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Recording release party for Wake Up

By First Nations, My StoriesNo Comments

Saturday was a very special day for Jerry ‘Drumspeaker’ Chapman’s CD release party. People travelled as far as 8 hours away to be here in WA to celebrate. An afternoon feasting together and sharing the songs and stories from the recording. It was a memorable way for people to experience this new music and I was so encouraged by the response. Some great chats afterwards as musicians wanted to discuss with me how I had captured different sounds on the project.

  • First Nations Sunday
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
  • Jerry CD release
12. January 2024
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New recording – Wake Up Sleeping Giant

By First Nations, Music from the Nations, My StoriesNo Comments

We are excited to announce the release of ‘Wake Up Sleeping Giant‘. We met Jerry in a unique way whilst playing in Canada. I asked one of the organisers as I was setting up equipment if anyone had First Nation drums – he said no, but a voice from the auditorium shouted back, “I have a van full, do you want to borrow some?”. Since then we have spent time with Jerry and his wife Leslie, playing together at various events, learning from each other drum building techniques and dreaming about recording some of his songs. The results can be heard on this new recording released ion January 6th 2024. Jerry is from the Stó:Lō nation and is a drummer, First Nations drum maker and designer, singer and songwriter.

6. November 2023
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Nations gather in southern California

By First Nations, My StoriesNo Comments

A wonderful few days as nations gathered to share their stories and songs on the Torres Martinez reservation, hosted by the Desert Cahuilla. The Cahuilla people have lived in southern California since the early 1800’s. We were welcomed with the singing of “bird songs” – songs that speak of their stories, journey’s and creation. It was a day where every nation got to share their songs and stories, eat together and build new relationships. Very thankful and honoured to be invited onto their land for the first time.

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28. October 2023
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A new song – If I Could

By My StoriesNo Comments

New track from our good friend Mark Riley. He writes, “Sometimes things in life leave you without words. I wrote this song after my daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Through this I realized that many people are faced with similar situations, and just need to know that God still loves them and so do the people around them. No matter what the circumstances look like. Sometimes those are the only words we have… ‘God makes a way, so be thankful and pray…’

24. April 2023
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And The Trees Clapped Their Hands

By Music from the Nations, My StoriesNo Comments

Whilst walking near a friend Kent’s home in Sweden I was inspired by the natural sounds that surrounded me. It was a beautiful early morning, and the air was very still, except for the tops of one silver birch tree where the leaves were shimmering, dancing, singing in the wind. It was a very light, high-pitched sound – delicate yet very noticeable. It reminded me of a line I had read – and the trees clapped their hands.

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8. March 2023
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Check out this remix – Carry Me On

By My StoriesNo Comments

One of my favourite songs from the album of the same name written by Mark Riley. When we recorded it almost 20 years ago I was never pleased with the mix due to all sorts of reasons and I dreamed that one day we would revisit it. A few years ago after the very sad death of Marks amazing son, Lucas, we decided to to do just that – dedicating it to his son. Our great friend Kevin Penner remixed the CD and we also re-mastered the whole project. 2 years later, we were amazed when it was nominated for a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award in Hawai’i by the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts.

30. January 2023
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Happy Christmas

By My StoriesNo Comments

A huge THANK YOU to all our friends out there in cyber world

Veselé Vánoce – ᖁᕕᐊᓱᕕᒻᒥ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒋᑦᓯ – Feliz Navidad – Mele Kalikimaka – Merry Christmas – God Jul – Joyeux Noël – Feliz Navidad – Fröhliche Weihnachten – Heri ya Krismasi – Prettige Kerstdagen –

Thanks for all your encouragements, posts and support.

24. December 2022
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Recording in Washington State

By My StoriesNo Comments

Drums-a-gogo!!! Mobile recording @ Jerry Chapman’s wonderful barn. As well as being a singer/songwriter, percussionist he is an incredible drum craftsman, pioneering new techniques and ideas based on his Stó:Lō heritage. I am working on a new recording with Jerry and the last few days have been spent getting samples and recordings of all his drums, shakers and clapper sticks.

25. August 2022
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Queen’s Jubilee

By My StoriesNo Comments

What a fun time i had bringing some sounds from the commonwealth to this track in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee. Thankful for my huge collection of percussive instruments from around the world. There are 56 independent countries that make up the commonwealth, from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe. I decided I would try and use percussive instruments and sounds from every continent. So here’s a list – Yidaki (didgeridoo) Australia, Tuelle (log drums) Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa, various African drums and shakers from Tanzania, Rwanda and Nigeria, Ankglung (Malaysia), First Nations drum (Canada), shakers (Europe) and Clap sticks (Guyana).

22. April 2022
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In the desert we have infinite time but no water. In Europe, you have plenty of water but no time

Ag Mohamed Ali born in the desert near Timbuktu
9. September 2021
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Buffy MacNeil – Somebody Pray

By Drums, My StoriesNo Comments

Honoured to be part of Canadian singer Buffy MacNeil’s recording project – Voices of the Silenced of Residential Schools. This video “Somebody Pray” is part of the project that began to unfold in January 2021 when Buffy MacNeil envisioned the ways she could support the health and well-being of Indigenous youth. She hopes to release an album which will support the creation of a youth care and advocacy centre in the community of the Paq’tnkek Mi’kmaw Nation.

31. August 2021
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