MUSIC
In my life as a musician, recording and live performance have had equal weight. As I've been a part of both bands and sessions, I've been able to enjoy a stunning variety of projects. These are a few. I hope it shows a range of both my listening tastes and playing experiences. If there's one thing all these projects have in common, it's that they're different.
PROJECT
DAVID BARRETT TRIO
Formed in 2010 to be a progressive power trio. I played with David Barrett and Sascha Tukatsch in 2006 with Classic Albums Live when we performed Moving Pictures by Rush. David had been busy making solo guitar records for a few years and had become friends with Alex Lifeson. When playing his latest group of demos for a new record, Al commented that the songs would be better served with a trio, and that he should form a band. That's when my phone rang. davidbarretttrio.com
David Barrett Trio feat. Michael Sadler - Moonage Daydream
Live with Saga at The Phoenix, Toronto
Since we first had the honour of supporting Saga at one of their concerts, we've collaborated with Michael on a few pieces of music. We chose and recorded a version of this wonderful Bowie track a few months ago, not knowing what was unfortunately to come. Here we are, performing it live on February 7, 2016 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.
David Barrett Trio - Dive
Music Video From Our Debut Album
Side one, track one. This is a great song to start a record with, and a fun song to play. It has spacey stuff at the head of the song and grinding dissonant overdriven bass throughout.
David Barrett Trio - Belmonte
Studio Album Version
Recorded at Noble Street Studios, this is the song we tracked for Alan Parsons' Art & Science of Sound Recording workshop. The verses are directly inspired by Tony Levin's style and the choruses are an unabashed nick from Chris Squire. Two of my favourites.
David Barrett Trio - Rotary Park
From our Whisper to Thunder (Live in Concert) DVD
As befitting a song with this title, I used a rotary simulator with overdrive for the chorus parts, but my favourite part is at the beginning and end of the song where David and I play the same figure in the loop with me dropping the last note of every pass, just like King Crimson's Frame By Frame.
David Barrett Trio - 2112
Live at the Orbit Room for RushCon
It's always scary playing Rush. One wants to do it justice. Especially in one of the best music rooms in Toronto, The Orbit Room, packed with Rush fans from around the world. This is the intro and outro of 2112, from one of our three times playing RushCon.
SESSION WORK
JACOB MOON
A brilliant singer-songwriter who is probably best known for his cover of Rush's Subdivisions. He had mainly performed solo with looping pedals, but for his album Fascination enlisted the David Barrett Trio to perform on two of the songs. jacobmoon.com
Jacob Moon - Is That All You Got
Session Work
A great song about getting up when you've been knocked down. This bass line was charted by Jacob so all the credit is his.
Jacob Moon - Limelight
Session Work
There are certain bands you just don't cover because the definitive versions of the songs already exist. No one told Jacob that and he has managed to arrange a Rush favourite in an wonderful new way.
SESSION WORK
RORY LAVELLE
A talented singer-songwriter in the post-Beatles family, one can hear Paul Simon, Squeeze & Crowded House in his writing. After pestering him for months about his next record he relented and hired me to play bass on four upcoming songs, of which this is one. rorylavelle.bandcamp.com
Rory Lavelle - Get Out Of Jail
Session Work
SESSION WORK
BATHURST STATION
Ted Sevdalis contacted me out of the blue for this one. Another friend had played bass on every track but this one, and Ted asked me to give it a try. Current bass player Jen Benton curses my name for the verse parts, which go along at quite a clip. bathurststation.com
Bathurst Station - On My Way
Session Work
PROJECT
BROTHER LOVE CANAL
This was a very interesting project to do. It was electronic, it was dance music, and I had so much fun putting real bass to it. Mind you, with lots of effects.
Brother Love Canal - So Far Away
Breakfast Television Appearance