Toungin` It In Two`s..............................Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid

The alliance of a master drummer, who commonly practices for 3 hours per day, yet, see`s little point in rehearsing new tunes, and a musician whose pallette drips folk, soul and jazz sampled textures, seems unlikely, but if you havent tasted the fruit these two musical seeds have grown together, you really haven`t begun to peel the skin, or smell the, erm, coffee.

 Yet....................
 
Steve Reid and Kieran Hebden started working together in 2005. They released The Exchange Sessions Volume 1, and then Volume 2, in 2006; these were off the cuff, exploratory jams and clashes of vibrant rythmn and sampled sounds. Recorded live, with no overdubs, and released by Domino Records, I really think they stand up on their own as maps of uncharted musical interaction and territory.  Dont take just my word for it. Their originality hasn`t gone unnoticed either; in the UK, The Observer Music Monthly commented ; " And if there`s anyone there who honestly believes that there`s nothing new under the musical sun, this ( album ) might just blow your mind ".  That journey continued, gathering momentum as the twosome began testing out their tunes to live audiences. They played "...all kinds of mad different shows, from drum `n bass nights in Italy, to The Green Man festival in Brecon ", described Hebden, in a recent press release, " so the crowds have been really unpredictable. You get old jazz heads coming out to see Steve and dance kids too ". The word was getting out.

 A little rich- pedigree background you ought to know................

Reid popped his recording cherry by drumming on `Dancing In The Street` by Martha and The Vandellas in 1964, aged 19 years old. The drum sticks have stayed in his hands ever since, picking up the rythmn for such icons as Miles Davis, Sun Ra, James Brown, Ornette Coleman and Fela Kuti.  Hebden started Fridge with friends Adem Ilhan and Sam Jeffers and whilst playing with them, developed his own sampler-based resonances as Four Tet, releasing the solo albums; Dialogue, Pause, Rounds and Everything Ecstatic, as well as being much sought after for his copy `n paste remixes.

And, Speaking of Tongues.......

The twosome have been writing and recording more songs, soon to be released by Domino on March 19th. The new album that The Observer had heard, is entitled Tongues and takes us on yet another twist. You would be wrong, if you had heard pre-release copies, to assume that this album follows the same musical language of their previous two albums. Tongues departs on a tangent that has a harder edge and more focus on shorter, distilled improvisation. Hebden set up a number of sample ideas that Reid had never heard before, for the recording session. This took place in early Febuary this year, and they have captured their immediate, fervent, one take musical responses to them, on Tongues.

They are touring through March, including some shows in the States, as well as the UK and Europe. They also have a recording trip planned to Senegal for later on this year.
Nigel Godrich`s online programme, From The Basement, has featured them live recently and they have several short video pieces available to get a taster of their sound on tube-u know.

More news on Tongues and the Hebden/Reid axis to follow...............

Paul H. CopywriteonDude.

Their Tongues Tour dates are up NOW on The Brink Party Calendar.

Thanks to Kieran/Steve and Fiona@Domino