Gary Husband
Husband is one of a rare breed of musicians in that his expression is divided equally in his capacity as a drummer and a keyboardist of international repute. His classical roots, his quest and development in the improvisational, jazz and jazz/fusion areas - not to mention his tenure in the pop, rock, funk and blues circuits - are all evident inside Gary's distinct and far-reaching musical personality. His solo album and DVD output over the last few years has also reinforced his status as a critically acclaimed writer and arranger in the contemporary music world.
In 1999 he formed GARY HUSBAND NEW TRIO www.newgaryhusbandtrio.com (featuring bassist MICK HUTTON and drummer GENE CALDERAZZO) leading from the piano and keyboards. Material from this period was best represented on the (for the moment deleted) CD releases “FROM THE HEART” and "ASPIRE - GARY HUSBAND & FRIENDS".
In the summer of 2003, Gary was awarded a highly coveted place on the Arts Council of England's CONTEMPORARY MUSIC NETWORK touring scheme to lead a hand-picked ensemble of jazz and jazz/fusion musicians on a tour across the UK in March 2004. The project, entitled GARY HUSBAND'S FORCE MAJEURE, featured Grammy winning trumpeter RANDY BRECKER, bassist MATTHEW GARRISON, keyboardist JIM BEARD, trombonist and bass trumpeter ELLIOT MASON, Mahavishnu legend JERRY GOODMAN on electric violin, and the Armenian 'world' percussionist ARTO TUNCBOYACIYAN. The ensemble returned to the UK in March 2005 for a further series of concerts which included a wildly-received, sell-out week residency at London's Ronnie Scott's club.
Close in concept and approach to his innovative, highly acclaimed piano CD release of 2001, "THE THINGS I SEE - INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MUSIC OF ALLAN HOLDSWORTH" (Angel Air Records), "A MEETING OF SPIRITS - INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MUSIC OF JOHN McLAUGHLIN" was released by Alternity Records in 2006. Both albums are still available on CD via their respective label’s websites, Amazon, Abstractlogix and for download on iTunes.
In 2008 Gary re-released his debut, all-synthesizer CD release “DIARY OF A PLASTIC BOX” as the double-length re-mastered “THE COMPLETE DIARY OF A PLASTIC BOX”, also on the Angel Air label. “HOTWIRED”, the debut CD release for one of his present day projects – (propulsive 4-piece contemporary jazz group DRIVE (featuring RICHARD TURNER - Trumpet, JULIAN SIEGEL – Saxophones and MICHAEL JANISCH - bass) was released on the Abstract Logix label earlier in 2009. Both releases are also available for download at iTunes.
An album of Gary’s arrangements and performances of Russian composer ALEXANDER SHULGIN’S compositions, (the Richard Niles produced “SHULGIN’S SONGBOOK”) was released in 2008 (featuring a guest performance by guitarist MARTIN TAYLOR), and a more far-reaching Husband-produced second album is awaiting release, featuring this time a guest performance by guitarist STEVE HACKETT). More news on this soon.
Gary Husband - COLLABORATIONS / SESSION CAREER
In 1976 Gary’s first professional position was as 16-year-old drummer with Britain’s popular SYD LAWRENCE ORCHESTRA. He stayed with the orchestra for close to two years performing constant one-nighters and tours across into Europe. He later freelanced with singers and entertainers such as LULU, MARION MONTGOMERY, THE BACHELORS, MATT MONRO and THE BEVERLEY SISTERS.
Upon a move (aged 18) from Yorkshire to London he held down the drum chair for jazz/fusion groups such as BARBARA THOMPSON’S PARAPHERNALIA, DICK MORRISEY/JIM MULLEN BAND, GARY BOYLE TRIO, JEFF CLYNE’S TURNING POINT while freelancing with MIKE CARR TRIO, RONNIE SCOTT QUINTET, IAN CARR’S NUCLEUS among others. More significantly, Gary was by this time quite a few years into developing and forging a strong improvisational electric fusion direction with friend and kindred spirit, guitarist STEVE TOPPING. This relationship is best documented by the retrospective release “WHAT IT IS – GARY HUSBAND, STEVE TOPPING, PAUL CARMICHAEL” and Topping’s more recent releases “TIME & DISTANCE” and “LATE FLOWER”.
Following a chance meeting with ALLAN HOLDSWORTH in 1978, Gary embarked on a close, highly distinct and productive partnership with the guitarist that is still active to this day, over three decades later. He spent a large percentage of the 80’s and 90’s touring in the U.S., Europe and Japan with Allan, recording the albums “I.O.U.”, “METAL FATIGUE”, “ATAVACHRON”, “SAND”, “WARDENCLYFFE TOWER”, “HARD HAT AREA”, “SECRETS”, “THEN!” (and a still unreleased three-piece recording in 2000 with JIMMY JOHNSON).
In 1989 Gary accepted an invitation to join popular Jazz/Funk/Pop band LEVEL 42, and performed and recorded with the band up until early 1992 around work with Holdsworth. He also performed with artists such as SPANDAU BALLET, JOHN FARNHAM, WILL DOWNING, MIKE & THE MECHANICS, ALEXANDER O’NEAL, ERASURE, MICA PARIS and SIR GEORGE MARTIN in this period.
In 1992 he began touring and recording with BILLY COBHAM (“THE TRAVELER”, which featured a Cobham/Husband drum duet) principally as a keyboardist but also as a drummer. Gary also at this time began working with JACK BRUCE, with whom he was principally involved as a drummer but also as a keyboardist.
Throughout the 90’s, Gary was involved in a typically diverse range of associations and projects. Guitarist GARY MOORE had become a mainstay in the Jack Bruce three-piece, and Gary also then became involved in Moore’s touring band, recording the albums “BALLADS & BLUES”, “DARK DAYS IN PARADISE” & “A DIFFERENT BEAT”. He sessioned with singers BRIAN HOUSTON (“GOOD NEWS JUNKIE”), JIMMY NAIL (“CROCODILE SHOES 2” and TADPOLES IN A JAR”), toured with Canadian singer/songwriter RON SEXMITH, Police guitarist ANDY SUMMERS, recorded with drum n’bass protagonists DILLINGER and LEMON “D”, with saxophonist ALAN SKIDMORE (“THE CALL” featuring percussion group AMAMPONDO), blues band BLUE THUNDER, JIM MULLEN’s Quartet (“WE GO BACK”, “BURNS”, “ANIMATION” and “LIVE IN GLASGOW”), guitarist ANTHONY HINDSON (“IT’S A CURIOUS LIFE” also featuring ZAKIR HUSSAIN, L SHANKAR, JACK BRUCE and TONY WILLIAMS), U.S./Canadian Jam/Fusion band GONGZILLA (“THRIVE” and “EAST VILLAGE SESSIONS”). He also toured with BILLY COBHAM/RANDY BRECKER GROUP (with whom he recorded the album “FOCUSED”) and recorded on a further Cobham release “CULTURE MIX”. Gary also freelanced with saxophonist TIM GARLAND, pianist JULIAN JOSEPH, pianist OLGA KONKOVA’s trio, BOB BERG/RANDY BRECKER group, GEOFF KEEZER TRIO (with alternating bassists CHRISTIAN McBRIDE and JAMES GENUS).
Post 2000, Gary has performed with JEFF BECK, toured with keyboardist and composer AYDIN ESEN, guitarist MIKE STERN’s band, bassist JONAS HELLBORG, drummer DANNY GOTTLIEB and JASON SMITH TRIO (with whom he performed and co-wrote on the albums “THINK LIKE THIS” and “TIPPING POINT”). He joined saxophonist CHRISTOF LAUER’s trio (featuring tubaist MICHEL GODARD) and recorded/co-wrote “BLUES IN MIND”, and performed and co-wrote on guitarist RAY RUSSELL’s “GOODBYE SVENGALI” album.
Following his participation on keyboards and drums on legendary guitarist JOHN McLAUGHLIN's celebrated "INDUSTRIAL ZEN" CD, Gary appeared (in July 2007) at the Chicago Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival along with John, MATT GARRISON & VINNIE COLAIUTA, and toured the U.S., Canada and Europe throughout 2008 as a member of JOHN MCLAUGHLIN & THE 4TH DIMENSION, principally as keyboardist but also as drummer. The DVD “JOHN McLAUGHLIN & THE 4TH DIMENSION – LIVE @ BELGRADE” has been released by Abstract Logix as well as two live performance CDs.
In recent years Gary has become increasingly active with Hamburg’s NDR BIG BAND (with whom he has performed with saxophonists JOE LOVANO, singer AL JARREAU, trombonist NILS LANDGREN, composers MARIA SCHNEIDER, GEIR LYSNE, STEVE GREY and COLIN TOWNS) and FRANKFURT’S HR BIG BAND. He also been performing live and recording again with MARK KING’s LEVEL 42 (best represented by the DVD release “LIVE AT THE APOLLO”), performed with Britain’s BBC BIG BAND for JACK BRUCE and arranger JORG ACHIM KELLER, and was featured performer with Colin Towns and the HR band at the 2008 Rome Jazz Festival. He has worked with Yes bassist CHRIS SQUIRE, and collaborated more recently with drummer SIMON PHILLIPS, RAY RUSSELL, bassist TONY LEVIN and others on a Zildjian Cymbals Achievement Award concert for Ginger Baker.
Husband has been most recently touring in Europe with the new JACK BRUCE / ROBIN TROWER three-piece group (“SEVEN MOONS”) and a live DVD (“SEVEN MOONS LIVE”) is awaiting imminent release.
Gary continues to devote a portion of his time to educational programmes and is a respected drum clinician internationally. In this capacity he has shared the stage with artists such as TERRY BOZZIO, DENNIS CHAMBERS, SIMON PHILLIPS, MARK MONDESIR, VINNIE COLAIUTA, RICKY LAWSON, TODD SUCHERMAN, OMAR HAKIM, DENNY SEIWELL and many others. Gary is also planning a new educational drum DVD. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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