ali - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Hi, well I'm a freelance drummer. First of all, a word about my audio samples. They're all clips from recordings I made with various people and they're supposed to show how versatile I am! I went back into the studio with the masters and had them remixed with the drums rather louder than is usually considered civilised... I've played in rock,pop, blues and modern jazz bands. I played in the movie "Penelope" starring Christin Ricci. I've played on a couple of albums, done a few sessions (yes I can handle clicks), I've done pit work, I've been a Performing Arts College tutor and Workshop Leader. I'm working up an authentic '50s "between the cracks" style and I'm a Motown Freak. Musicians I've worked with say they like me because I'm "solid", I listen to what everybody else is playing, I "play the tune" when I'm filling and, they say, I play with a sense of humour! Right now I'm leading my own band, Diva! (in my top friends, naturally!) but I'm still available for deps and sessions. Respect to my teachers - Hans Ferrao, Trevor Tomkins, Geoff Nichols, Paul Whiteside and Hilary Cameron.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 7/18/2005
Band Website: http://www.thediva.co.uk
Influences: Jo Morello (Dave Brubeck Quartet) and Al Jackson (Booker T and the MGs)
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

The last of England?

Twenty pubs close every month. And yet the popular press is full of finger-wagging pieces about the problems of binge drinking, warning of the follies of 24-hour opening, "happy hours" etc. I'll decla...
Posted by on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:19:00 GMT

Filth (musically speaking)

I WENT TO SEE my friend, jazz singer and pianist Hilary Cameron do a gig a while back. She was doing it as a duo with a friend of hers, a bebop singer from New York. She's always worth liste...
Posted by on Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:56:00 GMT

Politics

Time was, I was politically active. I worked for the Labour Party in the Seventies (and had a whale of a time despite being chased around by both the I.R.A and Special Branch -simultaneously!). In tho...
Posted by on Fri, 21 Apr 2006 08:00:00 GMT

My Generation? - bah! humbug!!

OK, I'm a baby-boomer. We were stardust, we were golden; the homo superior; with our love we would change the world; something was happening but you didn't know what is was, did you, Mr. Jones? And wh...
Posted by on Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:36:00 GMT

Monday -the joys of fatherhood

Went on a pub crawl from Canary Wharf to Tower Bridge with my eldest son. The river looked lovely, the sun was shining and the London Pride went down a treat. Now I'm skint and I've got a hangover.&nb...
Posted by on Tue, 18 Apr 2006 11:11:00 GMT