1981 IN THE SMOKE
Before drum machines and computers there was the four track reel to reel tape recorder. Make a mistake and you had to do it again. No editing available. Darryl spent the summer of 1981 in a hot music room in East Maitland NSW recording this album of original songs.
Click above to hear the album.
Click above to hear the album.
1984 BLADES THE MUSICAL
As the classroom music teacher at St Leo's College in Wahroonga Darryl teamed up with Angela Martin for the Blades rock musical project. Below are the videos of the school's performance.
St Leo's College 1984 - Photo collection
Click above to hear the album.
1985 KISSING POINT ROAD
Darryl teamed up with Susanne Freeman to write and record the Kissing Point Road project. Most of the material was recorded on a 4 track reel to reel tape machine and featured a Roland TR707 drum machine and Juno 106 synthesizer.
One of the songs 'Peace By Piece' became very popular during 1986 - the International Year of Peace.
1989 REEL TO REAL 1
Fountainhead recording studio really took off in the late 80s. Ex-students and new clients from the local rock press adverts mean't a plethora of characters, songwriters and musicians, recorded in the Hornsby studio.
Some of the more professional outcomes were collated into the Reel to Real projects.
Click above to hear the album.
1989 REEL TO REAL 2
The wonderful success of the Reel to Real 1 mean't we had to do a follow up.
Click above to hear the album.
1991 DONZARRA
In 1991 Darryl teamed up with good friend and brilliant saxophonist Don Wright. Together they spent a lot of time (maybe a year) writing and recording the Donzarra project - instrumental music of many genres.
It was a lot of fun and took the Fountainhead eight track tape machine combining with early computer technology to the limit.
Click above to hear the album.
2003 SERENITY
Original piano compositions by Darryl. Some arranged, some improvised on the spot. Recorded in Oct 2003.
After the huge effort of the Donzarra project it was decided to record some simple piano solos. The process was very fast with very few takes.
Click above to hear the album.
Click above to listen on Spotify.
2004 Trishaa - Night Fragrances
In 2004 Trishaa came to my studio and sang unaccompanied these amazing original and evocative tunes.
We went to work on arranging and recording the backings through most of the year to create the Night Fragrances album. I believe it's some of the best work to ever come out of Fountainhead. Still love listening to it. My favourite track is #16 I'm Just Thinking.
2007 ALISON THE MUSICAL
After the success of the musical Blades Darryl decided to write his own story.
Alison has been performed around the world including the USA, England, South Africa, France, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It's a fun upbeat show about a young hairdresser in the 1960s searching for her mother that she lost as a small child after the war.
"Never let go of your dream"
Click above to hear the album.
2010 BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS
Originally an album of soothing Christmas carols for your pet dog (yes, it was actually shown on Australian morning TV) morphing into Baby's First Christmas.
Friends of new parents would send Darryl a photo of their new born bub and it made the cover of the CD. The idea went quite well every Christmas until CDs became old technology and "online" became the norm.
Click above to hear the album.
Click above to hear the album.
2009-13 SIX DEGREES
In July 2009 Darryl got together talented young lads from his private music lessons and formed the jazz rock group Six Degrees. Four stayed together until late 2013.
The band played many gigs all over Sydney. Click the photo to hear the 2012 recording session and more pics. A lot more info available on the band's webpage - click here
2016 VEGAS NERVE
From 2014 to 2021 Darryl mentored the music group Vegas Nerve.
Lila is the resulting album of original songs written by members of the band and recorded in Darryl's Randwick studio - Fountainhead.
Click below for videos of the band
Click above to hear the album.
2020 SAX APPEAL
Sax Appeal is a jazz quartet Darryl formed from his mature aged student friends. The band rehearsed and performed for a couple of years playing classic jazz tunes as well as Darryl originals.
VIDEOS (click below)
Click above to hear the demo recordings
High School Teaching Days 1979-85
Click above to hear the concert.
1981 SINGLETON HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT
After achieving his Diploma in Music Education at Newcastle Conservatorium Darryl taught classroom music at Singleton, NSW from 1979-1982. He formed bands, a school orchestra, put on musicals and concerts.
After the recording project In The Smoke he resigned and took up a similar position at St Leo's College Wahroonga in Sydney.
1983 SMIKE the musical
Written by Roger Holman & Simon May and based on Charles Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby.
Darryl co-produced the show twice. Singleton High School in 1981 and this version from St Leo's College, Wahroonga in 1983.
Click above to watch
1984 St Leo's College
Presentation night (Chatswood)
Darryl was the classroom music teacher at St Leo's College, Wahroonga from mid 1982 to 1985.
This night featured some wonderful upcoming talent. It included a Beatles and Blades medley.
Click above to watch
1985 St Leo's College
Presentation night (Sydney Town Hall)
Darryl was the classroom music teacher at St Leo's College, Wahroonga from mid 1982 to 1985.
This night featured some wonderful upcoming talent. It included a Fame and hits of the 80s medley.
1971 Up The Drawbridge
Lismore High School
We had a brilliant choir at Lismore High School in the 70s. This was an operetta written by the school staff. Darryl was in year 9 at the time and played Ethelred.
Click above to listen and view pics.