KENNEDY, JOHN & MARC CHESTERMAN: Drumsmachine - L002 - £11 Pieces for drums and drum machines; open, vulnerable unprocessed sound, with a natural acoustic delicacy. A fascinating, sometimes dreamy set of drum-scapes, far from drum solos on the one hand and contemporary percussion music on the other. This is a music that ploughs it's own confident furrow. Private CD-R release imported form New Zealand and in very limited supply.
Chris Cutler, ReR Catalogue 2001
MARC CHESTERMAN & J KENNEDY: Drumsmachine Is Land Sound Imprint | Is L 002 | CDR Is Land Sound Imprint is a small New Zealand based label committed to exploring experimental and improvised music. The label, founded by John Kennedy, is a showcase for innovative and challenging music representing what is happening in Auckland outside the mainstream and which doesn't get much attention outside of local studios and performance spaces. Recorded in various stages from 1996 through 1999, Drumsmachine is a collaborative project between two improvisational percussionists Marc Chesterman and John Kennedy. Both artists explore the possibilities of their drumkits within largely improvised musical structures. With generous references to jazz drumming and electronic improv, this duo creates six intriguing journeys into hitherto unexplored percussive territories. Drumsmachine is an exercise in nimble drumming, polyrhythmic structures, textures, percussive ambience and electronic manipulations (the latter comes courtesy of a sampler and drum machine). This album works on you quietly; never imposing itself aggressively into your personal space, it rather grows on you in increments. Excellent work, and deserving of a much wider listening audience. Check out Is Land's webspace for more details. label _ https://members.tripod.com/~is_landsoundimprint
Richard di Santo, Incursion Music Review, May 2001
And speaking of John Kennedy and Marc Chesterman, they also have a duo project and recording aptly titled Drumsmachine. Jazz and ethnic influences pervade this set, though the experimental elements are prominent as well. "Dm1b" and "Dm1a" are both jazz pieces with an ethnic vibe. The drummers do an excellent job of creating a two man drum ensemble with a nice variety of sounds that really do "sing". "Backtraxs" is an interesting tune that highlights steady jazz drumming accompanied by looped soundbits. "Devonport Variations" is a multi-themed piece in which the drums are either telling a story or simply moving from one activity to the next. A funky drum and percussion pattern sets the stage for aggressive sounds that could either be generated or may even be samples of automobiles. It soon evolves into an African percussion workout that sets a nice groove and gets quite jazzy while still retaining the tribal feel. Things then get more experimental as the clatter and bang section begins and along with the parade of sounds it recalls the music heard on the So Called Science CD. Space ambience soon joins the drumming for a wild melding of astral bleeps and earthly beats. Lots of good ideas here though it's a bit uneven, being a seemingly pasted together grouping of recordings. Much more coherent is "Drumsmachine". The rhythm and pace slowly shift as this tribal space jazzy piece develops. I was just waiting for Sun Ra to sit down at his synthesizer to kick the jam up a notch. As it is, the drummers once again do a solid job of setting a groove that continually keeps things rolling along and the cosmic element is high throughout. Definitely the best track on either of these CD's. For more information you can visit the Is Land web site at: https://members.tripod.com/~is_landsoundimprint. Contact via snail mail c/o Is Land; 15 London Street; Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland; Aotearoa New Zealand.
Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations #17 (September 2001)