elac duo by jürgen de blonde / dirk wachtelaer

In 1999 I had been playing drums for many years and also had been experimenting with electronics. On my first solo album, Elac drumming (A-Shams 9045), these two finally came together. On this album I play acoustic drums and process them at the same time, using various pedals and modules. After this album I started working with samples and other ways of processing my drums, a very productive period resulting in two more solo CD's (konstruction/deconstruktion and reconstruction, both out on FMR) and some interesting collaborations. The next logical step for me would have been to start using software but in stead I stopped using electronics and refocused on acoustic drums. At the same time I started playing with Jürgen De Blonde who had been working with software from the very beginning and from the start we had an almost telepathic musical understanding. Very quickly our first CD was released (Evening and Morning, FMR CD245-1207) and we worked together in my band, Vanishing Pictures, and also as a duo.

For these new recordings we came together without much planning and just started improvising. I had asked Jürgen to use my acoustic drums as his only soundsource and Jürgen had told me he didn't want to use a laptop nor software and had created a set-up consisting mainly of pedals. It was only some days later while listening to the recordings that I realised that this was like a sequel to my first solo cd ! Jürgen was doing all the things I would have done (or have dreamt of doing because Jürgen is doing it much better !) and I could play drums in a way that would not be possible while handling the electronics at the same time.

But of course this is not a solo recording but indeed a real duo with equal creative input. What I personally appreciate most in music and especially in improvisations is an organic 'spur of the moment' feeling. The feeling that the musicians discover the music at the same time they are creating it. I think these recordings have that feeling, a feeling of creativity and of enjoyment of what is happening combined with an openness to where ever the music is leading.
I hope you will experience the same feelings ! Enjoy the music and maybe it will take you to some unknown places !

Dirk Wachtelaer

For a visual impression of the recordings created by Jan Weynants :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3plcwt4Eq4

Dirk Wachtelaer is a drummer and improviser who is also active in sound art. Born and based in Belgium, he constantly crosses borders by collaborating with artists from all cultures and disciplines. He plays with Dirk Johan Stromberg, Fabio Rambelli, JJ Duerinckx, Paul Schutze, Phillip Clemo, and many others.

YouTube