Franklin Kiermyer
Background information
Born (1956-07-21) 21 July 1956 (age 67)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Drums
Websitekiermyer.com

Franklin Kiermyer (born 21 July 1956) is a jazz drummer, composer, and bandleader.[1]

Biography

Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Kiermyer first gained attention in 1994 with his album Solomon's Daughter, featuring tenor saxophonist and former John Coltrane bandmate Pharoah Sanders. Known mostly for his particularly expansive style of drumming and the passionate spiritual focus of his music, he has performed and recorded with spiritual musicians from other cultures, as well as many leading figures in jazz.[2]

Having reached a turning point in his evolution, Kiermyer spent much of 2001 to 2010 in remote Himalayan regions of Nepal and India on various solitary Buddhist meditation retreats, following the instructions of his teacher Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. His musical output during this time was minimal. Kiermyer has stated that he felt this period was instrumental in reaching his spiritual and musical goals.[3][4]

Scatter The Atoms That Remain is Kiermyer's present band, founded in 2017 and originally composed of pianist Davis Whitfield, bassist Otto Gardner and saxophonist Jovan Alexandre. In May 2019, saxophonist Michael Troy replaced Jovan Alexandre, who left the band due to health issues. Saxophonist Emilio Modeste recorded a full album's worth of new music with the band in early March 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to congregate. This was released on vinyl LP in February 2022 as Emancipation Suite. In May 2020, tenor and soprano saxophonist Ben Solomon began working with the band. In June, Davis Whitfield assumed the responsibilities of Musical Director.

Between August 2020 and November 2021 (during the pandemic lockdown), Scatter The Atoms That Remain - Franklin Kiermyer and Davis Whitfield - published a series 67 duo and trio videos mostly done by overdubbing on each other's improvisations while at their respective homes: Kiermyer on the tiny island he lives on with his family in Norway and Davis Whitfield at his home in New Jersey. The trio videos feature Kiermyer and Whitfield with a variety of guests, including Ben Solomon and guitarist Eric Schenkman of the Spin Doctors band.[5]

Scatter The Atoms' first release, Exultation, was co-produced by Kiermyer and legendary producer Michael Cuscuna, as was Closer to the Sun and Further.[6] Cuscuna has gone on record praising Kiermyer's music: "It's the urgency you feel when you listen ... Franklin got beyond his influences and comes through with him as an original player — his feel, his rhythmic patterns ... He has his own way of playing the drums, his own way of organizing music, his own way of unfolding a performance."[7]

Since early 2021, Scatter The Atoms That Remain has appeared with various guest musicians, including Randy Brecker, Gary Bartz, George Garzone, Gene Perla, Billy Harper and a cameo by trumpeter Roy Hargrove a few weeks before his untimely passing.[8] Video recordings of some of these performances have been published on Scatter The Atom's Instagram page

Discography

As leader
Year recorded Title Label # Info/Personnel
2020 Emancipation Suite Mobility Music MM 211015

Scatter The Atoms That Remain Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Emilio Modeste – tenor saxophone, Davis Whitfield – piano, Otto Gardner – bass, produced by: Franklin Kiermyer ... released 02/15/2022

2019 Exultation Dot Time DT 9085

Scatter The Atoms That Remain Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Jovan Alexandre – tenor saxophone, Davis Whitfield – piano, Otto Gardner – bass, produced by: Franklin Kiermyer & Michael Cuscuna

2019* Solomon’s Daughter Dot Time DT 7103

re-issue of 1994 release with 3 previously unreleased songs Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone, John Esposito – piano, Drew Gress – bass

2016 Closer to the Sun Mobility Music MM 11016

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Lawrence Clark – tenor saxophone Davis Whitfield – piano Otto Gardner – bass produced by Franklin Kiermyer & Michael Cuscuna

2014 Further Mobility Music MM 020131

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone Benito Gonzalez – piano Juini Booth – bass produced by Franklin Kiermyer & Michael Cuscuna

2000 Great Drum of the Secret Mirror SunShip SSR 099003 The verses pertaining to the example of the Drum from the chapter called "The Seventh Vajra Point: Activity" of the Ratnagotravibhanga or Mahayanottaratantra-sastra ~ The Greater Vehicle Treatise on the Highest Continuum ~ One of the "Five Dharmas of Maitreya" given by Arya Maitreya to Arya Asanga rediscovered by the great Indian master Maitripa Following the instructions of the Tibetan yogi and scholar, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, set to music by Kiermyer and sung in Tibetan and English by many different singers.
2000 Sanctification SunShip SSR 099002

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Michael Stuart – tenor saxophone John Esposito – piano Fima Ephron – bass

1999 Auspicious Blazing Sun SunShip SSR 099001

Chant + ritual instruments: Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Umdze Lodro Samphel. Dhondup Namgyal Khorko, Karma Dhodul, Chimey Dorje, Sherab Sangpo, Chojor Radha, Tom Schmidt

1996 Kairos Evidence Music ECD 22144-2

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Michael Stuart – tenor saxophone, Sam Rivers – soprano saxophone, Eric Person – alto saxophone, John Esposito – piano, Dom Richards – bass, Drew Gress – bass

1994 Solomon’s Daughter Evidence Music ECD 22083-2

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Pharoah Sanders – tenor saxophone, John Esposito – piano, Drew Gress – bass

1993 In the House of My Fathers Konnex Records KCD 5052 Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader,

Dave Douglas – trumpet, John Stubblefield – saxophone, John Esposito – piano, Anthony Cox – bass, Drew Gress – bass, Tom Chess – guitar, Eric St. Laurent – guitar, Chris Gekker – trumpet, Daniel Grabois – horn, John Rojak – bass trombone, David Braynard – tuba

1992 Break down the Walls Konnex Records KCD 5044

Franklin Kiermyer – Drums, Composer, Band Leader, Peter Madsen - piano, Tony Scherr - bass, Chris Gekker - trumpet, Russ Rizner - horn, John Rojak - trombone, Dave Braynard - tuba

References

  1. ^ Patterson, Ian (3 March 2014). "Franklin Kiermyer: Joy And Consequence". All About Jazz. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  2. ^ "53 Drummers Who Made a Difference in the '90s". Drum! Magazine. 28 May 2020.
  3. ^ "About Franklin Kiermyer". Mobility Music.
  4. ^ Margolis, Bob. "drummer Franklin Kiermyer Channels Coltrane and the Buddha". MTV / VH1.
  5. ^ "Scatter the Atoms That Remain". Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Franklin Kiermyer: Scatter The Atoms That Remain". Jazz at Lincoln Center. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Michael Cuscuna Talks About Franklin Kiermyer". Mobility Music. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Smalls - Resolution (J. Coltrane) Scatter the Atoms That Remain w Roy Hargrove Sep 19, 2018". YouTube.

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