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Scott Amendola
For Scott Amendola, the drum kit isn’t so much an instrument as a musical portal. As an ambitious composer, savvy bandleader and capaciously creative foil for some of the world’s most inventive musicians, Amendola applies his wide-ranging rhythmic virtuosity to a vast array of settings. His closest musical associates include guitarists Jeff Parker, Nels Cline and Charlie Hunter, Hammond B-3 organist Wil Blades, ROVA saxophonist Larry Ochs, and Tin Hat clarinetist Ben Goldberg, players who have each forged a singular path within and beyond the realm of jazz. While rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area scene, Amendola has woven a dense and far-reaching web of bandstand relationships that tie him to influential artists in jazz, blues, rock and new music. A potent creative catalyst, the Berkeley-based drummer become the nexus for a disparate community of musicians stretching from Los Angeles and Seattle to Chicago and New York. Whatever the context, Amendola possesses a gift for twisting musical genres in unexpected directions. By employing custom designed electronics, including looping machines, pedals and ring modulators, he’s continually expanding his sonic palette, exploring textures and rhythms with an improvisational sensibility. “The electronics are an extension of my voice as a drummer and musician,” Amendola says. “People know me as a drummer, and as a growing musician it makes sense to do new things. It’s all about capturing sound. The loops are all improvised, and I start each performance with a blank slate.” Electronics play an increasingly important role in his volatile trio featuring the protean Chicago guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Isotope 217, Chicago Underground Trio) and veteran South Bay bass master John Shifflett. The group released its critically acclaimed debut “Lift” on Amendola’s new label Sazi Records. Weaving together seductive melodies, transparent textures and mysterious buzzes and beeps, the album focuses on Amendola’s lyrically charged original tunes. Renegade Los Angeles guitarist Nels Cline, who spends much of his time these days touring and recording with Wilco, has also encouraged Amendola’s electronic explorations in the Nels Cline Singers. The instrumental trio with has blazed a brilliant trail with a series of dense, invigorating recordings for Cryptogramophone, most recently 2010’s stunning double album “Initiate.” “The first time I heard Scott I was really blown away,” Cline says. “There aren’t too many drummers on the West Coast who had his wide ranging ability. Scott’s got some funk in him, a looser, sexy thing going on, and the flexibility to play free and different styles.
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Ben Goldberg / Todd Sickafoose / Scott Amendola: Here to There
by Mark Corroto
There was a very good reason that James Brown would shout take me to the bridge." In an interview, he explained: I heard someone use that expression maybe 45 years ago, referring to the middle part of a song, and I changed it to mean a release." Clarinetist Ben Goldberg, bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Scott Amendola utilize that same release with an exploration of the bridges from Thelonious Monk's compositions. Goldberg and Amendola have explored Monk's music ...
Continue ReadingSticklerPhonics: Technicolor Ghost Parade
by Mark Corroto
For drummer, composer, and bandleader Scott Amendola it ain't nothing but a party. From his early days with guitarist Charlie Hunter's ensembles and their later collaboration with T.J. Kirk which covered the music of Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Amendola has been an entertaining and maybe more important immersive musician. He seeks out kindred souls like Ben Goldberg, Nels Cline, Henry Kaiser, and Wil Blades to collaborate and create compelling music. The same can be said for ...
Continue ReadingDrummer Scott Amendola, Red Kite, Drift Lab and Jukka Haavisto
by Len Davis
Avant jazz from Scott Amendola from Haunted By Eternity, Norwegain band Red Kite, and London based European band Code. Italian guitarist Rugerro Robin and his Jazz Trio, Drift Lab featuring Matteo Mancusco, and Peter Fernandez from Incline. Finnish bassist Jukka Haavisto, Danish keyboard player Mathias Heise and US band FORQ featuring Michael League. Playlist Scott Amendola Maciste Is Back In Town" from Haunted By Eternity (Self Produced) 00:00 Red Kite Morassol" from Apophenian Bliss (Rare Noise) 07:23 Code The Comet Is ...
Continue ReadingFunkwrench Blues: Soundtrack For A Film Without Pictures
by Chris May
Once upon a time it was hard to walk into an arthouse cinema without bumping into a jazz soundtrack. Miles Davis' for Louis Malle's Ascenseur Pour L'échafaud (1958), Charles Mingus' for John Cassavetes' Shadows (1959), Krzysztof Komeda's for Roman Polanski's Knife In The Water (1962) were among a legion of similarly inclined endeavours. But all that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. In the 2020s, if you want to hear a freshly ...
Continue ReadingScott Sawyer: Change of Scene
by Doug Collette
Notwithstanding a history including associations with the varied likes of famed jazz fretboardists John Abercrombie, and Chris Stamey of the veteran power popsters the dBs, guitarist Scott Sawyer may have the lowest public profile of the three musicians appearing on Change of Scene. Still, it certainly says something about his reputation, not to mention his chops, that he can attract the likes of bassist Oteil Burbridge (Col. Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit, the Allman Brothers Band), Dead & Co.) and ...
Continue ReadingThe Nels Cline Singers: Share the Wealth
by Vincenzo Roggero
L'idea era di registrare delle lunghe improvvisazioni per poi selezionare frammenti, operare un copia-incolla di davisiana memoria e dar vita ad una sorta di mosaico/collage psichedelico. L'ascolto del materiale registrato, la percezione della magia sprigionata dalle sessions e della unicità dei brani hanno cambiato le carte in tavola e suggerito di pubblicare integralmente, senza sforbiciate, quello che è diventato Share the Wealth. Ossia--nella versione doppio LP e CD (oltre ottanta minuti) registrato in soli due giorni dalla versione allargata di ...
Continue ReadingThe Nels Cline Singers: Share The Wealth
by Mark Sullivan
Guitarist Nels Cline has led the Nels Cline Singers since 2002. While they have sometimes had guest performers on their recordings, the core band has been a trio of Cline, drummer Scott Amendola and bassist Trevor Dunn (originally Devin Hoff). This album expands the group to a sextet with the addition of saxophonist Skerik, keyboardist Brian Marsella and percussionist Cyro Baptista. The experimental ante was further upped by the fact that they had never before played together in this combination, ...
Continue ReadingScott Sawyer 'Change Of Scene' With Oteil Burbridge & Scott Amendola
Source:
Jon Sawyer
Hello, greetings from the San Francisco Bay Area... I'm proud to announce this IndieGogo Campaign for my brother Scott's new album, recorded in November of 2021 at Panoramic House in Stinson Beach, CA; Scott Sawyer on guitar, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Scott Amendola on drums. While this is a jazz album, it's far from straight-ahead. Four Scott Sawyer original tunes and covers by Ron Brendle, Miles Davis, Jerry Garcia, and the Doors. All music on the IndieGoGo promotional ...
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Willie Oteri Re-Releasing 'Teme Per Cinema' Featuring The Late Dino J.A. Deane, And Drummer Scott Amendola
Source:
Willie Oteri
Willie Oteri and WD-41 to re-release Teme Per Cinema featuring the late Dino J.A. Deane, and drummer Scott Amendola. Available now on Bandcamp and worldwide on major streaming and download sites on August 19, 2022. WD-41 + 2 Teme Per Cinema (Music for Film) was first released in 2010 through CD Baby and was also available at DGM Global Mobile and Abstract Logix. Teme Per Cinema and the first WD-41 album (WD-41) will be re-released in digital format through Symphonic ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!
“Amendola, who played with Hunter in T.J. Kirk back in the early ’90s, is the perfect partner for the guitarist, complementing his chilled funk with fat propulsion and deft melodic accents and counterpoint that never leave the listener noticing that only two folks are making the noise.” Peter Margasak, emusic “Amendola has complete mastery of every piece of his drumset and the ability to create a plethora of sounds using sticks... ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!
Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If Scott Amendola didn’t exist the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him,” is more true than ever. But what’s become evident in recent years is that the extraordinarily resourceful drummer has evolved into a paragon of self-invention, a bandleader, composer and invaluable creative collaborator at the center of a vast array of improvisational ensembles... Read more.
Place our Musician of the ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Scott Amendola
Source:
All About Jazz is celebrating Scott Amendola's birthday today!
Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If Scott Amendola didn’t exist the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him,” is more true than ever. But what’s become evident in recent years is that the extraordinarily resourceful drummer has evolved into a paragon of self-invention, a bandleader, composer and invaluable creative collaborator at the center of a vast array of improvisational ensembles...Music writer Derk Richardson’s oft-quoted observation that “If ...
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Scott Amendola: Lift
Source:
JamBase
DRUMMER SELF-RELEASES FIRST ALBUM IN FIVE YEARS The painting by Mexican artist Victor Zubeldia that serves as the cover of Lift is entitled The Angel" and has hung in Scott Amendola's living room for years, but it could have been created with his music in mind. Depicting an androgynous figure being raised into the night sky by a host of blackbirds via long, ropelike strands of hair, the image echoes the buoyant freedom, transcendent collaboration, and rich depth that characterize ...
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Scott Amendola: Jazz Drummer's Birthday Bash
Source:
All About Jazz
Scott Amendola admits to feeling a little angst about his impending birthday, but instead of moping at home the indispensable Bay Area drummer decided to mark the end of his fourth decade with a high-powered musical gathering. Raised in New Jersey, he's been at the center of the Bay Area music scene since his arrival in the early 1990s, when he helped spark a populist jazz movement with 8-string guitar wizard Charlie Hunter's guitar-laden funk jazz combo T.J. Kirk. Since ...
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"(Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola)...retain a shared enthusiasm for the sheer joy of making music that you can hear in every bar." —Mr. Stu's Record Room "Amendola, who played with Hunter in T.J. Kirk back in the early ’90s, is the perfect partner for the guitarist, complementing his chilled funk with fat propulsion and deft melodic accents and counterpoint that never leave the listener noticing that only two folks are making the noise." —Peter Margasak, emusic “Amendola has complete mastery of every piece of his drumset and the ability to create a plethora of sounds using sticks, brushes, mallets, and even his hands.” —Steven Raphael, Modern Drummer magazine "If Scott Amendola didn't exist, the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him." —Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian “...drummer/signal-treater Scott Amendola is both a tyrant of heavy rhythm and an electric-haired antenna for outworldly messages (not a standard combination)." —Greg Burk, LA Weekly
Primary Instrument
Drums
Location
San Francisco
Willing to teach
Advanced only