Music Update 2021
It’s been a while and I’m happy to announce some exciting releases and recording projects!
My friend, Zink Hossain, has an amazing band called Shumaun and they just released their 3rd album, “Memories and Intuition.” I had the pleasure of playing the 11th song, “A Planetary Shift.” It’s a slow, emotional, powerful song that was really hard to play (slow songs are the hardest-more room for error!) and I was channeling my best Eric Kretz (STP-think “Creep”). Slow, laying back, ghost notes, buzzes, and lots of riding on the crashes. In the bridge, I came up with a syncopated part with flams on toms and splashes. I also added some cabasa overdubs in the choruses.
Another exciting aspect of this album is that it features some powerhouses in the drumming community:
Thomas Lang (Paul Gilbert, Peter Gabriel, Asia, Falco)
Mark Zonder (Fates Warning)
Atma Anur (Joe Satriani, Greg Allman, Ritchie Kotzen)
Leo Margarit (Pain of Salvation)
“Seriously a candidate for record of the year” Rockway
“While Washington DC’s Shumaun have their own highly capable guitarist in the form of singer Farhad Hossain, these prog metallers rack up guest drummers on their highly melodic, song-focused third LP. Easily their strongest record to date, Memories and Intuition (shumaun.com) features beats from Thomas Lang (Peter Gabriel), Leo Margarit (Pain of Salvation), and Mark Zonder (Fates Warning), who power a set of catchy songs that should put Shumaun on a course to the next level.” Prog Magazine
"I do not really remember the last time I enjoyed such a great album from the field of progressive rock / metal." Greek Rebels
“An extraordinary album/band that deserves your utmost attention.” Fireworks
"The expressive vocals of Farhad is a wonder... Beautifully written, realized and interpreted, "Memories & Intuition" is particularly successful, and the fans of rather classic progressive metal will find reasons to rejoice during the numerous listenings necessary to discover all its subtleties." Music Waves
The album is available on all major digital music platforms (e.g., Spotify, iTunes, Google play, YouTube, TIDAL etc.)
Physical CDs can be purchased here: https://www.shumaun.com/store
Physical CDs if you’re in Europe: https://justforkicks.de/.../prog.../10975/memories-intuition
Also on the new release front is the second single from Sorrow and the Spire’s EP (Navid Rashid’s solo project), entitled “In the City Tonight.” (see blog post on first single release, “My Misery Calling” here)
“In the City Tonight is a compositional success that reflects Sorrow and the Spire’s penchant for heartfelt and undeniable song craft. The yearning of its introspective lyrics, about trying to find light in the darkest of places is expressed in emotional verses the give way to an anthemic guitar-driven chorus that feels both personal and universal.”
Loudwire recently listed the song on their Weekly Wire Spotify Playlist. It was also Golden Robot Records “CEO Track of the Week.”
I might be biased, but I think this song is pretty amazing and look forward to seeing what happens with it. Check out the video we did here-
I had a GoPro running while doing my drum take and listed some thoughts on the part here-
Navid Rashid: Vocals, Guitars
Jeff Teets: Bass Guitar
Chris DeChiara: Drums, Percussion
Produced by Steve Brown (Trixter, Def Leppard, Tokyo Motor Fist)
Video by LJR Creative
Support by streaming/buying the single here-
I’ve been wrapping up another music recording for the Buster Keaton silent film, “The Saphead.” We finished the first, Ernst Lubitsch’s “Three Women” a couple months ago and will be featured on Turner Network TV later this year. Both movies will also be available on Bluray soon! Andrew Simpson always writes great music whatever the idiom is and always keeps the percussion part busy.
Here are some shots of the percussion set up for both pieces-
THREE WOMEN
THE SAPHEAD
Gig-wise, be on the lookout for upcoming gigs with the US Navy Band, Dr.FU, Nowhere Men (Beatles acoustic tribute), Eyes of the Nile (Iron Maiden tribute), and the Alexandria Symphony!
My book “The Rite of Spring-A Percussionist’s Guide” has been making the rounds both nationally and internationally.
Here is a review from the Dec. issue of Percussive Notes magazine!
If you’d like to take a look, check out the book here-
https://www.chrisdechiara.com/theriteofspringbook
https://buy.bookfunnel.com/4bve650b0w
Finally, and speaking of The Rite of Spring, I had the honor of editing the timpani and percussion parts to the Rite of Spring Critical Performing Edition (CPE) by Clinton F. Nieweg and James Chang. This was a massive undertaking on their part and I’m thrilled I was able to help in the process.
Check it out here-
