Les Getchell | percussionist

Playing bodhrán in the Kerry style

Original photo for Hooley, 2001.
Photo by Heather Mull

Re-imaged by Arc Music, 2009.
(Not on the CD, only the cover.)

Percussion — the way it could be played — musically.

Specializing in traditional Irish/Scottish/Celtic percussion

Bodhrán (Irish frame drum), bones, shaker, triangle, etc.

Words by some of the world’s leading musicians from Ireland and Scotland: “Brilliant.” “One of the best.” “My favorite drummer to play with.” And America: “Fantastic.” “Phenomenal.” “Amazing.” “Excellent.” “Perfect.” “Knocked me out of my seat.” “The first drummer I’ve heard who actually adds to the music.”

Plus blues and West African/Afro-Caribbean/Brazilian percussion
Brushes, caixa (snare), conga (hand-over-hand style), luna (talking drum), shakere (gourd rattle), etc.

Also experienced in live sound reinforcement of acoustic music: natural, clean, balanced.

Current ensembles
Hooley, traditional Irish

Pìobaire, a new trio with 11-time world champion Alasdair Gillies on Highland pipes (voted by the readers of Piper & Drummer magazine as the best piper of the 20th century) + Bruce Foley on uilleann pipes, low whistle, guitar, vocals (limited availability: March — other than St. Patrick’s week, May, September, November, December)

Periodic guest
Callán, traditional Irish and Scottish
Cue Ball, contemporary Irish and blues
Matthew Craig and The Kerry Tipper Band, contemporary Irish
Molly in the Crowd, traditional and not so traditional Irish and Scottish
Ad hoc performances with the area’s foremost traditional musicians

Former ensembles

About Time, foot and hand percussion
All Strings Considered, contra dance
Ceili House (with Ged Foley, Sandy Jones, Bernie Nau, John Skelton), traditional Irish [ hear Green Jello, a Breton reel, performed at Augusta Irish Week, July 1999 ]
Gumband, contra dance
Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle Tuesday night ceili band
Samba Pittsburgh, Brazilian bateria

Discography

Cathal McConnell and Richard Hughes, Music of the Hearth [ pending ]
Mick Martin, Revelator, 2008 [ a review ]
It’s All in the Song: A Tribute to Andy M. Stewart, 2006
NewLanders, Born of Fire, 2006
Reel@113, A bodhrán solo for dance commissioned by BurkeConroy School of Irish Dance Pittsburgh, 2005
Pittsburgh Irish Festival, 15th Anniversary Music Celebration, 2005
20 Years of Irish Music at Augusta: 1983–2002, 2003
Hooley, Cuts from the Turf, 2001 [ a review ]
Bozell Kamstra ad agency video soundtrack, Driven, 1999 [ hear The Butterfly, an Irish slip jig selected for the soundtrack, and its alternate Swallowtail Reel ]
Terry Griffith, For My Grandfathers, 1996

Photo

A high-resolution photo, 436 Kb .jpg file.