Hamid Drake
Hamid Drake is an American drummer and percussionist, born Henry Lawrence Drake in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1955 and raised in the Chicago area. Playing trap kit, tabla, conga and frame drum, often with his hands, he draws on Afro-Cuban, Indian and African rhythms and on reggae, working mostly in free jazz. He played with saxophonist Fred Anderson from 1974 until 2010, met the AACM circle through Anderson's workshops, and worked with Don Cherry from 1978 to 1995.
Message From Home
Pharoah Sanders' 1996 Verve album with Bill Laswell producing, Foday Musa Suso, Hamid Drake, Bernie Worrell and Charnett Moffett: hip-hop pulse, Gambian kora and the full-cry tenor on one record. Back on vinyl for the first time since the rare French…
Radiale
Originally released in 2004 on the highly influential Atavistic label, Radiale is back on May 22, 2026, bringing together explosive energy, avant-jazz improvisation and experimental rock in a landmark collaboration. Featuring saxophone player Ken Van…
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Universal Butterfly
*300 copies limited edition* 577 Records proudly announces Universal Butterfly, a new project shaped over years of shared musical paths, bringing together a striking trio: pianist Milton Michaeli, double bassist Asaf Shchori, and legendary drummer Ha…
Alive Alone, Alive Together
Guitarist Ava Mendoza returns with a powerful and emotionally stirring live album — half solo electric guitar, and half duos with legendary drummer Hamid Drake. Featuring radically transformed versions of songs from her acclaimed albums The Circular …
Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter
This is Mr. Mat Walerian's fourth album as a leader, all on ESP-Disk'. He also appears in the Matthew Shipp Quartet on the album Sonic Fiction (ESPDISK 5018CD, 2018). Credits: Mat Walerian - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, soprano clarinet, flute; Mat…
A Mountain Sees a Mountain
A Mountain Sees a Mountain, the new duo recording by Hamid Drake and Pat Thomas, captures two master improvisers engaged in an intimate yet expansive dialogue. Released in October 2025 via Old Heaven Books, the album bridges African rhythmic philosop…
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Echoes
2007 release ** ""Echoes," a 2006 live quintet featuring Olivieri alongside Innarella on saxophone, Battiston on piano, and the prodigious rhythm section of Parker and Drake. A pulsating energy that free avant-garde revisits with a distinctive, moder…
More Than Anything
German pianist Georg Graewe reunites with drummer Hamid Drake and bassist Brad Jones in a fiery 2024 trio debut at Konfrontationen Festival. Capturing the spirit of his 1990s Chicago collaborations, More Than Anything showcases masterful free improvi…
Anaya
2009 release ** "Creative music making is a matter of energy, heart, and trust, and when all three are present the music flies. A meeting of three old Chicago friends and collaborators, flutist Nicole Mitchell, drummer Hamid Drake, and bassist Harris…
Heart Trio
CD Edition. 6-panel digipak, printed on heavyweight stock reverse board. Per AUM standard, a beauty. Notes/poem by WP & photos on inners. Heart Trio features three lifelong-devoted fellow travelers on the path of healing through sound. World-renowned…
Die Like a Dog (Fragments of Music, Life and Death of Albert Ayler)
Comes in a heavy gatedold sleeve and with printed innersleeves. Peter Brotzmann reflected: "The idea of expressing my love of and admiration for Albert Ayler - both man and music - in a musical statement is not new. We both tried to do similar or alm…
Cosmic Waves
Albert Beger - tenor saxophone, percussionZiv Taubenfeld - bass clarinet, percussionShay Hazan - guimbri, double bassHamid Drake - drums
Tracks 1 and 4 recorded on the 10th of July, 2023 at Levontin 7, Tel AvivTracks 2 and 3 recorded on the 8th of Ju…
I know You Are But What Am I?
At the tail end of 1996, saxophonist Mars Williams and drummer Hamid Drake took the tall corner stage at Chicago's Empty Bottle for two sets of duets. The rock club had just started a weekly Jazz & Improvised Music Series, curated by Ken Vandemark an…
June 22
"There is an underground stream that starts from Don Cherry Organic Music and the Art Ensemble of Chicago and meanders through improvised music, finally reaching our days; a flux particularly vital in the works of the Natural Information Society and …
Formless
"Gorgeous quintet improv space explored at Chicago's ProMusica studios. Long-time partners Przemyslaw Drazek (trumpet, strings, percussion) and Brent Fuscaldo (voice, guitar, percussion, harmonica) join up again with Hamid's percussion, Tatsu's bass …
Eternal River
On their first stand-alone record as a duo, Ken Vandermark and Hamid Drake celebrate their 30+ year playing relationship with an electrifying live set of pieces, all featuring music composed by legendary free jazz musician Don Cherry.
Ask The Sun
"Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang drum up a storm, to put things succinctly. This album of percussion duets features intricately interlaced drums, bells, shakers, and chimes. Rolling patterns, melodicism, and moods pervade this fine album. Forget your …
The Dried Rat-Dog
*2023 stock* The Dried Rat-Dog is a free jazz energy wallop from the duo of multireedist Peter Brotzmann and percussionist Hamid Drake. It kicks off with the title track, a cavorting of saxophone and drums that tears off, speeding over the hills and …
The "Wels" Concert
*2023 stock* This live recording from a 1996 Austrian music festival is a powerful interaction of three musicians from different countries, each of whom have extraordinary improvisational abilities and deep, grounded technique. A somewhat unusual ins…
Dedications
One of the towering creative musicians of our time, a master drummer and multiple percussionist, Hamid Drake has anchored inumerable bands. As a hard working player, constantly touring the globe, he's collaborated with most of the major figures in im…
Mediumistic Methodology
*In process of stocking. Limited edition of 200 copies.* Alto sax player Devin Brahja Waldman lives in New York and leads his own group Brahja and is a member of Heroes Are Gang Leaders and Land of Kush. He also helps run the label Fast Speaking Musi…
Destiny
*2022 stock. In process of stocking* 'Recorded live during the “Women of New Music” festival in Chicago, [this] OkkaDisk set is marred — Crispell-wise — only by having the piano mixed down too low and occasionally swamped by saxophone and percussion.…
Ame - Live At Artacts 2020
Trost presents: Ame - Live At Artacts 2020 by Uruk. Recorded live at Artacts, Alte Gerberei, St.Johann, March 7th 2020. Mastering by Martin Siewert
released April 8, 2022 Isabelle Duthoit – clarinet, voice Franz Hautzinger – quarter-tone trumpet Hami…
Ourania
"Fantastic studio recording, caught by Taylor Hales at Chicago's legendary Electrical Audio, documenting the first full meeting of all the players on this album. Mako Sica, at this point in time revolve around the core duo of Przemyslaw Krys Drazek (…
Flying Eagle
*2022 stock* Futura Marge presents Flying Eagle by Claudine François (piano), Hubert Dupont (double bass) & Hamid Drake (drums). Recorded on 11 July 2013 at the EGP studio in Paris
Live At The Sunset
*2022 stock* Futura Marge presents Live At The Sunset by Other Dimensions In Music (Roy Campbell trumpet, pocket trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, recorder & double flageolet, Daniel Carter alto saxophone, flute, trumpet & voice, William Parker double bass…
Open Systems
* 2022 stock * "Drake and Tsahar were in Paris as guests at a friend’s wedding. Turning the celebration into a busman’s holiday, the two subsequently went into a studio with veteran German bassist Peter Kowald and American trumpeter Hugh Ragin, who w…
The Big Picture
* 2022 stock * Rob Brown's Big Picture Quartet includes William Parker, Hamid Drake, and Roy Campbell, the band responsible for the sublime Raining on the Moon with Lena Conquest, recorded as the William Parker Quartet, as well as playing together in…
Sclupperbep
Detroit saxophonist Skeeter Shelton and Chicago percussionist Hamid Drake didn’t know each other before Skeeter was subbed into a duo gig at Trinosophes (Detroit) after Hamid’s partner fell ill. Shortly before the performance, it was discovered that …
Awon Ona
* Double CD in 6 panel ecopack * Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, a…
Celebration
Piano-Drums Duos are the preferred playing arrangement of pianist Irène Schweizer. Her mastery of duets with important drummers of contemporary jazz are documented on numerous Intakt CDs. Han Bennink, Pierre Favre, Louis Moholo, Günter Baby Sommer,…
Some Good News
Double CD documenting the magic meeting of one of the all-time great rhythm sections in jazz: percussionist Hamid Drake and bassist William Parker, with London’s brilliant Black Top (Orphy Robinson and Pat Thomas) and Elaine Mitchener. Across two set…
Catch of a Ghost
"Three names, three cultures, three continents, three different concepts of time and timing -- this is the essence of this trio. This is what we have to bring together." -- Peter Brötzmann, Wuppertal, April 1st, 2019With these words, Peter Brötzmann,…
Balancing Tear
"A glorious re-match for Chicago’s superb free-rock trio, Mako Sica, and the jazz world’s percussionist of choice, Hamid Drake. Their last collaboration, Ronda, was a glorious, open-ended studio conversation spread across two LPs. Balancing Tear is a…
Ronda
"Brilliant, inspired and somewhat surprising collaboration between
Chicago's premier free-rock trio and the truly legendary percussionist, Hamid Drake, who has played with everyone from Don Cherry to Peter Brötzmann to Lee Perry. This collusion was …
Keep Going
It's easy to be cynical these days, maybe difficult to imagine that music can change the world, but not for Joe McPhee and Hamid Drake. With Keep Going, they will make the planet a better place for humanity, a place to be humane, to preserve humankin…
Full Circle - Live In Lódz
Two great musicians. Two musical Words. First time on CD. Full Circle –
new live CD from legendary drummer Hamid Drake and one of the most
important American improviser Ned Rothengerg.
Frode Gjerstad With Hamid Drake And William Parker
Featuring Frode Gjerstad on alto sax & clarinet, William Parker on contrabass and Hamid Drake on drums & percussion. Norwegian saxist Frode Gjerstad is one of the most prolific and hard working of all European saxists, a career that stretches back so…
Heads Or Tails
Two different duets between reedman Sylvain Kassap and percussionist Hamid Drake – one live, one studio – recorded six years apart, but sounding wonderful together in this double-length package! The first section is live – and features some very long…
Song Sentimentale
Outside of the 2CD release ‘Never Too Late But Always Too Early’ (Eremite, 2003) there has been scant documentation of one of the most dynamic pairings in all free jazz. Featuring unique material on each format Song Sentimentale rectifies this anomal…
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