Last year we showed the first two editions of percussion great Martin Verdonk and his 'Master Sessions - live from Triple A Music.' Already in season two, edition #2, we felt it was time for an update of his unique live recording sessions. The Master Sessions are a music program recorded at the Triple-A-Music studio in Almere, the Netherlands with every other month a new episode containing four songs. The rules of the game are simple: four songs are recorded in four hours, without overdubs or auto tune. All audio and video recordings are live, raw and uncut. Each song must be rehearsed and recorded in one hour.
Another nice feature of the Master Sessions is that Martin himself interviews the artists he invites to his projects. Initiated by international award winning percussionist Martin Verdonk and renowned sound engineer Lex Amrein, the songs recorded can be vocal or instrumental, and in any style. The recordings often feature international guest artists.
Check out these talent blasts with very different musical settings below.
Notice the first session is with Dutch drummer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Salle de Jonge. Watch and read more about Salle in our Drummerszone feature about him:
'In the pocket' with Salle de Jonge.
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 2 Episode 2 Featuring Erik Smith - drums, Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Staffan William-Olsson - guitar, Tom Erik Antonsen - bass, Simon Oslender - keyboards, Peter Lieberom - sax, Lex Amrein -sound,mix
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 2 Episode 1 Featuring Rick van Wort - drums, Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Shirma Rouse - vocals, Kasper Burger - vocals/guitar, Lorenzo Feliciati - bass, Simone Cesarini - guitar, Marco Apicella - keyboards, Michelle Oudeman - backing vocals, Julia van de Ketterij - backing vocals, Rob de Nijs - backing vocals, Lex Amrein - sound/mix
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 6 Featuring Gerry Brown - drums, Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Frans Vollink - bass, Age Kat - guitar, Eric van de Bovenkamp - keyboards, Peter Lieberom - sax, Toon Roos - sax, Bart Brandjes - vocals, Dedre Twiss - backing vocals, Debbie Helaha - back voc., Lex Amrein - sound
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 5 Featuring Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Lorren Rettich - vocals, Bauke Bakker - vocals, Shirley Spoor - back. voc., Laise Sanches - backing vocals, Marcel Fisser - guitar, Erwin Hoorweg - fender rhodes, Boudewijn Lucas - bass, Lex Amrein - sound engineer, audio mix
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 4 Featuring Mark Stoop - drums, Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Tollak Ollestad - vocals, keyboards, harmonica, Paddy van Rijswijk - bass, Alex Buiting - guitar, Tom Beek - sax, Lex Amrein - soundengineer/audio mix
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 3 Featuring Erik Smith - drums, Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Berthil Busstra - keyboards, Peter Lieberom - sax, Daniel van der Molen - bass, Danny Maaskamp - guitar, Lex Amrein - soundengineer/audio mix
Holy Horns, featuring: David Mast, David Wilschut, Jos van der Heuvel, Hans van Wingerden
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 2 Featuring Arie den Boer - drums and Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Merel Koman - vocals, Baer Traa - vocal, Jay-P - guitar and vocals, Charly Angenois - bass, Marcus Olgers - keyboards, Lex Amrein - sound engineer/audio mix
Martin Verdonk Master Sessions live from Triple-A-Music - Season 1 Episode 1 Featuring Salle de Jonge - drums and Martin Verdonk - percussion
And: Sarina Kay - vocals, Kris Rietveld - vocals, Julia van de Ketterij - backing vocals, Lo van Gorp - backing vocals, Peter Tiehuis - guitar, Jens Dreijer - bass, Thomas Bank - keyboards, Lex Amrein - sound engineer/audio mix
About Martin Verdonk Born in Curacao in 1959, he moved to the Netherlands with his parents in 1971. He studied percussion at the Rotterdam conservatory from 1982-1984 and at the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba in '86 '87 and '88. Martin Verdonk teaches at the World Music Department of the Rotterdam Conservatory.
In 1995 he received the award for 'outstanding service to Jazz education' in Los Angeles and a lifetime achievement award from the president of Curacao in 2014. The readers of the Dutch drum magazine Slagwerkkrant choose Martin many times as best percussionist. U.S. Magazine 'Drum' awarded Martin as one of the 4 best clincians worldwide.
He is endorsements by: LP percussion, Paiste Cymbals, Remo conga heads and Roland.
Martin played, recorded or performed as guest with the following artists: Richard Bona, Steve Winwood, Incognito, Prince, Lila Downs, Andy Narell, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, George Benson, George Duke, Donna Summer, Tollak Ollestad, En Vogue, Santana, Leonardo Amuedo, James Taylor, Toots Thielemans, Lalo Schifrin, David Sanchez, Chip Taylor, Shaggy, Abdullah Ibrahim, dr.Lonnie Smith, Ray Obiedo, WDR big band, NDR big band, BBC big band, Paquito D'Rivera, James Moody, Jon Faddis, Roy Hargrove, Tony Carey, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Alex Acuna, Rich Wyman, Demis Roussos and many more.
