Who We Are
Tree Thump Didj Co. is owned and operated by Phil Clark and Ben Hay, two East-Central Illinois musicians with a love of the didjeridu.
Ben-
A
talented
multi-instrumentalist, Ben
Hay plays guitar, bass, drum kit,
piano, sings, and has recently added the didjeridu to his musical
arsenal. He is currently a member of several bands in the
Champaign-Urbana area, and has toured the midwest with the world music
groups Mhondoro
and Fotamana.
Ben encountered the didjeridu through his work with the band Tree
Thump and found it to be one of the most
intriguing instruments he's ever played. A lifetime do-it-yourselfer,
Ben naturally took to didjeridu crafting quickly, and has
realized that it is much more than a hobby to him: it is a calling.
Phil-
Phil
Clark
has been
playing the
didjeridu for over ten years. He hold's a bachelor's degree
in music performance and a master's in ethnomusicology, and serves as
Tree Thump Didj Co.'s primary music instructor.
Following his passion for
the didjeridu, Phil has traveled to
northern Australia several times since 2006 to learn
more
about the instrument from some of its Aboriginal custodians, the
Yolngu people of Northeast Arnhem Land. These travels have given
Phil a better understanding of not only what makes a good didjeridu,
but also of the didjeridu's place in Aboriginal peoples' musical and
ceremonial lives, and enriched his life in unexpected and inexplicable
ways.
Because of the didjeridu's positive contributions to his own life, Phil
is
committed to sharing it with others in East-Central Illinois
and around the country, through his teaching in the Champaign area, his
performance
with the band Tree
Thump, and through his work with the Tree
Thump didjeridu
company.
Photos above by Jess Costantiti of Beautiful Orange Productions.
Tree Thump the Band
Tree Thump Didj Co. grew directly out of Ben and Phil's involvement with the world-rock band Tree Thump, and their desire for a wider range of didjeridu keys and sounds to use in their music. Tree Thump's sound is truly one of a kind. Their music combines the unique and haunting sounds of the didjeridu with drums, bass guitar, and electric fiddle to play funk and trance-influenced grooves that take you on a twisting, turning musical journey.
For more info on Tree Thump check out the band's myspace page, or find us on facebook
Also be sure to check out our self-titled album, available at CD Baby