Throughout his career, Doug Hammond has not only gone with the times, he has often been ahead of them. From the wonderful „For Our Souls“ and „Be You,“ featuring Hammond on the African thumb piano, to the swinging, evocative duo and trio compositions with Stéphane Payen (alto sax) and Reggie Washington (e-bass), „New Beginning“ demonstrates the wide breadth of his creativity and distinctive sound.

Immersed in the African-American music and spoken word traditions, Hammond reinterprets his seminal songs such as „Brother Ty,“ „Vanessa’s Dance“ and „Friends,“ embellishing them solely with his nuanced drums and bass-timbered voice to provide
wholly new dimensions. Hammond’s emotional depth as a poet and skill as a word crafter are revealed in „Insight.“
„Spankin’ It“ sounds as fresh and grooving as the day it was written. And his crisp drum solos are nothing less than stunning!

Doug Hammond continues to inspire listeners and audiences all over the world, while introducing new generations to his artistry. May „New Beginning“ prove to be just that. Doug Hammond doesn’t need to reinvent himself. He is here. And he is real.

Brian Dorsey

TRACKLIST:

01) FOR OUR SOULS
02) LITTLE TIME
03) BROTHER TY
04) SINGING SMILES
05) SPANK IT
06) NEW BEGINNING & POEM
07) VANESSAS DANCE (song) / INSIGHT (poem) / BE YOU (song)
08) EVA'S PLACE & KONE PONE
09) FOR FIETZ FEETS
10) CONCENTRIC DREAMS
11) FRIENDS & TO MY FAMILY
12) MINI ENSEMBLE