I will be playing live in the company of an amazing collection of drummers at the Rock of Ages concert.
Also appearing will be Clem Cattini and Bobby Orr.
See www.drumwright.co.uk for full details.
I have been invited to be a member of the judging panel at the finals of The Young Drummer of the Year 2008 awards in Leamington Spa.
The event is organised by the Mike Dolbear website and has been running since October 2002. The finals are held every year at the Royal Spa Theatre in Leamington Spa.
See www.youngdrummeroftheyear.co.uk for the full details.
Warren and I have now finally started composing music for the BBC's "New Tricks" series 5.
Brian is appearing with The KPM Allstars at The Queen Elizabeth Hall, on
Sunday 17th June, as part of Jarvis Cocker's Meldown festival.
“More childhood reminiscing in this year's festival from a band who perform classic TV theme tunes. The band's line-up includes some of the writers of such golden greats as Grange Hill, News At Ten, Countdown and, perhaps the most classic TV theme tune of all time, Grandstand.”
John Barry, an album of whose music Brian is currently working on, is also appearing at the Meltdown festival on 21st June:
Conductor Nicholas Dodd with special guest appearances from John Barry & Jarvis Cocker, Royal Festival Hall
8 x 60 minute episodes
Episode 1: Casualty: Broadcast: 9 April 2007
Episode 2: God's Waiting Room: Broadcast: 16 April 2007
Episode 3: Ducking and Diving: Broadcast: 23 April 2007
Episode 4: Nine Lives: Broadcast: 30 April 2007
Episode 5: Powerhouse: Broadcast: 7 May 2007
Episode 6: Buried Treasure: Broadcast: 14 May 2007
Episode 7: Father's Pride: Broadcast: 21 May 2007
Episode 8: Big Topped: Broadcast: 28 May 2007
On
Thursday 24th May Brian attended the 52nd Ivor Novello Awards - 'The
Ivors' - at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.
The Special International Award was presented to Quincy Jones.
“It was an unforgettable experience to see him work in the surroundings of a jazz club, not any jazz club but one of the best in the world. Ronnie's has had a complete make-over and was looking good. To hear the great American repertoire sung by a master craftsman in a small room will probably never happen again. Harold Jones was the drummer. Brilliant. As was the rest of his quintet.”
Brian
is delighted to have received a Grammy Award certificate from The
National Academy Of Recording Arts & Sciences in recognition of his
participation as a musician and composer on Peter Frampton's Fingerprints album.
Peter Frampton organised the presentation when Fingerprints won the category Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 49th Grammy awards.
Brian attended Zildjian's UK Artist Session in London.
The
first episode of New Tricks (series 4) is being shown on Monday 9th
April at 9 pm on BBC 1.
Marty
Wilde has asked Brian to appear with him at his London Palladium gig
on Sunday 27th May. Other guests include Justin Hayward, Bruce Welch
and Kim Wilde. There will probably be some other surprises. His new
album Marty Wilde - The Greatest Hits - Born To Rock 'n'
Roll came in at 26 this week.
Brian went to see Steve Smith's band Vital Information at Ronnie Scott's and writes - "The band is so together and
Steve just gets better every time - if that's possible!"
See Steve
Smith's website for full details & the tour schedule.
Tom Coster, Brian & Steve Smith at Ronnie Scott's
Today
Brian went to see his friend Ed Thigpen and his new band at the
Pizza Express in Soho.
Brian writes - “He's still playing great drums and it was good to spend some time with him.”
Brian first met Ed at the Paris Olympia in the 60s when on tour with Norman Granz's 'Jazz and the Philharmonic'. He was playing with Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald. They last met two years ago in Copenhagen where he now lives.
See Ed Thigpen's Website.
Peter
Frampton's Fingerprints album won the category of Best Pop
Instrumental Album at The 49th annual Grammy Awards, which was
presented on February 11th at the Staples Center, Los Angeles,
California. Brian features, together with Hank Marvin, on the track
“My Cup Of Tea”.
Brian writes - “Well
Peter
Frampton is absolutely delighted with the award.
Work is continuing on the music of John Barry project.
Universal
Music are releasing a new compilation CD on the 5th of March to
celebrate Marty Wilde's 50th anniversary in the music
business.
The album entitled 'Marty Wilde - The Greatest Hits - Born To Rock 'n' Roll' features 'A Teenager In Love' which was one of the first major hit record Brian Bennett played drums on.
Click here for details of Marty's 2007 50th Anniversary Tour
Marty Wilde - The Greatest Hits
Brian is continuing working with Warren Bennett writing the music for the 4th series of the highly successful BBC1 drama 'New Tricks'.
The popular detective series stars Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong & James Bolam and is scheduled for transmission this year.
On
1st Febuary Brian and Warren made a visit to the set of "New
Tricks".
Brian writes - “It's a great series and we are really enjoying working on the score. The four main characters - Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam - work very closely together, and the empathy between them really comes over on screen.”
Alun Armstrong, James Bolam,
Filming
on the "New Tricks" set
Brian was delighted that "Move It" reached Number Two in the UK singles chart before Christmas.
"Move It" video (condensed version)
The 'Two's Company - The Duets' album was also very successful.
Brian was awarded a presentation disc, by EMI, to recognise sales in the United Kingdom in excess of 100,000.