Drummer for hire, kit and transport, Essex or its environs

Drummer for hire in Essex - experienced all rounder

Acomplished drummer of many years standing (or more usually sitting)

drummer bongo player djembe player congas player bodhran player in essex
Own kit and transport - Have Drums, Will Travel
looking for small group or dep work - jazz combo, beat group, wedding band etc - anything in East Anglia/ Essex/ East London
drummer on holiday? - I'm a good busker and can fit in with most groups on the night.
Emergency drummer - phone 01255 242311

Musicians Union launches Live Music Kit as Live Music Act implemented. The MU has launched a ‘ Live Music Kit’ containing practical and creative advice for venues to coincide with the implementation of the Live Music Act on 1 October 2012.
download here

I now use the famous Gretsch Catalina Club kit.

I also have a cocktail kit for smaller venues. It's an Alesis Nitro Max electronic drum kit with my own monitor and external 1000 watt speaker if required.

here are some soundclips of me with the old Dixie Jazz Bandits...

Smiles (When You're Smiling) (4:19)

Basin St Blues (4:37)

Weary Blues (4:13)

Here's me having fun on holiday in the Algarve with some great jazz musicians...
(click on picture to play clip, opens in new window)

email me here;
phil@philcollis.co.uk.
text/mobile;
07850 066360

or phone;
Phil Collis ...
01255 242311
(Essex, UK)

I started out in a "beat group" from school in 1962 and did the rounds of pubs and clubs.
Hooked up with a rock/r&b band in 1965 and did the US bases in Germany. Then got into Country music for a while, worked with bands on the Hammersmith circuit in the 60's.

Met Johnny Cash with June Carter and Carl Perkins at Chicsands while in the house band at the NCO club.

Did one track of an album recorded at Cecil Sharpe House, with Thom Fricker and the NiteLife, with Dave Peacock on bass.

Did a week's depping with Jon Derek and Country Fever and the fabulous Albert Lee. We did the Roebuck Lewisham and the Poco a Poco in Stockport.

Stood in for a pal on a Germany trip with Johnny Regan and The Tumbleweeds country band, ended up staying over for six months with an English Country band based near Frankfurt. $Tex Withers$
Worked with a Country band over here for a while (Tex Withers and The Sidetrackers), did a couple of radio shows ...

Wally Whyton's Country Meets Folk with Tex Withers and The Sidetrackers (soundclip here Tex Withers and The Sidetrackers)
Saturday, 17 February 1968 17.30
COUNTRY MEETS FOLK Wally Whyton introduces country and folk music on record and, In person TEX AND THE SIDETRACKERS. THE LEESIDERS KARL DALLAS reviews some current recordings News from Jim LLOYD Contra bass fiddle, BRIAN BROCKLEHURST Produced by Ian Grant ON RADIO 1 AND RADIO 2 at 5.30 COUNTRY MEETS FOLK The tag of 'Country and Western' is being used more on Radio 1 as DJs and producers accept the music. But not all authentic country singers have to come via Nashville, Tennessee. In today's 'Country Meets Folk' Tex Withers makes his second appearance accompanied by his group The Sidetrackers. For ten years now Tex has been singing music that has now become his life. He sings from the soul of a cowboy who has ridden the Texas range-sweated under a hot prairie sun and slept round the embers of a log fire. Tex is a Londoner—London, England, that is.
David Allen's Country Style with the late Thom Fricker and The NiteLife (soundclip here Thom Fricker and The NiteLife).

Worked with duos and trios for a while, doing the pop music of the day (1970's) mostly in pubs and clubs. Did some work in pubs with pianist Roger Laverne (of Tornados).
Worked with a few pianists and a couple of organists, doing mainstream standards (I love jazz standards).

Got married and gave it a rest for a while - now looking for some fun gigs. Not into heavy but can produce volume when needed.
Good busker with an attentive ear for phrasing, can't sight read but I'm looking for informal gigs for fun anyway. Anything considered.

I play bongos as well. I can either add a little flavour to the music with a full band (e.g. jazz combo/ salsa/ Afro Cuban etc), or accompany an accoustic performer with a lighter sound than a full drum kit. My bongos bag has some other latin tools such as clave/ maracas/ tambourine/ wood block/ cowbell.

(soundclip from Little Bread Big Jam, Leytonstone Little Bread Big Jam )
(another soundclip from Little Bread Big Jam featuring Annie the Hostess with the Mostess and Peter Sellars on violin Annie and Peter )
(just one of those things! another tune )

I also have a Senegal djembe for gigs with an African flavour. I recently played my djembe with a local choir which performed Adiemus (the Karl Jenkins composition) which has a strong African feel to it.

I'm also learning the bodhran, the Irish drum. I like folk music and Ceili as well.

I've just got a pair of conga drums which I'm anxious to try on a gig.