released September 22, 2017
For the past fifteen years, Ben Reimer has been exploring a new role for the drumset in the context of contemporary art music performance. The foundation of this journey has been a deep respect and admiration for the players who have opened new musical and technical possibilities of drumset performance for the past 100+ years. It is this history that remains linked to the instrument when crossing over into this context of contemporary composition.
The music on Katana of Choice – Music for Drumset Soloist, written or arranged for Ben, is a convergence of influences from icons of the past with new performance techniques and modes of musical expression. Through commissions, performances and this recording, Ben aims to stimulate new repertoire which further expands the history of the instrument. With this new repertoire and its resulting techniques and performance practices, he has found his way, like generations of drummers before him, to contribute to this rich history.
www.benreimer.com
1-4. Drum Dances – John Psathas (arr. Ben Duinker) 11:00
Featuring Architek Percussion
Recorded: May 23 & 24, 2016, Oscar Peterson Hall, Montréal
Recording engineer, editing: John Klepko
Mixing: Ray Dillard at Crush Studio (Barrie, Ontario)
Producers: John Klepko & Ben Reimer
5. Ringer* – Nicole Lizée 13:10
Recorded: May 18, 2012 at Studio A, Schulich School of Music (McGill University, Montréal, QC)
Engineer, editing, mixing: Scott Levine
Producers: Scott Levine and Nicole Lizée
6. Lakoni in Kazonnde for Two Drumsets* – Lukas Ligeti 7:29
Featuring David Cossin
Recorded: May 6 – 11, 2016 at David Cossin’s home studio (NYC)
Recording engineer, editing: David Cossin
Mixing: Rob Friedman at Little Life Studios (NYC)
Producer: David Cossin
7. Train Set – Eliot Britton 7:01
Recorded: May 23 & 24, 2016, Oscar Peterson Hall, Montréal
Recording engineer, editing: John Klepko
Mixing: Ray Dillard at Crush Studio (Barrie, Ontario)
Producers: John Klepko & Ben Reimer
8. Katana of Choice – Nicole Lizée 18:43
Featuring TorQ Percussion Quartet
Recorded: July 18, 2016 at Canterbury Music Company (Toronto, ON)
Engineer: Jeremy Darby
Assistant Engineer, editing, mixing: Ray Dillard at Crush Studio (Barrie, ON)
Producers: Ray Dillard & Ben Reimer
Mastering: Graemme Brown at Zen Mastering (Gabriola Island, BC)
Art Direction and album design: Lucas Pauls
TK456 © 2017 Ben Reimer
redshiftrecords.org/releases/tk456/