Glen Velez (born 1949) is a four-time Grammy winning American

percussionist A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...

, vocalist, and composer, specializing in

frame drum A frame drum is a drum that has a drumhead width greater than its depth. It is one of the most ancient musical instruments, and perhaps the first drum to be invented. It has a single drumhead that is usually made of rawhide, but man-made mate ...

s from around the world. He is largely responsible for the increasing popularity of frame drums in the United States and around the world. Velez is married to

Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...

Biography

Of Mexican American ancestry, Velez was born in

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

and grew up in Texas but moved to New York City in 1967. He began by playing jazz on the drums but soon gravitated to hand drums from around the world (frame drums in particular), seeking out teachers from many different musical traditions. Among the many instruments Velez favors are the Irish

bodhrán The bodhrán (, ; plural ''bodhráin'' or ''bodhráns'') is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from in diameter, with most drums measuring . The sides of the drum are deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads or oth ...

, the Brazilian

pandeiro The pandeiro () is a type of hand frame drum popular in Brazil. The pandeiro is used in a number of Brazilian music forms, such as samba, choro, coco, and capoeira music. The drumhead is tunable, and the rim holds metal jingles (''platinelas'' ...

, the Arabic riq, the North African bendir, and the Azerbaijani

ghaval Daf ( fa, دف) also known as Dâyere and Riq is a Middle Eastern (mainly Iranian) frame drum musical instrument, used in popular and classical music in South and Central Asia. It is also used in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzb ...

. Although these instruments are similar in construction, they have their own playing techniques. Velez has studied each instrument traditionally, but he has also developed his own cross-cultural musical vocabulary, mixing and adapting techniques from various cultures and developing new ones (such as playing the bodhrán with brushes). He has been influential in the growing international interest in frame drums, and many younger players now use his techniques. He teaches percussion and frame drums at Mannes College of Music and The Juilliard School. He also plays other percussion instruments such as the Venezuelan

maraca A maraca (), sometimes called shaker or chac-chac, is a rattle which appears in many genres of Caribbean and Latin music. It is shaken by a handle and usually played as part of a pair. Maracas (from Guaraní ), also known as tamaracas, were ...

s and

steel drum The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. Descript ...

, and is skilled at

overtone singing Overtone singing – also known as overtone chanting, harmonic singing, polyphonic overtone singing, and diphonic singing – is a set of singing techniques in which the vocalist manipulates the resonances of the vocal tract, in order to arous ...

and Konnakol. Velez's compositions are frequently composed for cross-cultural ensembles in which he himself also performs; he is particularly fond of

polyrhythm Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music ( cross-rhyt ...

—superimposing different meters simultaneously. Velez was a longtime member of the

Paul Winter Consort The Paul Winter Consort is an American musical group. Bassist Eliot Wadopian has been a member. Discography Films *''Canyon Consort'' (1985) References External linksLiving Music- Paul Winter's record label {{Authority control American j ...

and

Steve Reich and Musicians Steve Reich and Musicians, sometimes credited as the Steve Reich Ensemble, is a musical ensemble founded and led by the American composer Steve Reich (born 1936). The group has premiered and performed many of Reich's works both nationally and int ...

. He has also worked with

Layne Redmond Layne Redmond (August 19, 1952 – October 28, 2013) was an American drummer, frame drum expert, writer, teacher, historian, and mythologist. Drum maker Remo created a frame drum designed by Redmond as their first Signature Series product. Th ...

Howard Levy Howard Levy (born July 31, 1951) is an American multi-instrumentalist. A keyboardist and virtuoso harmonica player, Levy "has been realistically presented as one of the most important and radical harmonica innovators of the twentieth century. ...

, Steve Gorn, Rabih Abou-Khalil,

Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progre ...

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, Suzanne Vega,

Glen Moore Glen Moore (born October 28, 1941) is an American jazz bassist, who occasionally performs on piano, flute and violin. Moore was born in Portland, Oregon, United States. His performing career began at age 14 with the Young Oregonians in Portlan ...

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, and

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. Velez's students include

Yousif Sheronick Yousif Sheronick (born 1967, Cedar Rapids, IA) is a percussionist, arranger, and composer, who works in classical, world, jazz and rock genres. Biography The child of Lebanese immigrants, Sheronick graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Ce ...

, Shane Shanahan, Glen Fittin, Randy Crafton, and N. Scott Robinson, and Taku Hirano.

Discography

As leader

* 1984 ''Handdance: Frame Drum Music'' (

Nomad A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the po ...

) * 1985 ''Internal Combustion'' (CMP) * 1985 ''Radio Iceland'' (

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) * 1987 ''Seven Heaven'' (CMP) * 1989 ''Assyrian Rose'' (CMP) * 1990 ''Ramana'' (Music of the World) * 1992 ''Nafas'' ( ECM) * 1993 ''Songs of Kabir'' (Interworld) * 1994 ''Border States'' (Interworld) * 1994 ''Doctrine of Signatures'' (CMP) * 1994 ''Ettna'' (Nomad) * 1994 ''Pan Eros'' (CMP) * 1994 ''Temurá'' (Nuba) * 1996 ''Rhythmcolor Exotica'' (Ellipsis Arts) * 1998 ''Rhythms of the Chakras'' (

Sounds True In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

) * 2000 ''Breathing Rhythms'' (Sounds True) * 2000 ''Kinship'' ( Koch) * 2005 ''Elephant Hotel'' * 2005 ''Rhythms of Awakening'' * 2008 ''Rhythms Of The Chakras Volume 2''

As sideman

With Steve Reich * 1978 ''Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians'' * 1980 ''Steve Reich: Octet; Music for a Large Ensenble; Violin Phase'' * 1985 ''Steve Reich: The Desert Music'' Steve Reich/Michael Tilson Thomas * 1986 ''Steve Reich: Sextet; Six Marimbas'' * 1998 ''Music for 18 Musicians'' * 2002 ''Steve Reich: Variations, Six Pianos Etc.'' * 2003 ''Steve Reich: Drumming'' With Paul Winter * 1983 ''Sun Singer'' * 1985 ''Canyon Consort'' * 1985 ''Canyon'' * 1985 ''Concert for the Earth'' * 1987 ''Earthbeat'' * 1990 ''Earth: Voices of a Planet'' * 1992 ''Anthems'' * 1994 ''Prayer for the Wild Things'' * 1995 ''Man Who Planted Trees'' * 1993 ''Solstice Live!'' * 1993 ''Spanish Angel (Recorded Live in Spain)'' * 2005 ''Silver Solstice'' * 2007 ''Crestone'' With

* 1991 ''Dalglish: Hymnody of Earth'' * 1997 ''Pleasure'' * 2003 ''Carpe Diem! A Ceremony of Song'' With

Peter Kater Peter Kater (born 1958) is a German-born American pianist, composer and Grammy Award winner. When he was four, he moved with his family from Germany to New Jersey. He studied classical piano at an early age. In 1977 when he was eighteen, Peter mo ...

* 1991 ''Homage'' * 1999 ''Birds of Prey'' * 2013 ''Heart of the Universe'' With Paul Sullivan * 1987 ''Sketches of Maine'' * 1988 ''A Visit to the Rockies'' * 1992 ''Christmas in Maine'' With

* 1991 ''Marc Cohn'' * 1993 ''The Rainy Season'' With

David Lanz David Howard Lanz (born June 28, 1950 in Seattle, Washington) is a Grammy-nominated pianist and composer. His album '' Cristofori's Dream'' topped the New Age music charts in 1988. Early years Lanz attributes his interest in the piano to experien ...

* 1998 ''Songs from an English Garden'' * 2005 ''Spirit Romance'' With

Patty Larkin Patty Larkin (born June 19, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a founding member of Four Bitchin' Babes. Her music has been described as folk-urban pop music. Life and career Patty Lar ...

* 1993 ''Angels Running'' * 1995 ''Strangers World'' With Rabih Abou-Khalil * 1988 ''Nafas (ECM)'' * 1994 ''Between Dusk and Dawn'' * 1994 ''Bukra'' * 1994 ''Roots & Sprouts'' With others * 1987 ''New York Counterpoint'',

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* 1988 ''Basic Tendencies'', Mike Richmond * 1988 ''Memos from Paradise'',

Eddie Daniels Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet. Early life, family and education Daniel ...

* 1988 ''Street Dreams'',

* 1989 ''Arms Around You'',

Eugene Friesen Eugene Friesen (born 1952) is an American cellist and composer. Early life Friesen was born in 1952 to Russian Mennonite parents. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Music. Career Friesen has been a member of the Paul Winter Consort since ...

* 1990 ''Days of Open Hand'', Suzanne Vega * 1990 ''Strange Omen'',

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* 1991 ''Angel on a Stone Wall'',

Paul Halley Paul Halley (born 1952 in Romford, England) is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer. He is perhaps best known as being a member of and composer for the Paul Winter Consort. Biography Paul Halley was born in England in 1952. His father was a ...

* 1994 ''Ettna'', Enzo Rao * 1995 ''Ars Moriende'',

* 1994 ''Rhymes With Orange'', Mario Grigorov * 1994 ''Trio Globo'', Trio Globo * 1995 ''Carnival of Souls'', Trio Globo * 1995 ''On the Cliffs of the Heart'',

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* 1995 ''Power Lines'',

Ned Rothenberg Ned Rothenberg (born September 15, 1956) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer. He specializes in woodwind instruments, including the alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). He is known ...

* 1995 ''Istanpitta, Vol. 1: A Medieval Dance Band'', New York Ensemble for Early Music * 1996 ''Istanpitta, Vol. 2: Medieval Dances'', New York Ensemble for Early Music * 1996 ''Celtic Soul'',

Nóirín Ní Riain ) , background = solo_singer , instrument = Vocals, surpeti, shruti box, Irish whistle, piano , years_active = 1977 – present , associated_acts = size2shoesMícheál Ó Súilleabháin , website noirin.love, origin = Ca ...

* 1996 ''Song of the Irish Whistle'', Joanie Madden * 1996 ''Closer to Far Away'',

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* 1996 ''Layers of Time'', Reinhard Flatischler * 1996 ''Little Magic in a Noisy World'',

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* 1997 ''Clara Ponty'',

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* 1997 ''End of the Summer'',

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* 1997 ''Imaginary Day'',

* 1997 ''One in the Pocket'', Badal Roy * 1998 ''Sea of Dreams'',

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* 1998 ''Shy Angels'',

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* 2000 ''Madman of God'', Sussan Deyhim * 2000 ''Tarantata: Dance of the Ancient Spider'', Alessandra Belloni * 2002 ''Gypsy Killer'', Sanda Weigl * 2007 ''Celtic Grace'', Aureole Trio * 2015 ''Amaryllis'', Nina Stern

Video

* ''Canyon Consort'', Paul Winter (A&M/Windham Hill Video, 1985) * ''Ancient Altars, New Forms'', Marion Scott & Rene Olivas Gubernick ( New York Public Library Dance Collection, 1986) * ''World Drums'', Niv Fichman (director) (

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary f ...

, 1986) * ''C.O.C.A.'', Manuel Alum Dance Company soundtrack compilation (New York Public Library Dance Collection, 1988) * ''Drumbeats'' Glen Velez (REMO, 1989) * ''The Fantastic World of Frame Drums'', Glen Velez (Interworld, 1990) * ''Mountain Gorilla'' (IMAX film, 1992), Various Artists * ''Noah and the Ark: The Classic Story of Noah's Ark'', Paul Winter (Rabbit Ears Productions, 1992) * ''Hymnody of Earth (revised)'', Malcolm Dalglish (KET, 1993) * ''Back to Nature – Live in Zagreb'', Paul Winter (Croatian TV, 1994) * ''The Snowbird Cherokees'' Richard Panter, (producer) soundtrack compilation (South Carolina, 1995) * ''Handance Method 1'', Glen Velez (Interworld/Warner Bros., 1996) * ''Handance Method 2'', Glen Velez (Interworld/Warner Bros., 1996) * ''The Selchie and the Fisherman'', Malcolm Dalglish (Live Multimedia, 1997) * ''Modern Drummer Festival Weekend'', Various Artists (Warner Bros., 1998) * ''Wendigo'', Larry Fessenden (director) soundtrack (Magnolia Pictures, 2003)

Published scores

* "Composed Improvisation for One-sided Drum with or without Jangles," for Glen Velez, composed by John Cage, New York Public Library Music Division Research Collection, c. early 1980s. * "Hymnody of Earth: A Celebration of Songs for Choir, Hammer Dulcimer, and Percussion" (Revised) composed and arranged by Malcolm Dalglish, poetry by Wendell Berry, percussion parts by Glen Velez. Published in Ft. Lauderdale by Plymouth Music Co., MDP-900, 1995.

Articles/interviews/books

* Berendt, Joachim E. and Gunther Huesmann. ''The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to Fusion to Beyond''. Brooklyn: Lawrence Hill Books, 1992, 6th edition, 358. * Blank-Edelman, David N. "Glen Velez: A Unified Approach to the Frame Drum." ''RhythmMusic'' Magazine 3, no. 8 (1994): 38-43. * ________. "Glen Velez: From South India to Azerbaijan, Velez Finds a Unified Approach to the Frame Drum." ''Percussion Source'' 1, no. 1 (1995): 10-12. * Brooks, Iris. "Global Beat: World Drum Festival." ''Ear: Magazine of New Music'' 2, no. 3 (November 1986): 8. * ________. "The World Drum Festival." ''Modern Percussionist'' 3, no. 1 (December/February 1986/1987): 14-17, 37, 39. * ________. "Meet the Composer: Glen Velez." ''Ear: Magazine of New Music'' 12, no. 6 (1987): 16-19. * ________. "Around the World: Glen Velez." ''Modern Drummer'' 11, no. 9 (September 1988): 76-79. * ________. "Glen Velez: Hands Dancing." ''Jazziz'' 8 (August 1995): 60, 61, 63, 65, 67. * ________. "Colors & Scents: Glen Velez Draws Inspiration From the World Around Him." ''Drum!'' 6, no. 1 (1997): 75-78. * ________. "Glen Velez: Embodies the Essence of Rhythm." ''Drum!'' 10, no. 2 (March/April 2001): 67-68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 132. * Browning, Robert (editor). "Kavkazi," in ''Maqam: Music of the Islamic World and its Influences''. New York: Alternative Museum, 1984, 40. * Dalglish, Malcolm with Glen Velez. ''Hymnody of Earth: A Ceremony of Songs for Choir, Hammer Dulcimer and Percussion evised'. Ft. Lauderdale: Plymouth Music, 1995. * Dorsey, Ed. "Ethnic Percussion: An Interview with Glen Velez." ''Percussive Notes'' 25, no. 4 (Spring 1987): 56-60. * Dorsey, Ed, Iris Brooks and Antonio Gentile. "Glen Velez." ''Percussioni'' 7, no. 60 (January 1996): 12-16. * Graham, Richard. "Glen Velez's Tambourines." ''Modern Percussionist'' 2, no. 1 (December/February 1985/1986): 48-50. * Johnson, Tom. "Music: The Real Tambourine Man." ''The Village Voice'' 26 (11 March 1981): 70. * ________. ''The Voice of New Music: New York City, 1972-1982: A Collection of Articles Originally Published in The Village Voice''. Eindholen: Apollohuis, 1989, 469-472. * Kwan-uk, Hyun (photographer). "Expo '93: The Culture of Science, The Science of Culture." * Koreana: Korean Art and Culture (Summer 1993): 40-41 (appears in photo only – International Drum Festival 1993). * Li Castro, Emiliano and Fabrizio Dadò. "I tamburi a cornice di Glen Velez." ''Percussioni'' 2, no. 6 (February 1991): 36-39. * Lieberman, Julie Lyonn. ''Planet Musician: The World Music Sourcebook for Musicians''. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 1998, 6, 68. * Liss, Dan. "Music: Framing a New Sound." ''Aquarius'' 4, no. 12 (1997): 14. * ________. "New Perspectives in Rhythms: An Interview with Glen Velez." ''New Age Voice'' 4, no. 7 (August 1998): 16, 18. * Moscov, Josh. "Glen Velez: Exploring Where East Meets West." ''Drum!'' 1, no. 6 (July/August 1992): 25-27. * Robinson, N. Scott. "Glen Velez: World Music Total." ''Batera & Percussão'' 3, no. 28 (December 1999): 30-32. * ________. "Glen Velez: A World of Sound in His Hands." ''Modern Drummer'' 24, no. 4 (April 2000): 72-76, 78-80, 82, 84, 86. * ________. The New Percussionist in Jazz: Organological and Technical Expansion. Masters Thesis, Kent State University, 2002. * ________. "Frame Drums and Tambourines," in ''Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World, Volume Two: Performance and Production''. Edited by John Shepherd, David Horn, Dave Laing, Paul Oliver, and

Peter Wicke Peter Wicke (born in 1951 in Zwickau) is a German musicologist, who is particularly interested in popular music; he teaches as a university professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Life and achievements Born in Zwickau, Wicke studied musi ...

. New York: Continuum, 2003, 362-372. * Schaefer, John. ''New Sounds: A Listener's Guide to World Music''. New York: Harper & Row, 1987, 130, 132. * Sofia, Sal. "The World Drum Festival." ''Percussioner International'' 2, no. 1 (1987): 66-72. * Solca, Alex. "Highlights of Modern Drummer's 1998 Festival Weekend." ''Modern Drummer'' 22, no. 10 (1998): 110-111. * Tolleson, Robin. "Riffs: Glen Velez." ''DownBeat'' 58 (November 1991): 14. * Velez, Glen. "The Tambourine in Ancient Western Asia." ''Ear Magazine East'' 5, no. 5 (April/May 1980): 3. * ________. "A Monograph on the Frame Drum, Ancestor of our Modern Tambourine." ''Ear Magazine East'' 7, no. 3/4 (April/October 1982): 8-9. * ________. ''Handance Duets for Frame Drums''. New York: Framedrum Music, 2001. * ________. ''Handance Method with Cueing and Performance Guide: An Introduction to Frame Drumming''. New York: Framedrum Music, 2002. * ________. ''Bodhran Instruction Manual''. New York: Frame Drum Music, 2004. * ________. ''Shakers Instruction Manual''. New York: Frame Drum Music, 2004. * ________. ''Tar Instruction Manual''. New York: Frame Drum Music, 2004. * Wentz, Brooke. "An Interview With Glen Velez." ''Op'' Magazine V (1984): 42-43.

References

External links

Official site

"Glen Velez: A World of Sound in His Hands"
by N. Scott Robinson (from ''Modern Drummer'' 24, no. 4 (April 2000), pp. 72–76, 78-80, 82, 84, and 86) {{DEFAULTSORT:Velez, Glen 1949 births Living people American musicians of Mexican descent American percussionists Bodhrán players Contemporary classical music performers Frame drum players Maracas players Musicians from Dallas Paul Winter Consort members Steelpan musicians Place of birth missing (living people)