Drums and music blog - Planet drum

Newsletter January 2019

13/12/2018

Happy new year to you!

Can you believe we have hit 2019 already? Where did 2018 go? I wanted to say a huge thank you and well done to everyone who performed in the Winter Performance before Christmas, everybody had a great night!

So, Planet drum is kicking off the new year with a bang, including more workshops than ever before and exciting upcoming masterclasses and gigs. We have the pleasure of announcing that UK session drummer and Grammy winner (yes, that’s right) Robert Brian will be coming into Planet drum to host a masterclass on Friday 25th of January, talking about his experiences in the studio and on the road as well as top tips that he feels all working drummers should know…You can purchase your tickets here.

UK Session Drummer, Rob Brian

Furthermore, we will be hosting workshops and performances

with Israeli jazz drummer, Asaf Sirkis (8th February) and Vladimir’s Balkan band, Paprika (9th February) so make sure to grab your tickets by contacting the office.

Asaf Sirkis

Paprika Band

See below

to book a slot as there is limited availability! Bookings for January workshops will be available on 2.01.2019.

10th January - Band workshop (6pm juniors, 7pm adults)
10th January - Percussion and drumkit workshop, 8 pm
17th January - Improvisation workshop (6pm juniors, 7pm adults)
24th January - Band workshop (6pm juniors, 7pm adults)
31st January - Percussion and drumkit workshop, 8pm

Newsletter December 2018

4/12/2018

Hello everyone!

So here we are, Christmas is just around the corner and the Planet Drum family is coming together for our Winter Show on Friday 7th starting at 6 pm.

This year, for a change we’ll be kicking off with the percussion workshop performance followed by the junior performances at 6.30 pm then the adult performances at 7.30 pm.

The final rehearsals for these will be held on:
Tuesday 4th 8 pm – Percussion Workshop
Thursday 6th 6 pm – Junior Band Workshop
Thursday 6th 7 pm – Adult Band Workshop
Thursday 20th 6 pm - Junior Improvisation Workshop
Thursday 20th 7 pm - Adult Improvisation Workshop

Please contact the school to book your places for any of these if you haven’t already done so.

drum lessons in london

Here’s a list of other performances happening this month where you can see the teachers play:

Afrik Bawantu (Louis) – Empire Bar, Hackney 20th December
The Swing Notes (Alain, Vlad, Peter and Ben) - The Goring Hotel, 31st December

Afrik Bawantu

The swing notes

Finally I would like to say well done to everyone for the progress made this year and wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Best wishes for 2019!

Newsletter by Planet drum teacher, Louis.

Newsletter October 2018

1/10/2018

Where did September go?

To me the weeks seem to be flying past and only 12 weeks to go to Christmas! Obviously that means there is a limited number of workshops to prepare for the winter show so please book your places as soon as possible.

This month they will be held on:
Band Workshop -Monday 8th at 8pm (adults)
Improvisation – Monday 22nd at 5pm (Juniors)
Improvisation Monday 22nd at 6pm (adults)
Band Workshop - Thursday 29th at 7pm (Juniors)
Band Workshop – Thursday 29th at 8pm (adults)
Drum Kit and Percussion Workshop Thursday 25th at 8pm

Band practice

Improvisation Workshop

Percussion Workshop

Thank you!

I would like to say a big thank you to all who came down to the Jazz Cafe last week to see my band Afrik Bawantu. It was an absolutely amazing night and such a fun gig to play. Here’s a little clip from the first set.

Here's is a list of upcoming performances,

This is where you can check out some of the teachers in action!

Vladimir and Peter with Paprika http://www.eastfinchleyartsfestival.org.uk/#sat6th
Keith - The lost disc show https://sohotheatre.com/shows/the-lost-disc/
Filippo - 2nd October, Curveball atThe Kitty Hawk. Modern Fusion/Jazz
Filippo - 11th October, Guido Spannocchi Trio @ Caravanserail
Filippo - 17th October Rory More Trio @ Jazztrain night, Shoreditch
Filippo - 22nd October, Guido Spannacchi Trio @ Brixton Market
Filippo - Samba Ensemble @ Granary Square, Kings Cross
Louis - 24th October Afrik Bawantu https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/afrik-bawantu-with-afla-sackey.
Dee- 5th October Entropi http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/double-bill-entropi-voronoi-match-fuse-late-session/
Katy Russell - KT Abbotshill wine bar Sat 13th Oct - http://www.abbotshillwine.co.uk/new-products-1/national-album-day-131018

Percussion workshop in London

Finally for anyone who has been waiting patiently for an update on the garden. Well, I’m happy to say the tomatoes are eventually ripening at a rate just about sufficient for necessity. What a wonderful thing nature is. Muchisimas gracias! Good luck with all your endeavours. See you soon!

Newsletter by Planet drum teacher, Louis.

Newsletter September 2018

3/9/2018

Hi everybody!

First things first... We are now offering trumpet lessons with our new trumpet teacher Henry Lawry! Learn the secrets, tricks and tips of pro trumpeters designed to help you succeed.

Check out our blog on last months masterclass by Ringo Starr's drum collector and historian, Gary Astridge.

This month we are introducing and hosting a brand new improvisation workshop for all instruments. Improvisation is a performance that is not practised or planned, in particular, it is a piece of music that is created spontaneously. In this new workshop we are putting these skills into practice by playing alongside one another and cultivating new ideas as we go! Improvisation is at the heart of great musicianship.

This is a great chance for students of all abilities to Jam and learn the art of improvisation. It is a lot of fun and we encourage students to bring their own ideas to the table...

Improvisation workshop

Hope you all had a fabulous summertime home or abroad, wherever that is for you. With the festival season coming to an end and the temperature taking on a somewhat autumnal feel it definitely feels like ‘back to school’ time.

Here at Planet Drum we’ve already got one eye on the Winter Show so encouraging everyone to get involved and start preparing your performance piece for the Band Workshops. This month they will be happening on Monday 17th at 8pm (adults), Thursday 27th 6pm (kids) and 7pm (adults).

Band practice in London

This season we’re introducing another workshop

facilitated by Alain and Katy which is aimed at helping you to develop your musicality and musicianship so well worth a look into! This will take place on Monday 10th at 5pm (kids), and 6pm (adults). Please contact the office early to reserve your place for either of these.

The percussion workshop is also on Thursday 27th at 8pm. As always, the more the merrier so don’t worry if you haven’t booked a place, you are welcome to come anyway.

Following last month’s newsletter, a quick update on my band Afrik Bawantu and the garden.Ok, without meaning to blow any trumpets, we smashed it at the festivals!

Percussion workshop in London

The garden performance was a bit more erratic

with tons of courgettes and cucumbers, tomatoes taking longer to ripen. Apparently some others had the same problem due to the weather so I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. It’s all about trial and error. On both counts I’m already preparing and hopefully improving next year.

Anyone who would like to see us play is more than welcome to come to The Jazz Cafe in Camden on Tuesday 25th September. The event is called Afla Sackey and Afrik Bawantu present – Ghana’s Highlife Groove, tickets available here.

We’ll be performing a range of classic old-school highlife tunes along with a few of our original compositions. We’re going to take the roof off so would be great to see you there, if you can make it. That’s all for now folks, look forward to seeing you around. All the best for the coming season!

Percussion workshop at Planet drum

Newsletter by Planet drum teacher Louis.

Planet drum diary

24/8/2018

An evening with Gary Astridge

Think you know a lot about legendary Beatles drummer ‘Ringo Starr’? Well think again.

Planet drum had the absolute pleasure of meeting Gary Astridge; ultimate Ringo fan, collector and drum historian. As well as being such a warm and friendly person, Astridge shared his Beatle knowledge and marvellous stories about working alongside Ringo himself.

Gary Astridge and Ringo Starr

“Gary,

because of your research, I've learned things that I didn't know, and you brought back fond memories of things that I had forgotten." - Ringo Starr

Some of Gary’s achievements include having the distinct honor and privilege of handling and documenting two of Ringo's Beatles drum sets and his Ludwig gold plated snare drum at the Grammy Museum in LA. This also includes being the first person since Mal Evans, the Beatles roadie, to set up Ringo's Sullivan and Let It Be drum sets.

Gary Astridge at Planet drum

Furthermore,

Gary has been involved in numerous other projects. He can say that he has now documented all five of Ringo's Ludwig Beatles drum sets and his custom Ludwig Silver Sparkle kit used on the Hello Goodbye promo film. All five Ludwig Beatles drum sets are complete with no missing items.

With the blessing of Ringo himself, Gary and his friends Jeff and Scotty (Ringo's roadies), have successfully implemented Gary's plan to photograph, document, organise, preserve and securely store these iconic kits for history and their hopeful future placement in a museum.

Gary Astridge was involved as technical adviser in the "World's Great Drummers Salute Ringo Starr" documentary featuring Dave Grohl, Tre Cool, Abe Laboriel Jr, Max Weinberg, Questlove, Jim Keltner, Stewart Copeland, Chad Smith, and Taylor Hawkins.

We would like to thank

Gary Astridge for sharing his stories and knowledge with our Planet drum students and wish him well as he travels to International Beatle week in Liverpool!

“I really enjoyed my time with you and thanks so much for your hospitality. I surely will be spreading the word about Planet Drum & the great people that make it work” - Gary Astridge 2018

*Photos copyright of Gary Astridge

Planet drum Diary

2/8/2018

During the month I spent

galavanting around New Zealand, I threw myself into a variety of new and terrifying situations (including jumping out of a plane.) Now, being back in London, I am eager to try new things (although maybe something not quite as terrifying?)

Since I am surrounded by drum kits most the time, I thought it would be rude not to at least give it a go. After all, research suggests that drumming has been used for thousands of years to maintain physical and mental health. I will take that over the gym any day!

Drum taster lessons in london

So before I knew it,

I was having my first ever drum taster lesson with one of our great teachers here at Planet drum. After going through key rhythms and navigating around the drumkit, we were playing along to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Britney Spears and Kool and the Gang. It was so much fun, that at first, I thought that I sounded amazing but in hindsight, I was probably just creating a lot of racket (thank goodness for soundproofing).

I do not think Britney Spears will be calling me up any time soon looking for a new drummer but we all have to start somewhere!

Drum lessons for beginners

So there are some exciting things happening

here at Planet drum this month. Make sure to get to the Gary Astridge workshop on Ringo Starr on the 21st August, sign up to the percussion workshop with Louis on the 23rd August and come along to the band workshop on the 20th August for a jam with myself and Alain.

(I don’t think I will be playing the drums this time though!)

August band practice london

Blog post by Planet drum administrator Katy Russell

Discover Nicola Hogg

26/4/2018

Playing drums gives me a good feeling,

although it feels much greater when you can work with like minded artists. That's why I'm working with the up and coming Nicola Hogg. Last year we've released 4 singles, you can check these out on all social media platforms with the handle @nicolahoggmusic - for them we've worked with Abbey Road Engineer Christian Wright (Ed Sheeran) and other collaborators.

The single 'Flow'

won the Mayor of London Big Busk competition which received press coverage from BBC News, BBC introducing, the Evening Standard and many other major media outlets. It also took us to Glastonbury where Nicola shared the bill with artists such as, Mullally, Everything Everything & producer Naughty Boy. Touring wise, Nicola played in Italy and Argentina.

Where is she now?

She's now back in London, where we are planning for her second set of song releases, gigs and tours. We'll be rehearsing at Planet Drum too, so pop in if you want to meet Nicola or just say hi! Make sure you listen to her tracks, and leave a comment if you like them!

Post by Planet drum teacher Hernan Palazzo

NIGHT OF STUFF PRESENTS: THE LOST DISC

10/10/2017

Planet drum teacher Keith Debarra will be performing in The Lost Disc, the latest production by the The London Snorkeling Team.

We have asked Keith to tell us more about this production:

"This week I'll be performing again at Shoreditch Town Hall for three nights with the London Snorkelling Team.

Last year, I performed with them in a collaborative production of 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream' with Filter (production company) and Lyric Hammersmith.

As well as a run at the Lyric, we were also very lucky to bring the show to Australia and Dublin. It was a great experience and great to be involved in something quite different from what I'm used to. They are very creative people making some very interesting things things with music and theatre."

The show will run from Wednesday 11th October to Friday 13th October (as preview - work in progress)

"Like 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream', the production this week 'The Lost Disc', Chris Branch and Tom Haines (London Snorkelling Team) have written original music to accompany the production.

Again, it's a very interesting experience to see how something like this is put together both musically and theatrically. It is a new production based on a short sketch which this team put together for another show some years ago.

My role, as you might have guessed, is to play drums but I have been informed that I will have some lines to deliver at some point which will be fun (nerve racking).

We've been rehearsing since last week and I think it's going to be a really good show

Come along if you can and join us for the three shows at the Shoreditch Town Hall."

Tickets and more info are available via this link.

Keith Debarra,

Drum teacher