Steve Cournane profile picture

Steve Cournane

About Me

I am a drummer/instrumental composer from New Zealand who also writes songs with words. I am still living in Lima, Perú, after two years. I often wonder why because it is truely a polluted, chaotic jungle in many ways but the music here is an inspiration to me. They also have extremely cheap coffee and the afro- criolla music REALLY is super special.Lately I have been really just surviving here I guess, the difficulties of the language were huge and it is still a challenge, however I feel that I am finally getting closer to getting back into a more productive mindset. Trying to find a group that can play what I want to play here has been very difficult so I have tended to just go with the flow and see what can be learned. I am still very inspired by the afro-peruvian rhythms and am still working on integrating them into the drum kit.I hope to put out my solo album recorded in New Zeland very soon and also have a plan to release a bilingual book of poetry this year. It is a monstrous job translating the 50 or so poems into the two languages.

Si quiere leer en español. Tengo información mas abajo.
My first group, The Alpaca Brothers (strange here I am in Peru now!), began in 1984 in Dunedin, New Zealand during a time of an incredible explosion of original music in a very small university town. It was a unique band I think, but we only left one E.P behind (Legless Flying Nun). I was only a kid then and just when I was beginning to cope with being in a group with two crazy bastards, we ran into some problems and split up. In many ways I've been looking for a stable trio all my life since. I haven't had much luck, but then if you wanted to meet sane people you would never become a musician anyway, he...he...
The group that has meant a hell of a lot to me over the last twelve years has been CL Bob and we have three albums and two compilations to our name on Yellow Eye Music. We were a bit like the tree that grows in that courtyard. Is it actually there when no one is looking? We hardly knew ourselves. Not so many people saw us on the most brilliant days, but WE remember and we know what happened. Sometimes we burned wonderfully bright. YOU CAN BUY OUR MUSIC ON ITUNES
I have mastered my first solo jazz album, Dancing Queen. It is a mainly original album that features three different trios, and features Tom Callwood, Joe Callwood, Roger Manins, Patrick Bleakley and Jonathon Crayford God knows when I will ever get it out. Why do we make albums? I have kind of forgotten. Someone remind me
WHAT ARE THESE TRACKS THEN?

The tracks here are all my own compositions:

Sacred From THE GROUP C L Bob and the album Stereoscope from 2001. You can buy the whole album on Itunes.
Motorway. This is on the solo album Dancing Queen. Joe Callwood plays guitar and brother Tom Callwood plays bass, 2007.
Greed. Cl Bob from the third album The Great Flash. This is a protest against the government of the United States and the situation in Iraq. On the CLBob site you can hear another celebration of this fiasco, written after the first attack on Baghdad, "Another Happy Day In Iraq."
MI HISTORIA EN ESPAÑOL?

Antes comienzo mi historia en español necesito dar saludos a Haydee Patiño de Lima por las correcciónes. ¿Por qué un baterista de Nueva Zelanda, quien tenía treinta y ocho años decide salir su pais y aprender un nuevo idioma? La verdad es que no puedo entenderlo exactamente pero en el año de dos mil tres en mi primero contrato en los cruceros de “Carnival” yo tuve una sensación muy extraña. Yo estaba en la isla de Puerto Rico en el bus camino del aeropuerto al barco. A mi alrededor el sonido de la salsa en la radio. La pianista era un monstro como Thelonious Monk si se nació en Cuba! Mientras miraba hacia afurera al visto de la isla; los colores de las casas. los olores en las calles, todos eran diferentes de mi pais. En este momento tuve un sentimiento muy fuerte como si yo hubiera estado aquí antes. Yo decidí que necesitaba aprender el idioma para entender la musica. Desde este tiempo he estado tratando entender el idioma español.
Para aprender otro idioma no es muy facíl y hay mucha frustración pero ahora después casi dos años me siento mucho mas relejado.He vivido por cortos tiempos en Puerto Rico, Manzanillo (Mexico), Bogotá and ahora en Lima ( dos años en marzo 2009) . Aveces he tenido mucho miedo en este camino y aveces pensé que estuve loco (enserio!), pero cada dia estoy mejorando y mas importante aprendiendo.
Las canciónes aqui son una mezcla de varias cosas que me interesan, porque soy un baterista, un compositor y un cantante tambien y espero un dia poder componer canciónes en español.
Sacred(Sagrado). es una composición por mi grupo CL Bob. escribí por una concierto especial en una iglesia en Nueva Zealanda. El estilo es muy especial para mi, es una ballada muy libre y realmente es un homenaje a mi héroe Edward Vesala de Finlandia. En dos mil siete CL Bob tenemos doce años juntos. Ganamos el título como “mejor grupo de jazz del año” por nuestro segundo cd “Stereoscope”.TU PUEDES COMPRAR TODO DEL ALBUM EN ITUNES .
Greed (Avaricia). La composición tiene cuerdas tambien, y es una protesta contra la sitiuación en Iraq.
Motorway. es un trio con guitarra de mi nuevo album Dancing Queen (La Reina bailando) 2007.
Si tienes la interesa, he incluido mi lista de las peliculas importantes de Nueva Zelanda. Espero puede econtrar algunas de estas peliculas.
TURNING POINTS.
Buying 'Boodle Boodle Boodle' by the Clean while still at school and hearing 'Point that Thing'.
Seeing Roger Fox Big Band at Gore High school, Robbie Yeats teaching me how to play "When the Levee Breaks" on the drums, First gig of Alpaca Brothers at Empire tavern in 1984 (Thanks for the drums Lesley Paris), Recording Legless, Alpaca Brothers E.P on Flying Nun, my time in Jims Live Deer Recovery and the day they played me Free Bird (true), Seeing Alan Broadbent Trio with Frank Gibson Junior at Otago Museum pre 1986, Writing first song that did not seem like garbage,
Learning to sing with the Weetbix Boys, the Verlaines tour to United States 1989, Graeme Downes introducing me to Mahler and Randy Newman, getting kicked out of the Verlaines, Being present to bang a few pots and pans (did I whistle?) on the album New York Sack with Bill Direne and Hamish Kilgour 1989, The Lesser Gibbons my first jazz trio in Dunedin playing Lonely Woman, Seeing Mike Nock Trio at Marama Hall in Dunedin with Roger Sellers and Paul Dyne 1991, Animalypse and that damn lost album, Studying with drumming guru, Roger Sellers 1993 -94, The revelation that chords and notes were understandable, hence my first real? jazz composition in 1993.
Playing with David Kilgour for one gig when he lost his drummer in 1993 (wow, what a highlight!), the boys from Cool Disposition teaching me something of the blues, playing with Malcolm McNeill , a superb jazz vocalist from New Zealand, countless wonderful gigs with clbob , that game of golf in Stewart Island with a sled and a dozen beers, the BOAT trio, playing bodhran on traditional Irish music with Ruairidh Morrison, singing with Paddy Burgin aand Tim, meeting Tim Jaray a wonderful bass player, playing withn british piano player Nikki Isles on a New Zealand tour, Justin Clarke and the Maravillosos that night near Takaka when we played so damn good, Urban Taniwha at Rotorua Marae, the power of Marilyn Crispell in that group at the Auckland concert, meeting Iro Haarla, and Jorma Tapio in Finland 2003.
Playing on the first album of New Zealand songwriter, Warren Love , recording with legend bassist Clinton Brown, meeting engineer Robbie Duncan and everything I have recorded in his wonderful studio. My time in the Windy City Struggers , the lessons I learned making their album, Snow on the Desert Road, and the tour to France and England in 2005.
Various projects with drummer Anthony Donaldson, My first cruise ship in Puerto Rico introducing me to Latin America, its language and music in 2003, meeting Dan Fulton bassist who is a total inspiration to me, recording with singer/songwriter, Laura Collins and producing her second album, Cast a Line, in 2006, then the most relaxed tour I have ever been on with Laura and legends George Barris and Dean Hetherington in 2007, TUSSOCK HAPPY, see blog way back.
Meeting Joscha Oetz and his kind help, my first gig in Lima with superman Carlos Espinoza (thanks for the drums Cristobal), the generosity of Alex Sarrin, playing with Dutch piano giant Mike Del Ferro in Lima see my blog, Andres Prado and his wonderful compositions, playing with guitarist John Butler, see blog. Jean Pierre Magnet en Jazz Festival de Lima, Malambo featuring the really excellent compositions of Joscha Oetz, the honor of playing witrh Richie Zellon, great composer and one of the true developers of Peruvian fusion jazz in the United States, playing in Cajamarca with maestro Javier Perez-Saco and the tricontinentals, playing with legend basist Enrique Luna and Ed Wolf in La Paz and Santa Cruz jan 2008, playing with Jose Luis Madueño, with Cotito and Edward Perez 2009
SALUDOS.
Quiero dar saludos a mucha gente de mis viajes, todos mis amigos especiales de Puerto Rico; Norka Perez y Edwardo Perez y sus padres y hermanos , Alfonso y Natalia, mis amigos de Bogotá; Patricia Caicedo, Maria Paula Diez, Enrique (Kike) Mendoza, Libia Esperanza (el angel) y su familia, Erwin, Mauricio Casas, Jenny Velandia y su niño hermoso, Judith Francis y sus niños hermosos de San Andres y mi profesora de Español, Omaira O’neil Perez de San Andres, Claudia esta siempre en mi corazón, La gente de Mexcio, Nadia Alehandra de Colima, Litay Espinoza de Acapulco, Angelica Nava Manzo de Manzanillo, Lourdes Sanchez y sus niños hermosos de Mazatlan, Carmen Corona de Mexico viviendo en Morelia. Todos mis amigos en Lima.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/28/2006
Band Website: http://www.clbob.co.nz
Influences:

INSTRUMENTAL.

Drummers, heroes/heroines pretty much as I discovered them. At some stage I have either seen them live or at least one track on an album has absolutely obsessed me for a time.

Robbie Yeats (NZ) , ), Pete de Freitas, Hamish Kilgour (NZ), Budgie, Lesley Paris (NZ) John Bonham, B.J. Thomas (U.K), Al Haig (NZ), John Drumbo French, Bevan Sweeny (NZ), Ringo Star, Mick Fleetwood, Johnny Hodge (NZ), Ray Moore (NZ), Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Ed Blackwell, Shelly Manne, Al Jackson Jnr, Danny Richmond, Charles Moffett , Roy Haynes, Phil Rudd, Tony Williams, Frank Gibson Jr. (NZ), Roger Sellers (NZ), Terry Clarke, Paul Motian, Levon Helm, Greg Jansen(NZ), Lance Phillip (NZ), Trilok Gurtu, Chris O' Connor (NZ), Darren Mathiesson (NZ), Steve Gadd, Richie Hayward, Ronnie Tutt, Larry Londin, Rick Cranson (NZ), Ed Ware (NZ), Richard Te One (NZ), Frank Beard, Issac Tucker (NZ), Paul Wertico, Keith Moon, Johnny Vidacovich, Joey Baron, Jon Christenson, Peter Erskine, Jack DeJohnette, Edward Vesala (FIN), Bob Moses, Ginger Baker (late period), Rashied Ali, Harvey Mason, Anthony Donaldson (NZ), Baby Dodds, Tony Oxley, Sunny Murray, Dennis Charles, Paul Lovens, Otis (NZ), Han Bennink, Rich Hoak, Gerry Hemmingway, Nik Gafney (NZ), Suzie Ibarra, Ross Burge (NZ), Hamid Drake, Fred Below, Francis Clay, Buddy Miles, Billy Cobham, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff Hamilton, Brady Blade, Mike Jensen (NZ), Christian Coleman, Elliot Zigmund, Ignacio Berroa, Tom Rainey, Roberto Dani (ITA), Matt Wilson, Antonio Sanchez, Hugo Alcázar (PER) Alex Sarrín (PER), Jeff Ballard, Rafael Barata (Bra), Timo Warnecke (Ger).

Composers, groups, performers etc.

Everyone who ever played in Clbob, Gustav Mahler, Charlie Haden, John Coltrane, Gyorgy Ligetti, The Clean, Sun Ra, Charles Ives, Dan Fulton (NZ), Jaco Pastorious, Bach, Witold Lutoslawski, Lambchop, Emma Sayers (NZ), , Keith Jarrett, Norman Meehan (NZ) Ellington, Mingus, Monk, Ernest Ranglin, The Clusone 3, Derek Bailey, David.S. Ware, Ross Harris (NZ), Jack Body (NZ) Mike Nock (NZ), Diamanda Galás, Don Cherry, King Sunny Ade, Friends Of Dean Martinez, Tom Bachman(SWE), Jims Live Deer Recovery (NZ), Thin White Rope, Grupo Niche (COL), Herbie Hancock, Miles, Fred Hammond & R F C, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Irakere (CUB), Son House, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Howlin Wolf, Ornette Coleman, Prime Time, Steve Swallow, Wilco, Yusef Lateef, Echo and the Bunnyman. Killing Joke, Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, Joy Divison, William Cepeda (Puerto Rico), Angel Viloria (D.R) Bachata in general, Miguel Zenon (Puerto Rico), Mark Kieswetter, Mike del Ferro

SONGS.

Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Dave Dobbyn (NZ), Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson, Judee Sill, Neil Young, The Beatles, Warren Love (NZ), The Flaming Lips, Shayne Carter (NZ), Peter Gutteridge (NZ), David Kilgour (NZ), Jorge Drexler(URA), Bill Lake (NZ), Bill Direne (NZ), Bob Cardy (NZ), Graeme Downes (NZ), Caetano Veloso (BRA), Tom Ze (BRA) Ruebén Blades (PAN) A.J.Bell (NZ), Andrew Brough (NZ), Townes Van Zandt, Paul Simon, Ron Sexsmith, The Band, Bressa Creeting Cake (NZ) This Kind of Punishment (NZ), Bailter Space (NZ), Lambchop, Cheap Trick, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Richard Rogers/Lawrence Hart, Jimmy Van Huesen/Johnny Burke, Frederick Loewe/Alan Jay Lerner, Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh, Julie Styne/Sammy Cahn, Matt Dennis/Tom Adair, Gene De Paul/Don Raye, George/Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern/various, Victor Young/various, The Flatlanders. Greg Brown, Bob Marley, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Dylan, The Coalrangers, (NZ), Daniel Johnston, Bowie, Gram Parsons, Guy Clark, Héctor Lavoe (PR?), John Hiatt, John Prine, Juan Gabriel (MEX), Leonard Cohen, Finn Andrews, The Veils

FILMS . (ok so I had five months in Peru without a gig, free internet, and I like movies!)

Ran 1985, Kagemusha 1980, Yojimbo 1961, Shichinin no Samurai 1954 (dir Akira Kurosawa), Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love, Petroleo Sangriento 2007 (dir Paul.T. Anderson), Dead Man 1995, Coffee and Cigarettes 2003 (dir Jim Jarmusch), Jean de Florette 1986, Manon de Sources, 1986 (dir Claude Berri), Prospero's Books 1991, The Cook, The Thief, His wife and Her Lover 1989, Drowning By Numbers 1988, The Belly of An Architect 1987, (dir Peter Greenaway), The Aviator 2004, Goodfellas 1990, The Last Temptation Of Christ 1988, Raging Bull 1980 (dir Martin Scorsese), Master and Commander 2003, The Truman Show 1998, Gallipoli 1981 (dir Peter Weir), The Handmaids Tale 1990, The Tin Drum 1979 (dir Volker Schlöndorff), As You Like It 2006, Hamlet 1996 (dir Kenneth Branagh), Delicatessen 1991, La Cité des Enfants Perdus (City of the Lost Children) 1995 (dir Marc Caro and Jean Pierre Jeunet), Fitzcarraldo 1982, Nosferatu the Vampyre 1979, Aguirre Wrath of God 1972 (dir Werner Herzog), Eyes Wide Shut 1999, The Shining 1980, Clockwork Orange 1971, A Space Odyssey 2001 (1968), Dr Strangelove 1964,(dir Stanley Kubrick), Mullholland Drive 2001, Lost Highway 1997, The Elephant Man 1980, Eraserhead 1977 (dir David Lynch), Unforgiven 1992, Bridges of Madison Country 1997 (dir Clint Eastwood), Prick Up your Ears 1987, My Beautiful Laundrette 1985 (dir Stephen Frears), Natural Born Killers 1994, Platoon 1986 (dir Oliver Stone), My Left Foot 1989, In the Name of The Father 1993 (dir Jim Sheridan), Gladiator 2000, Thelma and Louise 1991, Bladerunner 1982, Alien 1979, (dir Ridley Scott), Dancer in the Dark 2000, Breaking the Waves 1996 (dir Lars Von Trier), Closer 2004, Primary Colours 1998, Silkwood 1983, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? 1966, (dir Mike Nichols), The Man who Wasn't There 2001, The Big Lebowski 1998, Barton Fink 1991, Fargo 1990, Miller's Crossing 1990 (dir Joel Coen), The Green Mile 1999, Shawshank Redemption 1994 (dir Frank Darabont), Brokeback Mountain 2005, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2000, The Ice Storm 1997 (dir Ang Lee), Nineteen Eighty Four (1984), Postino II 1994 (dir Michael Radford), Brazil 1985, The Fisher King 1991 (dir Terry Gilliam), Assault on Precinct Thirteen 1976, They Live 1988 (dir John Carpenter), Ed Wood 1994, What's Eating Gilbert Grape? 1993 (dir Lasse Hallstrom), Straight No Chaser (dir Charlotte Zwerin) Frida 2002, (dir Julie Taymor), Maria Full of Grace (Maria llena eres de Gracia) 2004 (dir Joshua Marston), Burnt By the Sun (Utomylyonnye Solhtsem) 1994, (dir Nikita Mikhalkov), The Deer Hunter 1978 (dir Michael Cimino), The Crucible 1996 (dir Nicholas Hynter), Nosferatu 1922 (dir Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau), Shadow of The Vampire 2000 (dir E. Elias Merhige), Starship Troopers 1997 (dir Paul Verhoeven), Cyrano de Bergerac 1990 (dir Jean-Paul Rappeneau), Vanilla Sky 2001 (dir Cameron Crowe), Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de Motocicleta) 2004 (dir Walter Salles). Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain 2001 (dir Jean Pierre Jeunet), Tai Ji Zhang San Feng (The Tai Chi Master) 1993 (dir Woo Ping Yuen), Forbidden Planet 1956 (dir Fred.M.Wilcox), Mononoke-Hime 1997 (dir Hayao Miyazaki), Lost in La Mancha 2002 (dir Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe), The Assasination of Richard Nixon 2004 (dir Niels Mueller), 21 grams 2003 (dir Alehandro González Iñárritu), Hurly Burly 1998 (dir Anthony Drazan), The Thin Red Line 1998 (dir Terrence Malick) Perfume, The Story of A Murderer 2006 (dir Tom Tykwer), The Hours 2002 (dir Stephen Daldry), Iris 2001 ( dir Richard Eyre), Pollock 2000 (dir Ed Harris), Hotel Rwanda 2004 (dir Terry George), Affliction 1997 (dir Paul Schrader), Richard III 1995 (dir Richard Locraine), Lemony Snickets, A Series of Unfortunate Events 2004 (dir Brad Siberling), Man On Fire 2004 (dir Tony Scott), Sophies Choice 1982 (dir Alan. J. Pakula), Solaris 2002 (dir Steven Soderbergh), Three Kings 1999 (dir David. O. Russell), Testimony 1988 (dir Tony Palmer), House of Sand and Fog 2003 (dir Vadim Perelman), Sexy Beast 2000 (dir Jonathon Glazer), Ghandi 1982 (dir Richard Attenborough). Dead Ringers 1988 (dir David Cronenburg), The Door in the Floor 2004, (dir Tod Williams), A Beautiful Mind 2001 (dir Ron Howard), Himalaya - l'enfance d'un chef 1999 (dir Eric Valli), Bandit Queen 1994 (dir Shekhar Kapur), Bob Roberts 1992 (dir Tim Robbins), Kiss of The Spider Woman 1985 (dir Hector Babenco). Machuca 2004 (dir Andés Wood), Being John Malkovich 1999 (dir Spike Jonze). The Painted Veil 2006 (dir John Curran) El laberinto del Fauno 2006 (dir Gillermo del Torro)

Peliculas de Nueva Zelanda.

The Piano 1993, Holy Smoke 1999, An Angel at My Table 1990 (dir Jane Campion), Forgotten Silver 1995, Heavenly Creatures 1994, Meet the Feebles 1989, (dir Peter Jackson), Once Were Warriors 1994 (dir Lee Tamahori), The End of the Golden Weather 1991 (dir Ian Mune), The Price of Milk 2000 (Harry Sinclair), Rain 2001 (dir Christine Jeffs), The World's Fastest Indian 2005 (dir Roger Donaldson), Vigil 1984 (Vincent Ward), Ngati 1987 (dir Barry Barclay), Whalerider 2002 (dir Nikki Caro).

OTHER.

Poet Brian Turner (NZ), Steve Hemmens painter ( NZ) an inspiration to me, Kandinsky, Mike Morely painter (NZ),Len Lye artist (NZ), Colin McCahon (NZ),
Sounds Like: a man wearing a dress
Record Label: http://www.yelloweye.co.nz/ for clbob
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

gig with legends of guitar

Highlight gig in El dragon a few nights ago. Sharing the stage with my favourite guitarists in Lima, the three virtuosos of jazz and rock, Diego Salvador, Andres Prado and Alec Marambio, and the maste...
Posted by on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 10:55:00 GMT

First day in Bolivia, final story

Well the trip to Lap Paz was nothing if not eventful. After not sleeping at all in Puno, I left Juliaca in a taxi early in the morning for the trip to the border town of ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns =...
Posted by on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:17:00 GMT

Bolivia the rest of the story

Well apart from a tough few days at the start when it transpired that I did not have sirroche at all, but some type of injury in the spine or neck, Bolivia was fantastic. Not sure what I did on the bu...
Posted by on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Gig tonight with Jose Luis Madueño 8pm

Tonight I am playing with a really super Peruvian pianist, Jose Luis Madueño at the Bibliotecha en El Olivar. The music is beautiful, very latin influenced, with wonderful harmonic compositi...
Posted by on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:26:00 GMT

New Group , Círculo Dorado

Well the strangest thing has happened here in Lima, I have a regular jazz gig at a little restaurant. I have been playing with various guitar groups and  I have also formed a little dix...
Posted by on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:38:00 GMT

Goodbye Paul Newman

You know I really loved Paul Newman. I loved him from the moment I saw him on a black and white television, or maybe it was a black and white movie on a colour TV. I was probably eight so it must...
Posted by on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:18:00 GMT

Another trip out of Lima

This time I went away for the weekend inTrujillo in the north about eight hours drive from Lima,  playing trio saxophone when we sadly lost the services of Javier on piano. Very interesting...
Posted by on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:18:00 GMT

Cajamarca, Peru

Well I played my first gig out of Lima in a mountain pueblo called Cajamarca. It was so nice to be out of Lima the ugly, and playing for new people. It felt like the early trail blazing...
Posted by on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:20:00 GMT

Gig With Fusa 2nd September

Last night I played a wonderful trio gig with Joscha bass and Fusa, alto saxophone player. Suddenly it seems that I have two trios that have a lot of potential. Fusa is just sounding&nb...
Posted by on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:45:00 GMT

Life

Played a nice gig with Joscha Oetz and Javier Perez-Saco on 27th. I think this could be a very good piano trio. Javier plays with an incredible reservoir of rhythmic/harmonic ideas and an&nb...
Posted by on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:05:00 GMT