Three

This CD is dedicated to our dearest friend, teacher, mentor, and bandmate John Bergamo, who was on hiatus from the group during the creation of this CD. Since it was John's spirit and ideas that created this group (and his overwhelming influence on us as individuals), we know he’ll always be well represented even if physically absent. With this in mind (and in our hearts), the three of us have decided to go on as a trio, but to keep John's chair open through a series of collaborations with the guest artists heard on this CD.

Swapan Chaudhuri	Brad Dutz	Houman Pourmehdi	Adam Rudolph	Poovalur Sriji

“...The recording offers a variety of styles ranging from African influenced music with Eastern European qualities. The variety of instruemtns heard on the disc is stunning. Particularly notable is the tabla playing by Swapan Chaudhri on “From One”. “Anyways” by Poovalur Sriji uses the hypnotic rhythm from the song”We Will Rock You”, only here it is performed in 19/8. The composer joins the group for this track, performing on bata, cajon and mridangam. “National Geographic Oro” is also interesting in that all the members of the trio perform on frame drums of various sizes, making it easy for the listener to hear the rhythmic interplay."
-Scott Herring, Percussive Notes (The Journal of the Percussive Arts Society)

"Got the new CD and it is killin'. You guys are nuts, in all the right ways."(Bob Weiner - percussionist and music educator. Co-author of Brazilian Rhythms for Drumset and Afro-Cuban Rhythms for drumset)

"Hands On'semble is still making some of the best percussion ensemble - world music out there. I hope you guys continue for a long time! I know I'll be listening." (N. Scott Robinson - world percussionist, scholar, and teacher)

"Randy Gloss sent me the new Hands OnSemble CD and I've had it on the box for days.. damn... what a bunch of baddasses. (Eric Stuer, rhytrhmweb.com)