People + Places
BLAC Artist of the Week: DJ Drummer B
April 8, 2022 · Updated April 13, 2022·By BLAC Staff
An acclaimed member of the second-generation of Detroit’s techno community, DJ Drummer B specializes in techno, electronic, and soul music. He produces dynamic electronic music that appeals to audiences around the globe.
April 8, 2022 · Updated April 13, 2022
An acclaimed member of the second-generation of Detroit’s techno community, DJ Drummer B specializes in techno, electronic, and soul music. He produces dynamic electronic music that appeals to audiences around the globe.
Born Leonard Ware, he began his lifelong love affair with music when his grandmother passed down her record collection to him. As a musicologist, Drummer B subsequently developed a diverse love of jazz, rock, hip hop, ghetto tech, and funk.
He founded his own label, Soul Touch Recordings, in 2010 and released the albums “Me and Marvin,” “Just Caking,” “Thanks Dilla,” and “The People Mover.”
In 2010, he also began working with Danny Brown and Bruiser Brigade as DJ, producer and recording engineer. The following year, he produced seven tracks on Dope Head’s critically acclaimed album “Plaid Palm Trees” including the lead single “Airbags.”
One of his proudest moments is the 2017 release of “Space Bounce” in a partnership with 1xRun. Shortly after, he joined Derrick May for the release of “The Diamond Project EP1” on Transmat Records.
In 2018, he took on an artist residency in Cairo, Egypt which inspired the project “Valley of Kings: Detroit to Cairo” with Hizz Records, followed by playing Movement Tokyo Club Edition in Japan and the Hi Tek Soul tour in October 2019 with Derrick May.
In January of 2021 Drummer B teamed up with Paxahau to live stream a set from his album, A.O.A Age Of Aquarius from Detroit’s Belle Isle Aquarium. The event raised $2,000 to assist with the aquarium’s expenses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He then partnered with Jack Daniels to become an official artist for their “The Flavor of Two Cities” campaign and received a Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council for his contribution to electronic music in 2021.
The acclaimed producer and DJ has perfected using 2 MPC drum machines, an effect controller, and an 8-track mixer during his live sets. He has honed his skills working with some of Detroit finest musicians including L’Renee, Fat Ray, Nick Speed, Allen Barns of the Black
Birds, Umar Bin Hassian from the Last Poets, Aurora Borealis, Jessica Care Moore, and the late Baatin of Slum Village and Big Proof of D12.
On his latest release Nectar Collector, Drummer B teamed up with Uncaged Music to drop a two-track EP — including an original self produced track and warehouse remix by Marco Faraone.
Follow him on social media @DrummerB313
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