Glenn Kotche
“The ingenuity and superior craftsmanship at Sonor is simply unmatched. Sonor is much more than incredible sounding drums and state of the art hardware – it‘s an aesthetic.”
Emmanuelle Caplete
“I use Sonor Vintage Series because it‘s a pure sound, clean, deep and powerful, with a strong personality and very versatile.”
Steve Smith
“Playing Sonor Vintage Drums brings me back 40 years to the roots of what I first loved about the sound of Sonor drums: big warm musical tones, deep low end and a response that inspires me to play! And they are beautiful to look at! ”
JoJo Mayer
“Over a decade ago, I fantasized about a replica of my first Sonor kit from the late 50’s. The Vintage Series is a dream come true.”
Kenny Clarke
“At the time I used to go down to Birdland I remember seeing my idol, Kenny Clarke… He had this almost magical sense of time, though he just played ride cymbal and a few kick drum accents… What was magical about him was not his technique but the actual feeling of his playing the time, floating Miles Davis and the whole band on his ride cymbal.”
– Steve Reich
Kenny Clarke is one of the most important innovators of the bebop era. He was the first to free the drummer from a strictly metronomic role, allowing for more creative musical expression and involving himself more with the color aspects drumming. In the 50s and 60s he became one of the first American artists to endorse Sonor drums.
drums in a rOom
Everyone agrees that when you’re tracking drums, the room makes a difference – but with so many other variables in play, identifying its specific contribution can be tricky.
Enter producer Tommaso Colliva (on the left), drummer Alex Reeves, and a unique experiment... backed up by Vintage Series drums. Over two days the pair recorded the drum parts for three different songs in six different studios (and a living room), changing the space while keeping everything else consistent.
That meant having the same microphones positioned identically in relation to the kit; the same preamps and converters; the same drum kit; and the same drummer, delivering what was as close as possible to the same performance.
"The Vintage kit sounds big and round and beautiful. To me it’s the perfect balance between old and new: the beefy, low and rounded sound of a vintage kit, with a little extra attack and poke like a modern kit.”
Enter producer Tommaso Colliva (on the left), drummer Alex Reeves, and a unique experiment... backed up by Vintage Series drums. Over two days the pair recorded the drum parts for three different songs in six different studios (and a living room), changing the space while keeping everything else consistent.
That meant having the same microphones positioned identically in relation to the kit; the same preamps and converters; the same drum kit; and the same drummer, delivering what was as close as possible to the same performance.
“We needed a kit that could sound at home playing entirely different genres… hit hard old school rock, tight poppy funk, and quiet brushed folk… but we also needed consistency. The Sonor Vintage kit is very consistent in a way that actual old drums frequently are not, but it still retains that vintage sound, the sonorous tone, the vibe, the magic that old tear-drop drums have."
– Alex Reeves
Alex Reeves is a freelance musician who has played live and in the studio for artists as diverse as Dizzee Rascal, Bat For Lashes, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Guy Garvey and Nick Cave.
He has a private drum recording studio, The Drum Fortress, in Shoreditch, London.
gO further
Glenn Kotche
“Whether with Wilco, my solo performances or recording sessions, Sonor drums have always been an integral asset to both my sound and my creativity. The ingenuity and superior craftsmanship at Sonor is simply unmatched. The attention to detail and ceaseless dedication to inventiveness have enabled me and so many others to think big without hesitation. Sonor is much more than incredible sounding drums and state of the art hardware – it‘s an aesthetic.”
“With Wilco, I’m creating something with five other guys; it’s a collaborative community. When I compose, it’s all me, so there is a whole different set of challenges. Obviously these are two very different avenues of musical expression, but at the same time, they inform each other. When I play with Wilco, it’s more than just laying down a beat. I’m thinking in terms of colors and textures. And I’m sure being a rock drummer influences my writing. Many of my pieces have more rhythmic energy than anything else at its core. They explore different ideas and questions I have about rhythm.”
If consistency is key for drums in a recording environment then it is also essential for drummer, percussionist and composer Glenn Kotche. His ability to thrive in different and seemingly disparate musical worlds make him stand out as a musician. Since 2001, Kotche has been the rhythmic anchor in the Grammy Award winning band Wilco. He has also appeared on over 80 recordings by artists as diverse as Andrew Bird, Edith Frost, Neil Finn and Radiohead‘s Phil Selway. He has also written music for classical and post-classical ensembles like Kronos Quartet, the Silk Road Ensemble, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, So Percussion, eighth blackbird and many more.
Emmanuelle Caplette
Emmanuelle Caplette is a Canadian drummer, best known for her work with singer IMA and as a drum clinician. She made her debut at the age of 9 years old when joining a local drum and bugle corps. For eight years she played snare with different drum corps from Quebec. In May 2013, Emmanuelle joined Andy Summers, formerly of The Police, in his new band, Circa Zero. Their first show was at El Rey Theater in LA on July 25th. After that, Circa Zero Performed at Shanghai Rolex Master In China in October 2013. In 2014, Emmanuelle was on tour in Canada and Europe with Stephane Rousseau (French Comedian), where she was the drummer and musical director. In the fall of that same year, Emmanuelle was involved with a new TV Show, Sur Invitation Seulement, on the TVA Channel.
