Big Fish Audio | Music Tech Magazine Nigel Lord | Brush Artistry Product Review
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Brush Artistry | Music Tech Magazine

Reviewer: Nigel Lord | Rating: 7 out of 10 Back to Brush Artistry product details

VERDICT: A welcome slice of rhythmic diversity in this dual audio/.WAV-format collection.

If your idea of a drummer playing with brushes conjures up images of some super-cool jazz trio and a smoky night club, you could get a long way into this collection before hearing anything that might change your mind. But by around track 20 (of 58), the groove does move from swing beats and waltzes to Latin, country, back beat and harder rhythms - all performed with great feel by San Franciscan session player Pat Campbell.

In many ways, Brush Artistry is long overdue. Even if jazz isn't your bag, brush playing has much to recommend it as an alternative to sticks; drummers have a way of 'flicking' the strands of their brushes to create interesting percussive accents, unlike anything that's possible with sticks. Much of what you hear in brushed rhythms is down to the correct choice of instruments and calf skin (or coated) heads. Campbell is well on top of his job with well-chosen snares (mid-60s Gretsch and Premier models), and vintage cymbals (50s Zildjian A) in his armoury. It all adds up to an appealing and highly usable collection in a percussive genre ripe for rediscovery and reappraisal.

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