Born and raised in Brighton, England, Tristan Banks would gravitate to music at a very early age. At the age of 4, Tristan would play on a drum set that was left in the house for his father´s rehearsals. He began his musical studies choosing to play guitar at school, but after a few years he decided to start refining his percussive skills by joining a marching band at the age of 9. It would be two years before he started playing drum set.As a teenager his musical tastes would be broadened by going to see Jan Garbarek with Nana Vasconcelos. This was to change the way he thought about drumming and inspired Tristan to start playing percussion and study Latin music. He started his professional career at the age of 16 playing drums and percussion and within the next few years he was working regularly with Batu, Cubana Bop and Robin Jones King Salsa.
At this time Tristan was being inspired by the music of Miles Davis, Weather Report, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, João Bosco, Dori Caymmi, Michel Camilo, Trilok Gurtu… and playing with most of the funk, jazz, latin and fusion bands in the south east of England.
After doing a gig with Arnie Lawrence (Tito Puente) he was offered a place at the New School of Contemporary Music in New York City, but he was unable to fulfill the scholarship requirements or break professional commitments. He decided to make his study of Afro-Brazilian rhythms at source by taking his first trip to Brazil in 94, spending time in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Returning to England he continued playing with his regular bands working both in the UK and across Europe.
The move to London in 97 gave Tristan the chance to play with a wider field of musicians, and he was able to expand his capabilities to becoming one of the first call drummers in the UK.
He has taught Latin rhythms and drum technique at MIT London and Drumtech as well as numerous workshops in drums and percussion – as well as teaching on a one-to-one basis when his schedule permits. Tristan continues to work on an international level with many artists and is currently working on writing his debut solo project.
Experience
Artists I have performed/recorded with include:
David Gilmour (CBE), Robin Millar (CBE), Mike Howlett (Strontium 90, Gong) Guy Barker (MBE), Steve Cropper, Dave Valentin, Roy Ayers, Mike Lindup (Level 42), Samantha Barks (Les Miserables), Catherine Tyldesley, Armando Peraza (George Shearing, Cal Tjader, Carlos Santana), Carleen Anderson, Mayra Andrade, Mitch Winehouse, Kuldip Bhamra, Andy Sheppard, Marcos Valle, Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers, Da Lata, Hamish Stuart (AWB), Steve Howe (Yes), The Lion King (UK tour), Thriller Live (European,Brazilian tours) MC Conrad, Alexander O’Neal, Ive Mendes, Smoke City, Chico Cesar, Turin Brakes, Lewis Taylor, Robert Miles, Fischer-Z, Alex Wilson, Snowboy and the Latin Section, Bah Samba, Jim Mullen, Terry Callier, Reel People, BGP Allstars, Idris Mohammed (Pharaoh Sanders, Ahmed Jamal), Steve Pearce (Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd), Arnie Lawrence (Tito Puente, Blood,Sweat and Tears), Janek Gwizdala (Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Peter Erskine), Dale Davis (Amy Winehouse), Micheal Mondesir (Billy Cobham, Jeff Beck), Byron Wallen (George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Chaka Khan), Joe Lee Wilson (Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins), Tony Remy (Steps Ahead, Lonnie Liston Smith), Miles Bould (Sting), Laurence Cottle (Seal, Black Sabbath), Dennis Rollins (Courtney Pine, Jamiroquai), Nick Cohen (The Bays, Massive Attack), Karl Vanden Bossche (Sade, Mark Ronson), Thomas Dyani Akuru, Bosco d’Olivera, Ralph Salmins, Roberto Pla, Bobby Wellins, Robin Jones King Salsa, Cubana Bop, Pete King, Don Weller, Nigel Hitchcock, Gerard Presencer, Gilad Atzmon, Negrocan, Nitin Sawhney, Ben Castle, Mornington Lockett, Neil Yates, Derek Nash, Orlando Le Fleming, Paul Clarvis, Tom Cawley, Roger Beaujolais, Joe Hubbard, Julian Crampton, Steve Hamilton, Simon Carter, Martin Shaw and others.
Venues of note include:
Royal Festival hall, Central Park NYC, Royal Albert Hall, Joes Pub NYC, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Hammersmith Odeon, Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, North Sea Jazz Festivals, Shepherds Bush Empire, Blue Note Tokyo, V festival, Reading Festival, Womad Festivals, Glastonbury Festival
Taught at:
Drumtech London, PIT london, BIMM Brighton, workshops on Brazilian and Afro Cuban Music, One to one tuition
Endorsing:
Gretsch Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Sticks, Remo Heads, Protection Racket Cases
