ASAF SIRKIS

drummer composer educator

2023 review and looking forward to 2024!

Its been a while! Here are some news:

For all of us, 2020 has been a challenge and everyone I talked to have gone through something life changing whether in music or personal life. Around August of 2020, I’ve rediscovered my love for writing music and started to create more. In September that year, I’ve started a YouTube video series called ‘Time For Space music diary’ which features new and old music written for the drums. Here’s a link to the YouTube playlist. Time For Space is a free of charge and advert free YouTube series but if you’d like to support my work, please follow this link to my Patreon page.

Since 2021, as travel restrictions eased and touring resumed, I have been lucky to form some new exciting collaborations in 2022 and 2023. Firstly, joining Emma Rawicz’ Quintet. Emma (saxophonist, composer, band leader) is a fantastic new rising star on the Jazz scene. Her band features Ivo Neam (piano), Ant Law (guitar), Conor Chaplin (bass), myself on drums. Her new album ‘Chroma’ is out now on the ACT record label. I’ll be busy touring with Emma in 2024 across Europe and the UK.

My new album ‘The Journey Is You’ featuring Frank Harrison (piano), David Preston (guitar), Kevin Glasgow (bass), Sylwia Bialas (vocals) and myself on drums has been mixed and will be out around spring of 2024. A lot of the songs on this album can be heard on my ‘Time For Space’ YouTube video series in their early, shortened versions.

In January 2023 I have joined legendary British jazz-rock band Soft Machine and been touring, recording with Softs world-wide. Needless to say, this has been a very exciting new collaboration for me and I’m hugely enjoying working (and hanging) with the band. Soft Machine was established in 1966 (before I was born!) and had some of my favorite musicians of all times such as Robert Wyatt, Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge, John Marshall, Mike Ratledge, and many more. In 2023 we played in USA, UK and Europe as well as recording a single for My Only Desire record company which will be released in early 2024. Plans are being made for us to come back to USA in 2024 in June, July, September and October, as well as UK and Europe (more details on my tour dates page)

Huge pleasure to play again with Jeff Berlin. I’ve known Jeff for a long time and we’ve played together occasionally with guitarist Larry Coryell’s trio and his own band, the BESA quartet. This time, Jeff brought his own band to Europe in April 2023 and I was happy I could make this tour!

More Moonjune adventures! Most of you probably know that I’ve been collaborating with Leonardo Pavkovic (Moonjune record company) since 2016. In 2023 we’ve released a few albums such as the Anchor & Burden band album ‘Kosmonautik Pilgrimage’. Its always a huge pleasure for me to be a part of this new and forward looking music. Beledo’s new album featuring Gary Husband (keyboards), Carles Benavent (bass), Jorge Padro (flute), Beledo (guitar and piano) and myself on drums will be released sometime in 2024. Stay tuned for more…