Press release for Drones 4: With playing credits as diverse as the Penguin Café Orchestra, Michelle Shocked, Lamb, The Wise Monkeys, The Chainsaw Sisters, Rip Rig and Panic, ZubopGambia, The Pyrotechnicos, Echo City, The Kitchen Girls, Klezmer Klub – the list goes on – this London-based acoustic quartet can rightly describe themselves as eclectic. For the past 20 years they have been bringing together fine instrumental skills, pithy song-writing, found sounds, theatricality, toys and invented instruments and coalescing them into their own whimsical, intriguing, delightful and sometimes profound sound-world. This, their 4th album, (3rd since ‘new girl’ Tanera Dawkins joined them in the early 90s) brings together the many strands and compositions of all 4 members (some are 4 –way collaborative ventures) in a diverse and engaging disc. Beautifully recorded in Steve’s shed, the quartet is joined on several tracks by 2 long-term friends - Rory McLeod (modern travelling troubadour and harmonica-player extraordinaire) and Elliet Mackrell (Blue Midnight, Chris Jagger Band, Kangaroo Moon). With influences ranging from English folk, Eastern European modes, Indian raga, Irish dancing, afro-caribbean party-music, stomping hoedown, Tomten music, Waltzes you can’t waltz to and life above the clouds, this album has something for everyone. Recently described by a long-term fan as ‘London’s best-kept musical secret’, this could be The Drones album that gets everyone talking. To find out more, watch video, listen to past albums (this is our 4th) vist our website at www.dronesmusic.net Drones 4 personnel and album notes: Jon Petter clarinet, saxophone, flute, percussion, vocals, whistling, gongs. Tanera Dawkins cello, vocals, whistling. Steve Grocott mandolin, bouzouki, slide guitar, vocals, whistling, xylophone, penny whistle, whirling tubes, percussion. Giles Leaman drum kit, percussion, cuatro, ukelele, vocals, whistling, bowed deep sea bells, drononium, eggleyphone. 1. Nell Gwynn’s Oranges (Grocott/Petter/Dawkins/Leaman) An exercise in creative democracy with four parts each composed by a Drone. This musical camel was named at a gig in Lauderdale House, home of the eponymous heroine. Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet Giles - darabouka Steve – bouzouki 2. Not Waltz (Grocott/Petter) So-called because it isn’t quite. A waltz. If you tried to, you would probably fall over… Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet, saxophone Steve - mandolin, bouzouki Giles - drum kit Everybody - whistling and singing 3. Complicated Simon (Grocott/Petter) A journey on a train, gazing out of the window as the world flows by. The Simon of the title refers to the late great Simon Jeffes. Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet Steve - bouzouki, whirling tubes Giles - brushed cymbals 4. Dyllis Doors (Dawkins) (Captain Ahab’s words - Petter) “Dyllis, doors to manual.” These words, heard over the tannoy at the end of a flight, are the inspiration for this dreamy evocation of life above the clouds - a life inexorably coupled to the tread of heavy steps on earth below… Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet/voice Steve - bouzouki Giles - drum kit 5. Aint Done Wrong (Grocott) Steve’s cool observational song provides reassurance - but the central instrumental, with its asymmetric liquid riff that refuses to regularize, reminds us that life isn’t so simple. Steve - vocals, bouzouki, xylophone, bass drum Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet Giles - cymbals 6. Learning to Fly (Leaman) Learning to Fly grew gradually and gained confidence – which Giles compares to his children growing up. Over the years the tune has matured like wine to its current heady state voiced by cuatro and ukelele. Giles - cuatro, ukelele Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet, flute Steve - mandolin 7. Sweden (Dawkins) A small piece for a very large country that is full of memories and mysteries. Night has fallen – it’s time for the Tomten to come out! Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet Steve - bouzouki, banjo Giles - bowed deep sea bells Rory – harmonica 8. It’s True (Grocott) Stepfatherhood. Steve - vocals, mandolin, bouzouki, penny whistles Jon - vocals, clarinet Tan - cello Giles - goats’ hooves, bells 9. Hoedown (Grocott) Many thanks to Elliet for suitably yeeha fiddling and to Rory for his unique harmonica playing on this knee-slapping dance tune. Rory - harmonica Elliet - fiddle Jon - clarinet, sax, woodblocks Tanera - cello Steve - mandolin Giles – darabouka 10. Drononium See the website for a picture of Giles’ monochordal marvel. 11. Radio on the Fridge (Petter) Somewhere in a basement in Dalston, a battered old Grundig sat on a humming fridge. Coming down to make tea that winter morning, strange and wonderful music emanated from its speaker. Whence came this rich sonority? What instruments and peoples wove it’s cyclical patterns? The tea was made, the floor was cold, the fridge hummed, the radio droned – I left without my questions answered. Tanera - cello Jon - clarinet, Tim’s gongs, clapping Steve - slide guitar Giles - drum kit, clapping, drononium 12. Somebody Lost It (Grocott) A jig in many modulations - originally composed for a short film The Lost Shoes. Elliet - fiddle Rory - bass harmonica Steve - bouzouki, mandolin Giles - percussion Tanera - cello Jon – clarinet 13. Television Land (Grocott) The siren call of the television, fame etc. Steve - guitar, vocals, xylophone, banjo Tanera - cello Jon - flutes Giles – percussion 14. Eggleyphone Another of Giles’ instruments - made from wire eggcups – made to accompany the poet John Hegley. 15. Stumbelina (Petter) “What do you call your music?” we are often asked. Turn off that part of your brain and enjoy the dancing toys. Tanera - cello Jon - sax, shekere, bass drum, agogos Giles - congas, cow-bell, hi-hat, agogos Steve - mandolin