Scattered Diamonds is the 9th studio album from Latin Grammy-winning producer, composer, percussionist, and writer, Barrett Martin. This time around, Barrett is featuring his collaborations with artists from around the world, from countries such as Iraq, India, Senegal, and Ghana, and including well-known rock and jazz musicians from Seattle, WA and Santa Fe, NM. These songs are as diverse as the guests themselves, and feature Barrett’s original compositional style, built around his visceral drumming and global percussion techniques. As Barrett describes it in his own words:
Scattered Diamonds is a collection of my best songs and collaborations with friends from around the world. The album represents my global musical influences, and it seems particularly timely now, because they feature musicians and singers from the Middle East, West Africa, and India, as well as several jazz and rock musicians, who I have worked with over the years. Scattered Diamonds encapsulates all of these special guests and their immense talents, organized into one concise album. Each of these songs is a diamond in their unique example of how music can be expressed globally, and I think it’s my favorite album so far – it’s certainly the most adventurous!”
Barrett has also been promoting his 2 books, The Singing Earth and The Way Of The Zen Cowboy (both available as audiobook, paperback, E-Book, and Kindle), and he will be embarking on a One-Man Storytelling Tour in 2021. At the shows, he will be telling stories from his books, performing on drums and multiple percussion instruments, and presenting a slideshow of his photos from 6 continents, over the course of 30 years.
SCATTERED DIAMONDS
Produced by Barrett Martin
The Guest Artists:
Rahim Alhaj – Grammy-Nominated Iraqi Oud Master
Seth Amoaku – Ghanaian Master Drummer
Peter Buck – Grammy-Winning Guitarist for R.E.M.
Dave Carter – Trumpet and original member of the Barrett Martin Group
Thione Diop – Senegalese Drum Master
Paul Fischer – Seattle-based Guitarist
Mehnaz Hoosein – Hindustani Singer from Mumbai, India
Wayne Horvitz – Renowned Jazz Keyboardist and Composer
Kanoa Kaluhiwa – New Mexico-based Saxophonist
Curtis Macdonald – New York-based Saxophonist
John Rangel – New Mexico-based Pianist
Skerik – Seattle-based Saxophonist
Hans Teuber – Seattle-based Saxophonist
Kim Thayil – Grammy-Winning Guitarist for Soundgarden
Ben Thomas – Seattle-based Vibraphonist
The Songs:
- Roll The Bones (feat. Kanoa Kaluhiwa) 5:22
- Way Down (feat. Dave Carter) 4:42
- Swingin’ On A Moonbeam (feat. Skerik) 3:56
- Battleship Swing (feat. Ben Thomas) 5:26
- Alhambra (feat. Rahim Alhaj) 3:30
- Firefly (feat. John Rangel) 6:14
- Sarasvati (feat. Mehnaz Hoosein) 4:23
- The City Slithers (feat. Dave Carter) 4:36
- The Firebird (feat. Kim Thayil) 4:10
- Agbadza (feat. Dave Carter) 5:33
- Sands Of Venus (feat. Wayne Horvitz) 4:24
- Jakarta By Taxi (feat. Paul Fischer) 4:20
- The Fountain (feat. Rahim Alhaj) 4:06
- Ichcha (feat. Mehnaz Hoosein) 5:35
- There Is A Galaxy In Your Heart (feat. Curtis Macdonald) 4:55
- Play The 4thPrime (feat. Hans Teuber) 4:36
- Blue Sunrise (feat. Peter Buck) 3:43