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Young Drummer of the Year 2006 Finals
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Over the years the UK has produced some of the world''s greatest drummers. The Young Drummer of the Year competition showcases the next generation of British drummers and the 2006 final suggests that there are some good times ahead. Now in it''s fourth year, the Young Drummer of the Year competition is run by the MikeDolbear.com web team and is sponsored by Peter Werth - a man with a cabinet full of fashion awards and a real passion for drumming. The competition attracted nearly 500 entries and the final - featuring twelve incredibly talented youngsters - took place on January 29th at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa. The format of the final is relatively simple with each drummer undertaking four tasks. Firstly, each finalist starts with a two-minute solo to showcase their own particular skills. This is followed by a performance with a “band” (a guitarist and a bass player) of a piece of original music that is sent to the finalists a few weeks before the event. The third challenge is to join the band and play a highly-structured shuffle piece. Unlike the second piece, the finalists only hear the shuffle for the first time on the day of the final. Finally, each drummer is interviewed by the judges. . . . . ah yes, the judges. The Young Drummer of the Year final attracts some of the biggest names from the UK drum scene, all of whom give their time freely to support the event. Craig Blundell, Pete Riley and Andrew Small are amongst the top session players in the UK; Feeder sticksman Mark Richardson, joined big band legend and “Skinnerette” Chrissy Lee; Bob Armstrong is probably the most respected and successful drum teacher in the country and Ade Holbrook, a musician, and owner of AD&R management; Bill Bruford is one of the great innovators of British drumming and an inductee to the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and finally, Peter Werth is the man without whom this event could not take place. At 2pm the hall lights dimmed and a near-capacity audience sat in tense anticipation. Three fantastic looking Mapex Orion kits adorned the stage awaiting the finalists. It’s showtime… |
Joe Taylor Sixteen year-old Joe Taylor hails from Anglesey in North Wales and had the task of opening the show. Despite being a veteran of the 2005 YDOTY finals, Joe showed some signs of nerves though these soon diminished as he got into the solo piece. His solo started with a sublime Porcaro-shuffle before breaking out into a stunning display of riffs and fills built around rock beats, punctuated with stick twirling and all delivered with a big smile. By the time he got to the first band piece Joe was having a ball, flying around the kit with flailing arms and that big smile still firmly planted on his face. The shuffle proved more of a challenge and Joe – wisely – played it safe. The smile gave way as Joe focused on following the complex structure and working with the other guys in the band. Joe delivered a great performance and set the standard for the rest to follow. The audience sat back for an afternoon of great drumming. |
Oliver Lawford Oliver Lawford took to the stage with an air of cool composure and opened his solo with some laid back grooves. Oliver listed Steely Dan and Weather Report amongst his influences and this was evident throughout his solo; a collection of highly structured jazz-funk rhythms with superb dynamic control. Oliver is not a big hitter, but he delivered every beat with thought and control and made sure that every beat mattered. Clearly a thinking drummer, Oliver mixed and matched different rhythms in the solo to great effect. The band pieces were delivered in a similar style and demonstrated Oliver’s ability to work with the music, adding to the whole but never overplaying or delivering beats out of place or out of context. Oliver’s interpretation of the shuffle was tight and precise and followed his professional approach of the two earlier pieces. A very impressive display from an intelligent and creative drummer. |
George Barnett At 12 years-old, George Barnett is the youngest drummer ever to make the final of YDOTY. He took to the stage to great applause and proceeded to attack the kit with a series of latin-based tom fills, rock grooves and nifty double-bass work. The solo was intelligently constructed and delivered with energy and enthusiasm. George was clearly having a ball and the audience could not help but follow suit. George kicked up a gear during the first band piece and showed himself to be an excellent ensemble player. The shuffle proved more difficult and George struggled with some of the complexities of the arrangement. Despite his years, he coped with that most terrifying of drum moments – the dropped stick – like a true pro; he held the piece together and never missed a beat. George was not going to win this year, but he impressed enormously and the judges applauded with enthusiasm. Remember the name; George Barnett will return. |
Arjun Chawda Sixteen year old Arjun Chawda is a talented musician and multi-instrumentalist from Middlesex. He took to the stage and delivered a solo containing an impressive collection of latin poly-rhythms and straight-ahead grooves. Arjun impressed the audience with his ability to switch between styles and he had created a solo that was varied yet cohesive and that showcased his range of tastes and talents. Arjun worked well with the band during the ensemble pieces and made you think that these guys played together every Saturday night. He displayed that most important musical talent; the ability to listen as he played. Arjun read the mood of the music very well and contributed something that was not only technically excellent, but something that was tasteful and appropriate. During the shuffle he played some magical tricks with time that almost caught the other musicians out – but you got the feeling the Arjun knew exactly what he was doing. His playing was inventive and intelligent. |
James Birt This is the third year that James Birt entered the competition and the first time he made it into the final. James took to the stage decked out in his trademark scarf and fedora. Looking like a man who was a little cold, James proceeded to ignite the hall and turn up the heat on his fellow finalists. His solo built from a whisper of tom rolls to a crescendo of …well…everything. It was flowing, it was inventive and it was a masterclass in dynamics. It was also musical in a way that you very rarely see from a drum kit solo. The audience knew that they were witnessing something very special and responded with enthusiasm. When the rest of the band joined James on stage, things moved up again. James’ performance during the prepared piece was flawless his interpretation of the shuffle gave the impression that he had been playing it for years. I even spotted the stage hands whooping up the applause to that one. James delivered an incredible display of musicality and virtuosity that lifted the audience and took the final to a new level. |
Dexter Hercules The last drummer before the break was 14 year-old Dexter Hercules from South East London. Dexter played an open-handed style (a la Billy Cobham) and attacked the kit with amazing technique and a pocket full of grooves. His solo piece included some very complex bass/snare patterns and an array of fast tom fills – Dexter moved around the kit like a scalded cat. Although he looked nervous, Dexter’s solo performance was masterful and was delivered with conviction. Dexter’s interpretation of the prepared ensemble piece picked up where his solo left off. Once again the beats were complex and tight and Dexter’s fast hands whipped around the kit. By this stage in the competition it was becoming clear that the shuffle was the test to sort the men from the boys and Dexter was clearly working hard to keep the shuffle together. While it was clearly not his strength, Dexter turned in an excellent shuffle and left the stage to great applause. |
James Macrae The second half picked up where the first half left off. 15 year old James Macrae from Hampshire launched into solo that had a pulsating mix of latin funk rock beats and stunning crescendos. Another veteran of the 2005 final, James’ playing was tight and controlled yet energetic and innovative. His arms were going in all directions yet the beats just kept coming. By the time the solo reached its crescendo the energy in the room was back up to the pre-interval level - the audience lapped it up. James’ interpretation of the first band piece was a superb piece of kit playing. Musical and varied, James drove the piece along with solid grooves and some sublime fills. His approach to the shuffle seemed slightly hesitant at first, but James knew what he was doing. He delivered a solid and stable performance and negotiated the intricacies of the arrangement with aplomb. James delivered a thoroughly professional performance and the judges’ task was looking increasingly difficult. |
Joe Blanks The hall was buzzing by the time Joe Blanks took the stage and the buzz quickly turned into a bang. Joe punished the drum kit with flair, energy and a large dose of showmanship. He didn’t need the full twelve rounds to score a knockout victory over the kit; maybe the drums had insulted his mother? Although Joe’s considerable technique is overshadowed by his showmanship, he is a seriously talented drummer. His solo included intricate patterns and some great dynamic control. The ensemble pieces suffered slightly as the energy and passion forced a couple of errors, but by this point the audience really didn’t care. Joe mugged to the cameras; Joe hit his kit from the greatest height imaginable and Joe won his audience over like a true pro. Joe finished his performance playing topless and he left the audience yelling for more. Joe played with the power of John Bonham and the lunatic enthusiasm and exuberance of Keith Moon – somebody please make this man a star! |
Harpal Mudhar Harpal Mudhar took the final to a very different place. The 15 year old from Chelmsford delivered an intelligent and imaginative solo that merged jazz, funk and rock and jumped from style to style seamlessly. Harpal also included a virtuoso demonstration of brush work – not the easiest task in a big hall and playing through a PA. Harpal takes a holistic approach to his drumming and the ensemble pieces included some of the most tasteful playing of the day. Everything he played in the prepared ensemble piece complemented the other players perfectly and resulted in a more coherent musical experience. Like many of his colleagues, Harpal found the shuffle a challenge and he called up a range of facial expressions as he battled with the arrangement. Harpal is an extremely talented musician with an enormous range of styles and a broad spectrum of talent. He was an incredibly impressive performer and the YDOTY final was certainly a richer event for his presence. |
Jennifer Ledger Jennifer Ledger took to the stage to a huge cheer from the audience. She is only the second female to make it to the final of YDOTY in the competition’s history and she was here to prove that, in the twenty-first century, the boys aren’t gonna have all the drumming fun. Jenny has recently been involved in a successful attempt to establish a new world record for drumming endurance and her performance gave a glimpse of the range of styles and the consistency that Jenny is capable of. Her solo included a great dynamic range, some excellent double-bass drum patterns, a liberal dose of stick twirling and a very neat false ending. This girl knows how to put on a show. The ensemble pieces were delivered with confidence and consistency and Jenny, who was clearly having a great time, lapped up the cheers from the audience. If Jenny had set out to prove a point about female drummers, she has most certainly succeeded. The banner said it all: Jenny Rocks! |
Jake Woodward As the competition neared its climax, Jake Woodward took to the stage and received a great cheer from the audience. Another veteran of previous YDOTY finals, Jake was tight and controlled and whipped up a groove that would have graced anybody’s pocket. His solo was a whirling display of consummate kit drumming skill and he covered a broad range of styles and techniques. His playing was fast and inventive, his double bass technique was excellent and he made great use of the choked cymbal. Once again the ensemble pieces showcase the ability to work with a band and Jake’s experience in this area showed in the way he drove the pieces along. His approach to the prepared piece was more powerful than many of his competitors and he drove the music along with style. Jake’s experience also helped him deliver an excellent interpretation of the shuffle; he obviously understands the importance of communication within a band and held the piece together admirably. |
Alex Summers After such an incredible range of styles and performances, the final competitor of the day had to pull something special out of the bag to impress the judges. Fourteen year old Alex Summers delivered what was needed with a solo piece that drew heavily on his jazz and show background. His solo swung and pulsated at a breakneck speed and was interspersed with a scattergun of single and double-stroke snare drum rolls. Alex delivered a technically superb solo with pace and feel and, when we thought it couldn’t be done, he raised the energy in the room by one more notch. Alex’s approach to the ensemble pieces also demonstrated his ability to swing and he brought the competition to a close with some fast jazz grooves and some very tasteful fills around the kit. After such a variety of drumming styles, Alex managed to take the audience to yet another musical place and leave the judges with an incredibly difficult decision. |
While the judges interviewed the second-half drummers, last year’s winner – Paul Stanley McKenzie – took to the stage. Paul brought along a bassist, a rapper and some dancers and proceeded to put on an amazing multi-media show that was inventive, humorous, and enormously entertaining. As he said goodbye to the title Young Drummer of the Year, Paul looked like a man confident of his future. The announcement of the judges’ final decision was a tense moment, but only the most partisan members of the audience could argue with the decision to name James Birt as the 2006 Young Drummer of the Year. Having a competition implies having winners and losers. James Birt is certainly winner, having delivered a performance of such technique and musicality. The other finalists are winners, having reached the highest level of performance at such a young age. The fact that the event took place - and was so well supported - is a testament to the health of the UK drumming community as a whole, and the MikeDolbear.com community specifically. Today, we were all winners. Great British drumming indeed. Words: Andy Youell |
Sincere thanks go to Peter Werth, the event sponsor for helping to support the future of British drumming. Thanks also go to Mapex for supplying the Mapex Orion drumkits and to Pete Harvard from Korg UK fro his work in organizing the kits. The cymbals were kindly supplied by Zildjian, Sabian and Meinl and all the heads were supplied by Aquarian. The event was also supported by Rhythm and Drummer magazines. See the review of the show in the current issues of each magazine. Each finalist received a goody bag which was jam packed full of stuff including cymbal bags, stick bags, drum heads, t-shirts, stickers, baseball caps and much more besides. Sincere thanks goes to the following for their generosity in helping us put together each bag: Aquarian, ETY Earplugs, Evans, Hudson Music, Meinl Cymbals, Music Shipping Company, Premier Drums, Pro-Mark, Puresound, Remo, Sabian, Vicfirth, and Zildjian. Thanks to Traps Percussion for supplying the Traps kit backstage and Rockstar Skins for the YDOTY presentation Bass drum skins. It’s worth remembering that all stage hands and help on the day gave their services free of charge. Many thanks to Alex Comerty, Andy Youell, Angela McDonnell, Chris Dennis, Daniel Kriger, Dave Bateman, Dave Prior, George Dolbear, Julie Dolbear, Marion Dolbear, Mark Pusey, Mike Ellis and Simon Edgoose. Thanks also the very professional and supportive staff of the Royal Spa Centre particularly Sam and Chris. The judges have an unenviable task and it’s a full-on day for them. Thanks for giving up your time to support the event, Craig Blundell, Pete Riley, Andrew Small, Mark Richardson, Chrissy Lee, Bob Armstrong, Ade Holbrook, Bill Bruford and of course Peter Werth. Finally thanks to everyone who came along to support the event and make it such a great day. It was a real cracker and we’re looking forward to next year. In the meantime look out for James Birt throughout the year. |
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