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There is a category of musician that I have always admired, that of the battery singer .
In them the voice and the rhythm dialogue to the maximum of possibilities and are a perfect example of synergy . A brain, a heart, and four independent and coordinated arts that welcome, in their intertwining, the melody of a voice.
To think that all this derives from a single person certainly leaves rough. Behind this balance between the parties there is a lot of talent but, above all, hours and hours of study on each tool and their complementarity.
Most of us most likely witnessed the performance of a chorister drummer within a band, the figure who, on the other hand, we will explore in this article is that of the siner drummer who is often the frontman of a band.
There would be many more examples to present, and who knows that others cannot be the subject of future articles, but for this article I will select four.
The main selection criterion is obviously my personal taste but at the same time I would like to present artists belonging to different styles in order to have a wider, albeit partial, overview of this fascinating topic.
Let's start with Deen Castronovo , drummer and singer of the Journey band who, from the 80s onwards, collaborated with many artists who stand out, to name a few, Steve Vai, Paul Rodgers and Ozzy Osbourne.
In the video that I propose, extrapolated from a live of 2009 with the "Journey", the American musician of Italian origins sings and masterfully plays the songs "Keep on Running" and "Still They Ride".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHZ3CFUGEHM
We cannot fail to insert a great artist like Phil Collins .
Drummer and then singer of the Genesis, he embarked on his solo career in the early 1980s.
A career dotted with successes not only in the musical but also cinematographic world, by important collaborations and ended at the beginning of 2022 due to his physical problems.
Video with Genesis extrapolated from the 2007 live to the Circus Maximus of Rome.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaay7udowm4
Live video of the song "In the Air Tonight".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=manxpVTLTH8
With the third artist we go into rock, funk and electronic sounds.
Let's talk about Josh Dion dei Paris Monster, a very interesting New York duo.
Josh Dion, in addition to the voice and battery, inserts a synth inside his live kit by creating an original plot that characterizes his sound.
To complete the duo with him is the bassist Geoff Kraly.
Video of the performance of the song "A Vision Complete" at the 2015 Tamtam Drumfest in Seville.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwpx3_kovla
Live video of the Paris Monster, song "The Unclean".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxVTNX0M6O4&list=rdemhdezggwzz1ettvnpimc33wwsw&index=2
And with the next artist we go into jazz, Latin and Flamenco sounds, a unique mix that strongly characterizes Israel Varela , amazing singer drummer who collaborated and shared stages with great artists such as Richard Bona, Yo-Yo Ma, Pat Metheny And Rita Marcotulli to name a few of the many.
Drummer and singer but also composer and producer, originally from Mexico, currently lives in Italy.
In the video extracts of the performance of Israel Varela with the Symphony Orchestra of the state of Mexico.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jtajq4inq
I believe that approaching this type of artists there is a lot to learn regarding the theme "Voice and rhythm".
Body, voice and breath dialogue and shape each other in search of a balance between the parts that can lead to an effective and fluid unicum.
Inevitably this fusion leads to singing and playing in a totally different way even when the two actions are performed individually.
Read also the article: Black Bear Sinters The singing of the natives of America
