The little drummer got talent

• Any and all content including copy, photos, video and facts are approved by the artist Davey James to use here in this Hub. Thank You.

  
  
  

• Davey can't stop laughing, it's late I am punch drunk and misspelled the headline to read; The little drummer bother thank god for erasers I say

  
  
  

that Davey James is my brother. Davey is my younger brother by 9 years. To me he will always be my baby brother in water-wings that slipped from my arms on the water slide. That feeling never left me I admit, and I could never do 2 things;

First, do his talent and craft any justice no matter how hard I tried here, and secondly, give him half of what he has so unconditionally given me, in my lifetime. I really feel like he is the older sibling.

Know he is one of two of the most treasured and important people in my life, and nothing he could do would ever change that.

I truly love the diversified, multifaceted creator and artist in Davey James. As I was about half way through assembling these familiar forms of creativity, inspiration and talent, something occurred to me. I do love his work, bar none. But do I love it because he has talent or do I love it because he's my precious brother?

Granted the work and history with such a strong portfolio speaks for itself, right? Then how do I as a listener, a fan, define talent if I separate it from being his sister? Did my brother suck and I'm just so damn proud I cannot see it? Well maybe extreme, but are you feeling me on this?

I immediately turned on my second favourite songwriter/singer [promise Davey you can breathe, no names ha]. My answer was instant and Davey probably has no memory of this but it ties into something he once articulated for me.

A few years ago Davey was giving me a tour of one of the places he studied music, just happened to be New Mexico this time. No clue how we started talking about this but I found it shocking.

Davey explained to me that true artists are most often the most insecure people when it comes to their craft. Like us here as writers, we doubt ourselves constantly and much creativity marries much fear of not being accepted, regardless of income, fame, accolades or praise. I was shocked especially not just listening but watching him develop and execute. He helped so many musicians that had no money, played everyday, and was very serious when it came to the genius part I saw when he wrote actual music.

I hear you Davey, but you however need some tweaking from a girl who's love of music exceeds most things and her love of The little Drummer Brother exceeds all things. This, because what I see in you, are those qualities, just not defined properly, understandably.

Bro, a true artist, you, and others that must create, that must be using their craft in some form everyday, artists that not want but need to push that envelope, artists that play for one or a million, just to play, artists that have a natural talent, yes talent, are full of humility. A grace that shines through the most spiritual of work and I only wish could appreciate what gift they offer people like us.

You have that gift, you maybe my brother but ooze talent, grace, creativity, inspiration, passion and again, natural talent.

Please never take that from us. Godspeed bro, Godspeed

Davey grew up just outside of Houston, Texas, and his mother used to bring him to watch blues bands perform. That’s where he first got hooked on music. He started playing in bands himself and then he started studying music in school. First in high school and then in New Orleans at Loyola (where he started studying the drums). I’m so proud of my brother for his education. He’s now finishing his PhD in ehthnomusicology at York University in Toronto and he has a Masters of Fine Art in World Music from CalArts (the California Institute of Arts). This is a guy who grew up with a learning disability, in a chaotic alcoholic home where no one from either side of the family had post-secondary education.

Even though his focus is the drums, he plays lots of instruments and works as a producer and engineer too. He’s performed and toured with bands (artists from Columbia, Capitol and Wind Up records) and has also collaborated with many artists as a producer and engineer. He’s toured all over the world and continues to tour in North America, Europe and Asia. The collaborations he’s involved with fuse all kinds of musical styles, everything from death metal to world music to pop to free-style jazz (and of course traditional New Orleans music).

My brother loves teaching. He’s currently teaching at York University, and he also works as a coach. As a teacher and coach my bro works with all kinds of musicians, not just those of any one style. He loves working with people to help them develop their own musical voice and style. It doesn’t matter to him if they have a label or a big budget, he just wants to make great recordings. Two artists he's currently working with are Brakemonster (a hip hop artist) and Kevin Myles Wilson (a folk artist). He wants artists to push their own creative boundaries and his own passion for what he does creates an infectious enthusiasm.

He’s also just created his second production company, Canadian Recordings. He learned the business side of music when he lived in Los Angeles. He worked for music producers Rick Rubin and Michael Bienhorn as a runner and he was an assistant to music manager Jeff Norskog (who manages the Pussycat Dolls and Puff Daddy). Davey also worked as an intern for music supervisor Patrick Houlihan on the films ‘Training Day’, ‘Bubble Boy’ and ‘Sweetest Thing’.

My brother’s a busy guy. He’s touring Asia with the band Girl and the Machine and an experimental rock band called Turkey. He’s mixing Bob Egan’s (of Blue Rodeo) latest solo project. He’s starting a project with Junzi (a Canadian singer) and he’s finishing up a project with E Plus (a Taiwanese singer). I couldn’t be more proud of him.

He’s obviously passionate about what he does. That comes through loud and clear. And in his own words “Music has truly saved my life, and given me a new found freedom"

• DRUM LESSONS, CLINICS, MASTER CLASSES, RECORDING AND STUDIO SESSIONS, SHOWS AND TOURING
• PERCUSSION LESSONS, CLINICS, GROUPS AND MASTER CLASSES, TRACKING AND STUDIO SESSIONS, SHOWS AND TOURING
• PRODUCING, MUSIC DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING AND MUSICAL DIRECTING
• MUSIC COACHING SESSIONS, GROUPS, MASTER CLASSES
  
• SONGWRITING AND MUSIC THEORY LESSONS
• PERFORMING, IMPROVISING, CONDUCTING
• MUSIC COMPOSITION, SOUNDSCAPES, SOUND EFFECTS AND SOUND DESIGN
  

I was lucky enough to attend my brothers gig Thursday, and I have heard him before, but this had my jaw dropping.

The 3 piece band is namely; nights and weekends. I have no idea but my brother played keyboards with his left shoeless foot, keeping the right strong for bass. Clearly drummed for every set and also managed to play harmonica, tambourine and steel strings with vocals. wtf?

Anyways the three seemingly just glide together and no doubt having a ball doing so. Good talent shows in joy, so I have witnessed from the stage, great place to be.

Which brings me to Jermaine Hamilton, lead singer and kick ass freestyle rapper, straight from New Orleans, Mississippi. He is fearless like the others and brings soul into the unnecessary labelled genre. Anything goes.

Last but not least strumming 6 strings and sharing amazing vocal chords is another lead singer/guitarist. His name-Brendan Beamish from Peterborough, Ontario.

Nights and Weekends is getting noticed. They barely have time to jam, but this first video is an example of their commitment through jamming.

The 2 videos following are live performances of how to kick ass.

peace, thank you

Ya dude if you wonder what I do night and day and morning, it's here Super talented writer and lyricist just saying

later dude

and I love you a whole lot, ok tons, fine gazillions, no no more, sleep

Davey James, my superstar

You still out-googled me!!!!!!!!!!!