings. If I had the gear I just might.

I have in my possession a very high quality set of microphones and a Sony RH-10 HI-MD recorder. I would seriously consider shipping it to someone to make the recording. We could post the results to MeFi music.
posted by fake at 2:15 PM on April 30, 2007

I live in Chicago where there are definitely street drummers, and I have an MD recorder, but my binaural mics are all screwed up.

If I knew a time/place I could find one and I was free, i'd be happy to make a recording. I'm a little iffy on the ethics of it though. I mean, we wouldn't be selling it, but still it feels a little weird... maybe those of us who would really want this recording could pool some cash together and drop a nice amount in his tip bucket upon asking permission to record?
posted by twiggy at 2:21 PM on April 30, 2007

does anyone else experience some strange emotional joy while watching these? Or is it just me?
posted by nitsuj at 2:21 PM on April 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

When you say 'in a similar vein,' what do you mean? I can think of a couple sampled/sequenced albums made of found sounds (offhand, Amon Tobin's Foley Room, and some Matthew Herbert stuff). The Art Ensemble of Chicago, among other free/art/experimental jazz groups (some of Hamid Drake's output), sometimes uses found percussion and 'little instruments.' Max Roach led M'Boom, an all-percussion jazz ensemble. And there are a few all-percussion groups in the world-music ghetto (Kodo's maybe the most famous). I could go on, but you get the drift.
posted by box at 2:24 PM on April 30, 2007

nitsuj: it's not just you. There's something very distinct about drumming that just seems to bring out feelings in many people. That's why tribes do it, that's why a lot of music is so beat-based, etc...
posted by twiggy at 2:26 PM on April 30, 2007

does anyone else experience some strange emotional joy while watching these? Or is it just me?

Me, too! That's why I love them so much.

Twiggy, I'd be happy to set you up with my binaurals (I have a little T-mic with panasonic capsules, too...). I think the simplest way to get past the ethical issues (as you've described) would be to give some cash and also just ask permission.

Box, I have Foley Room, but it's full of other instruments. I really love the raw, percussive bombast of these performers, and I love the sounds of their drums. Especially that guy with the sink/pan!! I don't really want anything else in the recording. I create sampled music myself, and I guess I'm a lot more interested in these guys doing it solo and live than any programmed or arthouse take on it.

Again, if anyone in NYC or Chicago or wherever needs equipment and would be willing to make the recordings, I'd be more than willing to help out. My email is on my site, which is in my profile.
posted by fake at 2:30 PM on April 30, 2007

fake, if you haven't heard it, check out some Nyahbinghi drumming, and the Congotronics stuff.
posted by box at 2:46 PM on April 30, 2007

Shakerleg
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 2:52 PM on April 30, 2007

A much younger Larry Wright (second link) was in the opening sequence (you might say he was the opening sequence) of Green Card.
posted by bricoleur at 4:54 PM on April 30, 2007

There is a very nice recording on this page in real audio format.
posted by fake at 4:56 PM on April 30, 2007

Doesn't sound anything like what you linked to--much more ambient--but if you're into percussion, you may love these two albums. I do.
posted by dobbs at 6:28 PM on April 30, 2007