BDK News

I usually don't post news items on here, but I am so impressed by this I had to post it. Legendary Jazz drummer Jerry Granelli (Vince Guaraldi Trio, Light Sound Dimension, etc) has not only recorded his first ever solo drum record, he recorded it in Halifax with our own engineer mastermind Charles Austin and it's being released in a limited run by Halifax label Divorce Records (with artwork by Yo Rodeo, completing the trifecta of local involvement).

Granelli began his career as a pupil of Joe Morello, whom I previously wrote about here. He went on to have a long successful career as a free jazz, improvisational and psychedelic musician. He has played with some of the greats, such as Bruce Frisell and Ornette Coleman, and he was also the drummer on the soundtrack to a Charlie Brown Christmas.

This is a huge accomplishment for our local boys and a step forward for Granelli, who always seems to be pushing his limits. The album is available for pre order on the Divorce Records website, and here is the official press release.

"Jerry Granelli has lived a mythic life. He drummed in some of the biggest jazz outfits of the 50s-60s, including Vince Guaraldi Trio and the Denny Zetlin Trio. Like many of his peers, Granelli could have played it safe and made a comfortable career doing traditional jazz into his old age, but instead he dove into the new worlds of free and psychedelic music that were opening up around him during the hippie era in San Francisco. In the early 60’s he led one of the first free jazz bands in America. They did a three month opening spot for Lenny Bruce and toured extensively through Europe with the Grateful Dead, playing completely wild and spontaneous sets night after night, often to the scorn of unsuspecting audiences. A few years later he joined Light Sound Dimension (LSD), an outfit that paired marathons of free, amplified jazz with projection painting, effectively launching the first ever psychedelic light and sound event at the San Francisco Art Museum in 1967. LSD was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since those early years Jerry has played with an impressive list of innovators including Bruce Frisell, Ornette Coleman, Jamie Saft, and Anthony Braxton to name just a few. And at 70 he still travels the world playing and teaching new music.

Despite all his accomplishments, until we asked, Granelli had yet to make a solo drum record. For us it seemed fitting that after a life behind the kit, Jerry finally go it alone. No one, including Jerry, knew what to expect, but the results are remarkable. All the tracks on 1313 except one were played with no overdubs, and most were done in a single take. For those of us involved with documenting the session, it was a magical night. 1313 is dark, masterful, and bravely unique --- an outstanding new exploration of percussion and sound by a man who has been challenging himself musically for 60+ years. Here at DIVORCE we have never been more excited about a release. Engineered by Charles Austin. Produced by Charles Austin, Jerry Granelli, and Darcy Spidle. Mastered by Weasal Walter. Art by Yo Rodeo. Edition of 600 copies. Mail order version includes a CD. SHIPS IN EARLY JULY."