PAT MASTELOTTO TOBIAS RALPH
''TOPARAMA''
JUNE 17 2014
57:18
1 Willie's in the Backyard 03:10
2 Ny5 08:14
3 Mama Will Bark 03:00
4 Little People 02:40
5 Sing Sang Sung 04:04
6 Floor Over Heaven 04:27
7 Up Heavy 03:23
8 New 0 04:38
9 Moo Baba 04:09
10 BaBaBoom 05:56
11 Rendezvous With Rama, Pt. 1 05:45
12 Om 04:03
13 Bad Ass Van, Man 03:44
All Tracks By Mastelotto & Ralph
Pat Mastelotto - drums, percussion, sound design
Tobias Ralph - drums, cowbell, Rhodes
Markus Reuter - u8 touch guitar
Roy Powell - rhodes and moog samples
Lorenzo Felicity - bass, keys, strings
Tony Levin - upright bass
David Rothenberg - clarinet
Angelica Sanchez - piano
Bernhard Wöstheinrich - soundscapes;
Bill Munson - vocals, samples
Leashya Padma Munson - vocals, samples
Robert Fisher - spoken words
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REVIEW
Mark F. Turner, allaboutjazz.com
Like the rhythm of blood flowing through the heart; the drum is the rhythmic pulse of music. Drummers Pat Mastelotto and Tobias Ralph collaboration in ToPaRaMa is an adrenaline-charged project that includes the two on drum kits, splashes of electronic sound-design and contributions from talented guests. Mastelotto and Ralph's combined resumes contain a striking list of progressive rock artists that include Allan Holdsworth, King Crimson, and the Screaming Headless Torsos so it's a given that they rock the beat with an extreme level of proficiency. Nonetheless, there's a wealth of variety and ingenuity in a program which leans more on the side of experimental electronica.
Both musicians deliver a barrage of cadences, syncopated solos, and shifting rhythms. "NY5" is a peculiar groove that begins with intense drums threaded by a looped voice sample and shadowed by synthesizers, guitar and other instruments. While the music might resemble some bass-and-drum and dub sensibilities, the drummers switch up with "Sing Sang Sung" which resembles a drum-corp on steroids whereas "New 0" is downright funky bringing to mind the jazzy psychedelic hip-hop trance of the 1990's groups A Tribe Called Quest and The Pharcyde.
And speaking of the far-side, this music is out there. Want to travel to a planet in another galaxy? Then "Mama Will Bark" links tribal beats and terraforming soundscapes with a throbbing bass line and spacy synths and likewise "Up Heavy" where the drummers obliterate toms and snares against a canvas of alien painted hieroglyphics. Things come back down to earth in the "Bad Ass Van, Man" filled with humor filled spoken words. In the end, there's nothing more exciting than the syncopation of masterful percussionists creating beats in an unusual setting.
Track Listing: Willie's in the Backyard; NY5; Mama Will Bark; Little People; Sing Sang Sung; Floor Over Heaven; Up Heavy; New 0; Moo Bab; BaBaBoom; Rendezvous with Rama pt1;OM; Bad Ass Van, Man.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Kelvin Hayes
Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on demise of their former band. Phil Collins and Don Henley have managed it, so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self taught master of acoustic and electronic drums and percussion born in Chico, California, September 1955. His first break came upon the end of Pages who metamorphosed into Mr Mister. Piloted by Richard Page, Mastelotto provided beat bravado for three albums and two #1 singles: "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie." As a fourth album became nothing more than vault fodder for RCA, Mastelotto duly accepted an invitation to form backbone for XTC and Cock Robin; the latter featuring some quite brilliant work. In the early 90s memorable moments came in spades as he teamed up with the Rembrandts and many others. As another band of the eighties folded, Cock Robin frontman Peter Kingsbery invited his friend to play and co-produce his debut "A Different Man." Once more Mastelotto didn't disappoint, dressing each track in a style and sound suitable. Having missed out on the First Day, the persistent drummer tracked down the management of David Sylvian and Robert Fripp for an audition. He passed with flying colours. The Road To Graceland tour later emerged as the limited edition Damage. This in turn led to a double trio (re)formation of King Crimson (Mastelotto partnering Bill Bruford). Being part of one of the world's most successful experimental rock bands has not prevented Mastelotto from continuing his session work for an ever increasing clientele (Jude Cole, Tina Arena, Michael Penn etc). He even appears on the radio hit theme from Friends! Now with an illustrious career behind him, his own band MasticA has recently issued their first CD. King Crimson's The ConstruKction of Light and PROJEKCT X are due mid year.
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TO THE TOP
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''TOPARAMA''
JUNE 17 2014
57:18
1 Willie's in the Backyard 03:10
2 Ny5 08:14
3 Mama Will Bark 03:00
4 Little People 02:40
5 Sing Sang Sung 04:04
6 Floor Over Heaven 04:27
7 Up Heavy 03:23
8 New 0 04:38
9 Moo Baba 04:09
10 BaBaBoom 05:56
11 Rendezvous With Rama, Pt. 1 05:45
12 Om 04:03
13 Bad Ass Van, Man 03:44
All Tracks By Mastelotto & Ralph
Pat Mastelotto - drums, percussion, sound design
Tobias Ralph - drums, cowbell, Rhodes
Markus Reuter - u8 touch guitar
Roy Powell - rhodes and moog samples
Lorenzo Felicity - bass, keys, strings
Tony Levin - upright bass
David Rothenberg - clarinet
Angelica Sanchez - piano
Bernhard Wöstheinrich - soundscapes;
Bill Munson - vocals, samples
Leashya Padma Munson - vocals, samples
Robert Fisher - spoken words
**********
REVIEW
Mark F. Turner, allaboutjazz.com
Like the rhythm of blood flowing through the heart; the drum is the rhythmic pulse of music. Drummers Pat Mastelotto and Tobias Ralph collaboration in ToPaRaMa is an adrenaline-charged project that includes the two on drum kits, splashes of electronic sound-design and contributions from talented guests. Mastelotto and Ralph's combined resumes contain a striking list of progressive rock artists that include Allan Holdsworth, King Crimson, and the Screaming Headless Torsos so it's a given that they rock the beat with an extreme level of proficiency. Nonetheless, there's a wealth of variety and ingenuity in a program which leans more on the side of experimental electronica.
Both musicians deliver a barrage of cadences, syncopated solos, and shifting rhythms. "NY5" is a peculiar groove that begins with intense drums threaded by a looped voice sample and shadowed by synthesizers, guitar and other instruments. While the music might resemble some bass-and-drum and dub sensibilities, the drummers switch up with "Sing Sang Sung" which resembles a drum-corp on steroids whereas "New 0" is downright funky bringing to mind the jazzy psychedelic hip-hop trance of the 1990's groups A Tribe Called Quest and The Pharcyde.
And speaking of the far-side, this music is out there. Want to travel to a planet in another galaxy? Then "Mama Will Bark" links tribal beats and terraforming soundscapes with a throbbing bass line and spacy synths and likewise "Up Heavy" where the drummers obliterate toms and snares against a canvas of alien painted hieroglyphics. Things come back down to earth in the "Bad Ass Van, Man" filled with humor filled spoken words. In the end, there's nothing more exciting than the syncopation of masterful percussionists creating beats in an unusual setting.
Track Listing: Willie's in the Backyard; NY5; Mama Will Bark; Little People; Sing Sang Sung; Floor Over Heaven; Up Heavy; New 0; Moo Bab; BaBaBoom; Rendezvous with Rama pt1;OM; Bad Ass Van, Man.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Kelvin Hayes
Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on demise of their former band. Phil Collins and Don Henley have managed it, so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self taught master of acoustic and electronic drums and percussion born in Chico, California, September 1955. His first break came upon the end of Pages who metamorphosed into Mr Mister. Piloted by Richard Page, Mastelotto provided beat bravado for three albums and two #1 singles: "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie." As a fourth album became nothing more than vault fodder for RCA, Mastelotto duly accepted an invitation to form backbone for XTC and Cock Robin; the latter featuring some quite brilliant work. In the early 90s memorable moments came in spades as he teamed up with the Rembrandts and many others. As another band of the eighties folded, Cock Robin frontman Peter Kingsbery invited his friend to play and co-produce his debut "A Different Man." Once more Mastelotto didn't disappoint, dressing each track in a style and sound suitable. Having missed out on the First Day, the persistent drummer tracked down the management of David Sylvian and Robert Fripp for an audition. He passed with flying colours. The Road To Graceland tour later emerged as the limited edition Damage. This in turn led to a double trio (re)formation of King Crimson (Mastelotto partnering Bill Bruford). Being part of one of the world's most successful experimental rock bands has not prevented Mastelotto from continuing his session work for an ever increasing clientele (Jude Cole, Tina Arena, Michael Penn etc). He even appears on the radio hit theme from Friends! Now with an illustrious career behind him, his own band MasticA has recently issued their first CD. King Crimson's The ConstruKction of Light and PROJEKCT X are due mid year.
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TO THE TOP
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