I am an eclectic tonal percussionist seeking out the organic roots and the universal energy.
My CURRENT PROJECTS are: The Echo Falls (folk rock trio); The AllOnes (out improv grooves and other madness); The Baker's Union (avant-garde jazz trio); Mushroom (space rock collective); and solo percussion and overdubbing compositions (that's what you can hear here).
I love the vast array of beautiful sounds coming from the percussion FAMILY OF INSTRUMENTS. Here are some that I have and use: drumset, vibraphone, marimba, a collection of Chinese gongs, talking drum, congas, bongos, djembe, mbira/kalimba, dumbeck, shekere, tambourine, timbales, bells, glockenspiel, temple blocks, clave, also french horn and bass guitar.
I've been active in the new music/imrov scenes in NYC and NorCal, playing in rock bands and various side projects for many years. As for SOME HIGHLIGHTS of my gigging adventures: 2005 tour and recording on drumset with Kologbo Afrobeat Academy in Germany and Holland (Oghene Kologbo is the definitive tenor guitarist with Fela Kuti Africa 70 plus later bands). A great Mushroom/Eddie Gale gig with The Bad Plus at Bimbo's 365 Club. Played vibes/percussion under Conduction maestro Butch Morris with New York Skyscraper and The Jump Arts Orchestra from 1998 through 2003. Performances at the Vision Festival in 2001 and 2002. A tour upstate with the Transcendentalists in 2002 and a Jump Arts group tour of the east coast in 2002.
Also some RECORDINGS: The Transcendentalists - Real Time Messengers on the CIMP label 2002. Several recordings with the Transcendentalists and Jump Arts Orchestra/Butch Morris on the Jump Arts label. I have released two solo CDs - one solo marimba and the other "All Noises by David Brandt." Also recordings with Scott Rosenberg (Are for large ensemble), Jessica Pavone, Harris Eisenstadt, Ras Moshe, The Ferns, Applesaucer, The Breadmen and others.
I am Vice-President of Jump Arts Inc., a non-profit sponsor of numerous multi-media performance and educational events (www.jumparts.org)
I have taken in many STUDIES with Milford Graves, Alan Dawson, Bill Dixon and Mike Rosen at Bennington College (BA 1995), Oberlin Conservatory, New England Conservatory and Berkeley College of Music. I think all of that studying gave me an itch for teaching...I have been giving private lessons and teaching special music programs in public schools since 1993.
