davederosemusic

[davederosemusic]

Agile Experiments 'Tiatoma' featuring Saber Rider and Foken releases today. It's a record about animated atoms coming together, making bigger atoms and those coming together to improvise, stamping and imprinting their true self at a moment in time free from fear. As we should all be able to freely and peacefully live.

I can't imagine releasing an album in these times without using this occasion to show love, respect and infinite gratitude for black lives and the influence their music has had on me. Growing up my father's African-American jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll and soul record collection filled our home with glorious sound. Uncountable hours were spent listening to and emotionally engaging with the sounds of Stevie Wonder's 70's albums. When I started to play drums Dad gave me 'Thrust' by Herbie Hancock, then got me completely hooked on a Weather Report 'Domino Theory Live' VHS which I basically memorised. Even as I got angry in my teens diving in to Heavy Metal my favourite group was actually Living Colour. Their third record 'Stain' really held up against all the other white metal bands but boasted a soulful and powerful social message. Out of the metal phase I dropped in to other African-American artforms: Hip-Hop, Nu Soul and R'n'B. Here I learned about holding back, keeping it real (no matter who you are) and fell in love with the power of ruthless repetition. Meshell Ndegeocello taught me about being a badass, genreless freedom and led me right back to jazz. As a young and inexperienced musician I learned to play in Carl Orr's band where the depth and friendship of 'Level' Neville Malcolm taught me about the relationship between bass and drums and helped me on my first steps in the music business. I've played and loved all kinds of music but had some of my deepest, spiritual and meditational experiences in a decade during which I almost exclusively listened and learned to play music from Africa and Egypt. The whitest musics I have loved since then have been Minimal Techno & Steve Reich's contemporary classical, both of which lifted African music concepts. These days as I've naturally gravitated towards music who's origin stems from Free Jazz so I am yet again in debt with the African-American music tradition. I have been honoured to make music and spend time with many wonderful black artists and friends. I can't imagine what my life would have been like without black lives in it and I don't want to. Black lives matter to me because their lives enrich mine both personally and through art. Agile Experiments is a project that allowes all these influences to emerge through boundaryless collaboration. Ever since its birth it has always been about making a political statement about freedom, about the coming together of all genders or sexual inclinations, of all races, of all ages. We stand by our black and brown brothers and sisters at this moment in time and in to the future.

Peace to all beings,

Black Lives Matter

https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/tiatoma

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WE OPENED UP FOR OUR 5TH RECORD PRE-ORDERS TODAY. 

Been so long since I posted anything here, it's been an exciting time. They say time goes by faster the older you get but I seem to be experiencing the opposite. Every day is so full of marvellous life. I am grateful for the opportunity to be experiencing making music with so many fantastic individuals. 

Agile Experiments 'Alive in the Empire' is a document made of extracts from our performance at the London Jazz Festival last November 2019 when we featured a rare quartet outing of John Edwards (Double Bass), George Crowley (Saxophone & FX), Dan Nicholls (Synthesisers, Samples & FX) and myself (Drums).

It is often said to not mix music and politics but I can’t help connecting the dots of freedom from discipline with this music. It’s plain as day to me. You’ll find this on a printed A4 sheet inside the record :

‘While everything around us is constantly being developed to be simpler, smaller, faster and easier to consume, seems as if our obligations are to quite the polar opposite. It's time to bring attention back to bringing attention. Currently existing in human format within the boundaries of our understanding, this constantly expanding team of cosmic conglomerate particles will continue to release fresh sound-art until it is no longer able to do so. Agile Experiments recordings will continue to capture live performances featuring artists collaborating with each other and given absolute freedom at creation point. The best moments will continue to emerge during states of unanimous 'flow', when the musicians involved are in sync with each other and not influenced by care or concern regarding the thoughts, feelings and states of mind of the receivers. Ironically this apparent lack of care during the task at hand will continuously prove to be the peak state in which the creators will deliver their most precious gifts to the audience. The listeners will need to commit to the moment to enhance their stake in the performance and reap their reward. The imposed vinyl format will continue to force a process aimed at facilitating this experience. Unlike all previous Agile Experiments releases “Alive In The Empire” is a LP of cuts sourced exclusively from one group during a gig - our London Jazz Festival performance November 2019. We hope that you will truly enjoy these minutes of off-the-cuff cooperative creativity. In good faith and love for people and music, Agile Experiments’

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Agile Experiments London is proud to present : 

“The Ultimate Guide to Avant-Garde-Step - sides A & B”

https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-ultimate-guide-to-avant-garde-step-sides-a-b

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Agile Experiments vol.2 releases today! So happy with what this year has brought our way so far as a result of putting this music out! So pleased it is being enjoyed my so many so widely spread across the globe!

You can stream, download & preorder our limited edition vinyl here as of today!

https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/agile-experiments-vol-2

My greatest gratitude extends out to all the Agile Experiments musicians/creators who came together bringing their unique selves to the recordings to made this project happen! Also an essential and huge thank you to  Leon Brichard, Victor Greetham, Nino De Rose, Claire Ballantyne & Francesca Lingua for their endless support!

[davederosemusic]

in the local paper

After playing at the Agile Rabbit Pizzeria most weeks for the past 3 years and self releasing a debut vinyl LP via Bandcamp which sold out within the first week of presales, Agile Experiments repressed a second time and have now spread 200+ copies of their experimental/non-commercial music around the world with zero budget or intent for PR, no Spotify, no iTunes or the likes. Here is our first bit of press, it is a small feature in Brixton’s local paper (the Brixton Bugle) https://issuu.com/brixtonbugle/docs/brixton-bugle_june18i but nonetheless something to be proud of. Hitting that grass roots vibe hard.

Huge thanks again to all the Agile Experiments members both on and off the record & I must also add Bill Mudge who’s photo in the feature was left uncredited. Bill is a wonderful photographer who’s body of work I am proudly part of https://www.billmudge.co.uk/

There are roughly 60 copies of Vol.1 left at present so if you are a vinyl lover your last chance to grab a copy is about now! Just saying!

https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/agile-experiments-vol-1

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Agile Experiments vol.1 supposedly releases today. However, having sold out of our 100 limited edition first press LPs within a week of opening up for pre-order (3 weeks ago), celebrations feel a little old!

So lets get some good news on the table.

At great request we have become rather happy and consequentially, extremely pleased to announce that a second press of 200 Agile Experiments vol.1 limited edition vinyl will be available and shipping out officially as of May 3rd.

You can pre-order our zero compromises, off-kilter noises on wax as of now from our bandcamp : https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/agile-experiments-vol-1

special thanks to Bill Mudge for the great photo at the top of this page!

[davederosemusic]

Agile Experiments vol.1

I knew I hadn’t blogged for a long while, but I didn’t realise the last time I had blogged was 2 years ago. We were just getting ready to go into the studio to record the 8 sessions from where I selected the 13 tracks that are now Agile Experiments Vol. 1 and 2.

So I’ve skipped a massive chunk of happenings here. Firstly I had 8 hours of music to listen to in order to make a selection of 5 to 8 minute tracks for the record. Secondly, the files sat on my hard drive for a long while as I begged for mixing favors from people and looked in to the possibilities of getting a record label involved.

This brought peace and tumble weed silence to the record..... Then, some words of encouragement from a friend and off the files went to the press plant (Thank you for that Leon!)

The First Press of our 100 ltd edition vinyl are heading out to Hong Kong, New Zeland, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Cyprus & France as well as the UK in a couple of weeks time. Our stock sold out within 1 week of opening up for pre-order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1PKnGPUcCM

You can still stream, purchase & keep and eye on the music here :

https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/agile-experiments-vol-1

Who knows, there might be a repress at some point?? ;)

[davederosemusic]

coming up : Agile Experiments Volume 1

Easy to guess right? Well, me and an array of wonderful musicians who have previously participated in Agile Experiments at The Agile Rabbit pizzeria over the past few years have been in the studio recording for Volume 1 & 2.

Volume 1 is certainly sounding pretty damn good. I have already started editing from 5 x 1 hour sessions and have 2 more to go this month, choosing the absolute best moments from each. There is so much goodness! Plus I have been filming the performances and making interviews with each group musicians for a mini documentary about it all.

I am enjoying the process a lot! Started to look for album cover material & talking to a few labels about releasing the project too. I think it has to be on vinyl really. We’ll see. Seems only right though!

Here’s some footage from the first ever Agile Experiments gig that spawned this album (before it was even called Agile Experiments!) :

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Here’s an extract from last night’s Agile Rabbit jams with Simo Lagnawi & Nathaniel Keen!

Currently recording and filming for an “Agile Experiments” album/video documentary featuring little interviews with all the musicians involved which is very very exciting!

In the mean time I’ve been enjoying playing with a lot of great projects including Eyes Of A Blue Dog (pictured below) and so much more including recording new Electric Jalaba material!

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that’s right Cyprus! Coming for ya!

[davederosemusic]

October 8th 2016. Me, Simo Lagnawi & Dario Rossetti-Bonell played a couple of sets at The Agile Rabbit. Such a joy for me to get to play with these two masters of their art. My MPC beats provided a solid layer for us to improvise around Simo’s deep rendition of Gnawa repertoire as Dario’s distinctive melodic approach colored the songs in a way I had not heard before. Half way through the gig, members of Gnawa London who up until that point had been “undercover“ broke out in amazing backing vocals which I quite frankly found rejuvenating. We are back on the 5th of November with much of the same (but different!) and really looking forwards to it. Hope you enjoy it like we did.

[davederosemusic]

My Agile Experiments series continues, bringing fresh new musics to Brixton Village in collaboration with The Agile Rabbit Pizzeria. This week what is becoming a regular format I’m taking care of the bottom end with my Fender P, the beats with my MPC and Gnawa Master Simo Lagnawi will be delighting us with his vocals and mini Guembri riffs accompanied by the space-floating Guitar antics of Nathaniel Keen. Performances run 2045-2130 and 2200-2245 exclusively. Event is FREE!

https://www.facebook.com/events/1780326975549258/

[davederosemusic]

I had the honor of playing with these two gentlemen the other night at The Agile Rabbit. My MPC gave us the ground for some tasty vibing and the village was good to us!

Dave De Rose : Beats & Bass

Simo Lagnawi : Guembri & Vocals

Sam Crowe : Synthersizer

Special thanks to Francesca Lingua for the photos!

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Back in town with the boys and last night was deeelicious! Happy Birthday Simo! September features 2 more Agile Experiments at the Agile Rabbit in Brixton Village. Next one is on the 16th!

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What’s been going on

It has been a while since I have written anything about music. Most of my social media posts (and the thought streams in my mind) have been about the political situation in the UK which really needs some attention. They say (who they? Labels, PR companies etc) that you should never mix your politics and your music promo, but I would say that right now the importance of speaking our minds through any platform possible is extremely important.

One of the reasons why I have been quiet on the music front has been to do with my health. 3 years ago an odd looking mark appeared on my index finger nail. It’s arrival coincided with me deciding to learn to play the electric bass so I dismissed it as something to do with being a beginner at string instruments and maybe applying too much pressure, busting a blood vessel or something...

Manly enough not to ask a doctor, the mark stayed on and I ignored it’s possible malignant nature to the point where I was jokingly treating it like a USP (Unique Selling Point) using it to direct visiting friends to where they would find the keys to my house for example....

Eventually my now gold starred girlfriend Francesca applied pressure on me to get it checked out... long story short they found out it was a Melanoma in Situ (aka a Skin Cancer in the making). Well... I was not expecting that!

You could say that if you’re gonna have cancer, somewhere as visible as the tip of your finger seems a good place... maybe not so much if you are a drummer/bass player though...

Right in the midst of the summer music festival season I asked the doctors for the operation to go ahead with urgency so that I could get on with healing and work towards returning to playing asap. My request was granted.

It has been an interesting time I have to say. I have been completely blown away by the support I received from the people around me, each and every one of them coming through with an array of personalised aid, from practical help to Buddhist chanting to Reiki to long distance healing and meditations, honest words, peace letters, good advice and straight up hugs! That really spelled out the beauty of the social diversity that London has to offer and made me rejoice in it.

Plus I had a bit of an excuse to sit around relaxing in my pajamas stroking cats and enhancing my brain capacity with the Internet’s science and philosophy channels.

It was also very powerful to experience first hand how true it is that ‘less is more’ in music when getting the opportunity to play drums 3 limbed with my bands Flying Ibex, Electric Jalaba and Vula Viel. Props to all of them for hanging in there with me!

The operation went ahead asap and only one month later I am now the owner of a almost completely recovered index finger without a Melanoma. Seems an achievement. Sure it looks a little odd next to the rest of them, but it works and I am back to playing as normal again.

It feels very important for me to say that the NHS doctors, nurses and staff have been amazing. Where would I be now if i was paying for private meetings, the biopsy, the operation, post operation visits and hand therapy? Probably living under a bridge... I am extremely thankful that there are people out there with a vocation for doing good.

To conclude here I feel like mentioning that the experience has been positive. As difficult as it can be to understand, I yet again find myself looking back at one of my life’s complications and accepting it as a part of my journey, one that, even though I wouldn’t have been able to say this at the time, has enhanced my life.

LOVE

Dave

[davederosemusic]

Another extremely fun ‘Agile Experiments’ session at Bedtime Stories came to pass last Thursday. Dan and Karl absolutely smashed it!! Take a little look for yourself (with headphones on or through a system please! Don’t want you to miss out on hearing Dan’s sensational bass tones!!).

This week will be our last gig ti Thursdays in July. We’ve got a very very special guest playing his mellow songs. Something completely different! I’ll renounce on the secrecy of his name in the next couple of days.

In the meantime, hope you enjoy the video!

[davederosemusic]

Ecstatic to announce this week’s Bedtime Stories’ concert at the new summer time schedule of 9pm till 10pm exclusively! Beer, Pizza and Original Music!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! C O M E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!