David Reed

Winter/Spring 2021: Along with most of the sensible and intelligent world, I remain on what I hope is a temporary hiatus from all performances as I practice sheltering-in-place during this seemingly endless COVID-19 pandemic.  It sure ain't any fun, often feeling more like 'house arrest', but it also beats the alternative!  So I encourage you to do likewise and stay safe.

I find that I'm hunkered down here in St. Augustine, FL and have been spending my time practicing my instruments and making the occasional video.  A few have been YouTube videos featuring the photographs of my wife, Claudia d'Alessandro, set to music that I've improvised or otherwise recorded for the project.  I also recently discovered a trove of 2011 makeshift recordings I made in my old shack in St. John, USVI - long before Le Shackteau was blown away by hurricanes Irma & Maria in 2016.  Most of the recordings - conceived in the old island 'scratch band' style - were pretty rough for sure, but I was able to resurrect them and remix them into what is looking like it could become a new collection -tentatively called "The Shack Sessions".  I'm pretty excited about that, and will keep y'all posted.

Though I've received my two Pfizer COVID shots, I'm still gonna play it safe...masks and distancing until this pandammit blows over completely.  That said, if outside venues and 'socially distanced' inside venues begin to offer live music, I'll toss my hat into the ring.  

Summer/Fall 2020: For over a dozen years, I've endured the gradual ravages of a genetic condition known as Dupuytrens Contracture.  This is a disorder of the hand in which the tendons, over time, contract and pull the fingers towards the palm of the hand into a distorted 'claw' and large pads of skin form on the palm and under the finger joints.  Needless to say, this is NOT an ideal situation for a guitarist and instrument maker!   The sometimes painful condition seriously impacted my left hand's span and range of motion, thus making playing guitar more and more, shall we say, "challenging".  It was simply a matter of time before the surgical solution had to be done, and due to COVID's negative impact upon my performance schedule, the time had arrived.  So in July, I went 'under the knife'.

Even though Claudia had dubbed me "The English Impatient" due to my delusional expectation that I should be able to do handstands - though I never could do handstands - and play guitar for hours only a week post-op, my hand continues to heal and I find in this New Year of 2021 that I can now play my instruments for longer durations every day.  

And now, the show must go on!  Bring on the gigs!

As always, THANK YOU  for your interest and support.

I hope to see you at a show real soon!

A Little History Lesson . . .

IN 2021, David Reed & Tamboura Productions celebrates 32 Years of creating always distinctive, diverse and high-quality artistic entertainment, recordings and handmade musical instruments for music lovers of all ages.  

BEGINNING in 1989, I combined my artistic vision and multi-instrumental/vocal/songwriting talents with those of percussionist Armando Zanecchia's to create exotic (and quixotic!) interpretations of contemporary folkrock, blues and world-beat music.  The fledgling DuoTamboura (taking its "Tamboura" moniker from the Caribbean island of Dominica's “drum of the merengue”) organically expanded - sometimes up to 7 members! - earning an endearing reputation for being the only Caribe-vibe dance band in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts...and way beyond.   

      MY ADVENTURES have taken me and my various musical permutations through time and space to festivals and venues throughout East Coast USA, the Caribbean, Italy, Switzerland, England...even Bulgaria!  Little did I know at the time what a journey I had embarked upon, gathering fantastic musicians and experiences along the way!   

      I INVITE YOU to explore the pages of this website. Get acquainted by reading bios, sampling Audio & Video Clips, and viewing glimpses of my travels and adventures in the FotoGalleria.  Visit the Dry Duck Trading Company for my recordings - including the latest release, "Gypsy Davy" - hand-made shakers, cigar box instruments from Dr. Ea$y's Sonic Boxes and cigar box lighting from Dr. Ea$y's Man Cave Lighting Co.  Or, read some of my (mostly) light-hearted stories and essays in Blogwash.   

     BETTER YET, come on out to a live show...I'd love to meet you! And I think you'll enjoy what you find under this here virtual Big Red Umbrella. I believe once you do, you'll come back for more! 

And to my family, fans and friends, THANK YOU for supporting David Reed, Tamboura Productions and Dry Ducks Records over the past 32 years!   

Cheers!    

- DR