Ray Hearne: 'The Endless Knot'

The SoundSpring Podcast: Guided Musical Journeys With Creative Musicians of Today

Episode 10 features Ray Hearne, a unique and brilliant musician who spans multiple genres.

He is currently best known for his work as drummer and writer in British progressive-metal band Haken. Haken have taken the prog world by storm over the last decade and won the hearts of millions of fans, including myself!
Ray's playing has gained a huge reputation, gaining places in the top 20 prog drummers of the millennium in Rhythm magazine and a place within the top 10 drummers in the world on Music Radar. Praise has not only come from the fans, but also from giants of the genre such as Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess.
Haken have headlined tours in Europe, Australia and the USA and toured some of the biggest prog names on the planet such as Between the Buried and Me, Leprous, the Neal Morse Band, and Devin Townsend.

You may think that this globe-trotting, poll-winning CV is extensive enough for a young musician, but Ray has a trick up his sleeve...whilst Ray and I studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama together, his principal study was in fact, the tuba!
Even though he was releasing albums and touring with Haken, Ray graduated with a first-class degree and started performing as principal tuba with some of the top orchestras in the world, such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the London Symphony Orchestra.
To round things off and prove his versatility, Ray's tuba playing also features on one of my favourite recent jazz albums, Miguel Gorodi's 'Apophenia.' This album has some of the most complex and demanding writing I've ever heard and it's well worth listening to!

In March, I'll be chatting to Pete Letanka and I just had to mention the amazing work he has been doing with the Anne Frank Trust. On the 25th January a short film called 'I Imagine That' was released on Holocaust Rememberance Day. Alongside Katherine Wilde, Amina Jama, the English National Opera and young pupils from two schools, the film gives voice to young people and to their hopes for a future society free from prejudice and discrimination. I will put the link to the video in the shownotes. It's powerful and beautiful so please give it your time if you have some to spare.
We also have a quick cameo from former SoundSpring guests Minihi...tune in to find out what they might be up to!
New music from Minihi: https://unperceivedrecords.bandcamp.com/track/lost-takeno
Tommy x
www.facebook.com/rayhearnemusic
hakenmusic.com
www.soundspring.co.uk
www.tommy-andrews.co.uk
Artwork by Katie Stevenson: katiestevensoncreative.myportfolio.com