Al Bee takes you on a scenic journey with his exploratory new instrumental single Travel Mode — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The opening track and first single from the Canadian drummer and percussionist’s first self-produced album One From The Other, Travel Mode is an epic orchestral work that ebbs and flows and waxes and wanes, slowly evolving with style, sophistication and subtlety. But even though it covers a vast expance of rhythmic and stylistic ground — sometimes it feels Middle Eastern, other times almost futuristic; here it’s a busy drum circle, there it’s sparse and soothing — it remains firmly grounded even as it moves forward. Much like its creator.
Bee has an extensive and varied background in a broad range of music styles. He has created and performed with many different artists across Canada, from producing studio recordings in Victoria, B.C., to playing drums around North America with Toronto-based Digging Roots, to holding unique accompaniment positions at Swansea School of Dance and the Pickering School of Ballet, to performing with Orchestra Toronto and the North York Concert Orchestra.
More recently, Al has been a drummer and percussionist for many Yellowknife-based artists, including solo artists, bands, choir groups and dance collectives. His studio performances are found on albums by Andrea Bettger, Tracy Riley, Digawolf and Eugene Roach, and on live recordings with Leela Gilday, Wesley Hardisty and Carmen Braden.
Travel Mode was inspired by Bee’s work as a modern dance accompanist, creating grooves and flowing themes as dancers “travel” together across the floor. Check out the track above, sample One From The Other below, and keep up with Al Bee at his website and Facebook.
