Dylan Howe
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Dylan Lee Howe (born August 4, 1969 in England) is a jazz drummer, studio/session drummer and composer.
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[edit] Biography
Howe grew up in Hampstead, London. He is the son of guitarist Steve Howe (of Yes)—his father named him after Dylan Thomas. The guitar instrumental "Clap" was written for Dylan.
Howe attended King Alfred School. He started playing aged 10 and is mainly self-taught. He studied for small periods of time with Bill Bruford (who worked with his father in Yes), Jonathan Mover and UK teaching great Bob Armstrong.
In 1996, Howe joined the house band for the Channel 4 light entertainment series Light Lunch and its subsequent spin-off Late Lunch, presented by comediennes Mel and Sue.
He joined Ian Dury and the Blockheads in 1997 and has continued playing in The Blockheads since Dury's death.
Dylan has worked on several projects with his father Steve, drumming on multiple Steve Howe solo albums. Steve, Dylan and his brother Virgil Howe were in Steve Howe's Remedy band in a 2004 European tour. The Steve Howe Trio was formed in 2007 with Steve, Dylan and Ross Stanley on Hammond organ. They toured the UK in May 2007.
Dylan Howe married Zoe Street in November 2006. They live in London.
[edit] Dylan Howe Quintet
Dylan Howe formed his own jazz quintet in 2003 and has released four solo albums:[1]
- The Way I Hear It (2003) OT Records
- This Is It (2004) OT Records
- Translation - Recorded Live In Soho - Volume 1 (2006) Motorik Recordings
- Translation - Voume 2 - Standards (2007) Motorik Recordings
The Quintet has had a changing membership. The main line-up has consisted of Howe, Quentin Collins (trumpet), Brandon Allen (tenor sax), Ross Stanley (piano) and Chris Hill (double bass).
Translation - Volume 1 was released August 28th 2006 on Motorik Recordings distributed by New Note. Transation - Volume 2 followed in 2007 with an accompanying UK tour.
“This is contemporary, fresh energetic jazz played with brio and luxuriant swing that makes it music of today. Howe has that gift not only of swing, but to play oh, so quietly, making you listen to his very restraint, as he encourages his family of drums to talk together. Just file under a bloody good night out.” Andy Robson - JAZZWISE MAGAZINE October ‘06
“The remarkable cohesion of the whole band.. Howe's needle-sharp drum fills... and that indefinable sense of occasion which comes when a band knows it is working at the top of its form” Dave Gelly - THE OBSERVER - September 2006
"Just the right mercurial touch...you might well assume that it came from one of the more advanced Blue Note sessions of the mid 1960's.” Dave Gelly - Jazz Cd of the week -THE OBSERVER August 2005
"The Drummer-led quintet play with a dexterity and maturity to match any mainstream/hard-bop artists of the 50's and 60's. This is 'it' if you like serious jazz." MUSICIAN MAGAZINE
“His fills and cymbal rides evoke memories of the great Elvin Jones and Philly-Jo Jones.” JAZZ JOURNAL
“Searing modal, scorching originals - superb retro-hard bop” Critic’s Choice - TIME OUT *
“Intelligent hard bop with a melodic twist.” Clive Davis: Critic’s choice - THE TIMES
“A looseness reminiscent of Miles's 1960s ensemble... He (DH) knows exactly how the dynamics and drama of this idiom are supposed to work, and he proves himself to be a sophisticated composer of slow tone-poetry.” John Fordham - THE GUARDIAN
“Howe handles the Blue Note genre with ease! Stimulating.” Jack Massarik - Jazz Cd of the Week: LONDON EVENING STANDARD
“A sharp young band breathing new life and inspiration into the hard bop idiom” THE OBSERVER Critics Choice 13/08/06
[edit] Dylan Howe & The Subterreanans
Howe's new project is Dylan Howe & The Subterreanans, playing the music of David Bowie's Low and Heroes, re-imagined by a 'future jazz sextet' with strings & electronics. They launched in late 2007 with a live show and a preview release of one piece on Translation - Volume 2.
| “ | Forming a third stream between the seminal 70’s Bowie albums and the Philip Glass adaptations is a new project lighting the touch paper of improvisation and igniting fresh explorations of some of the most important music of the 20th century. The Art event meltdown of 2007 - featuring the leading players of the world stage celebrating & re-energizing the music that changed a generation forever 30 years ago... | ” |
The line-up at the launch consisted of Dylan Howe (drums/arrangements), Hugh Cornwell (vox), Tim Dickinson (vox) Ross Stanley (piano/arrangements), Chris Hill (double bass), Robbie Robson (trumpet), Sam Crockatt (tenor sax) and Gilad Atzmon (alto sax), with Adrian Utley (guitar, electronics) and The Solid Strings. The project premiered at London's Cargo on 25th November 2007.
" Dylan Howe's self-styled "reimagining" of Bowie's instrumental meisterwerks invests them with new life while remaining true to their original spirit. His mini-orchestra (ensemble?) treat the originals as blueprints for some inventive flights of fancy but remain recognisably anchored in Bowie's Berlin. The Thin White Duke would surely approve." - Tim Cooper, Music Editor, Contemporary Magazine
"A formidable lineup…immaculate, entrancing collective performance. Howe’s trademark powerful yet delicate drumming was the motor propelling this finely-tuned engine. Every piece told its own story. This will not be easily forgotten…" Frederick Bernas JAZZWISE MAGAZINE
They plan to tour the project in October 2008.
[edit] Session work
Dylan Howe's previous session / studio work has included Paul McCartney, Portishead, Damon Albarn, Dave Gilmour, Nick Cave, Shane McGowan, singer-songwriter Ray Davies' (of The Kinks), Hugh Cornwell, Steve Harley, Glenn Tilbrook, Suggs, Green Gartside, Paul Young, Curtis Stigers, Courtney Pine, Gilad Atzmon, Jim Mullen, Guy Barker, Tom Jones, Baxter Dury (Ian's son), Lewis Taylor, Hijack, Edwin Starr, Sam Moore, Ben E King, Ruby Turner, Martha Reeves, Sam Brown, P. P. Arnold, Sinead O'Connor, Jane Monheit, Seal, Leon Ware, Gabrielle, Chaka Khan, Lightning Seeds.
He has worked with the following producers: Trevor Horn, John Leckie, Laurie Latham, Steve Lyons, Andy Wright, Richard Stannard & Julian Gallagher, Paul O'Duffy, Nigel Godrich, John Cornwell, Karl Wallinger, John Brough, Steve Power and Guy Chambers.
A full session/musical history is available at one of his MySpace pages.
Quotes:
"A superb player" THE OBSERVER
"Swings like an old veteran" MODERN DRUMMER
"Dylan Howe makes it new. The way he plays it, it's as if Be-bop were still hot and wet from it's Harlem womb. Dylan Howe, he plays time from the heart." ROBERT WYATT
"Howe, Inspiring and invigorating in any genre " THE GUARDIAN
"Dylan Howe simply does all the right things" MUSICIAN MAGAZINE
"You funky little bastard" Ian Dury
"The best new young drummer to emerge since Phil Collins or Stewart Copeland." YESWORLD
“Howe swings effortlessly” **** DRUMMER MAGAZINE
[edit] External links
