About Silo
SILO is the solo evolution of Sean Noonan’s boundary-breaking double album The Drummer of Tedworth, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. Tedworth stands as the first full-length orchestral work ever written for a "speaking drummer"—a performer who sings, narrates, and improvises while fronting a symphony orchestra. It is widely considered the most extensive collaboration between an American artist and the LSO since Frank Zappa’s legendary 1980s recordings.
The 2026 Evolution: From Acoustic to Electro-Acoustic
Building on Noonan's established history as an acoustic speaking drummer, the 2026 incarnation of SILO marks a major technological and sonic shift. Through a high-octane electro-acoustic setup, Noonan now brings the entire scale of the London Symphony Orchestra to the solo stage. By integrating live percussion and vocals with the immersive, cinematic power of the original LSO recordings, SILO distills orchestral grandeur into a portable, high-energy solo performance—blurring the lines between concert, theatre, and ritual.
One voice. One drum. Infinite stories.
At the heart of every performance is Olis, Noonan’s alter-ego and reluctant disembodied seeker. In SILO, Olis navigates through cosmic mischief, trickster spirits, sacred underpants, and the arrival of a Martian Refugee—all culminating in a mind-hijacking prank on Benjamin Franklin during one of his “air baths.”
Blending improvised punk-jazz drumming, spontaneous narration, and absurdist humor, SILO draws on African griot traditions, Beckett’s experimental theatre, and free jazz pioneer Milford Graves. Influenced by Henry Cowell’s polyphonic ideas and Noonan’s formative years backing Hollywood legend Marni Nixon, SILO pushes the boundaries of contemporary music while remaining tour-ready and agile.
The Experience
While Noonan’s earlier acoustic works laid the foundation for rhythmic storytelling, this new electro-acoustic adaptation allows for a "one-man symphonic" experience. Whether in an intimate venue or on a festival stage, SILO delivers raw collisions of sound and story that are as unpredictable as they are unforgettable.
About Sean Noonan
Sean Noonan is a speaking drummer, composer, and rhythmic storyteller whose music defies categorization. Drawing on the traditions of wandering minstrels and African griots, he weaves imaginative narratives through a distinctive polyrhythmic language that blends voice and percussion into his “fifth limb.” His work bridges punk-jazz, rock opera, and modern orchestral composition, creating bold, genre-defying soundscapes that treat ensembles as dynamic extensions of his rhythmic voice.
“Independence might be the ruling concept of this drummer-leader’s career. It defines a common relationship not only among his hands, feet, and voice, but between his art and almost everything else in drumming.”
— Modern Drummer Magazine
With over 34 albums and performances in 15 countries, Noonan has collaborated with artists such as Marc Ribot, Malcolm Mooney (original singer of CAN), Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Susan McKeown, Abdoulaye Diabaté, and the Ligeti Quartet.
“Sean Noonan approaches postmodern jazz and world music from the same angle of self-discovery... he manages to make his pieces speak coherently, and in a unified voice.”
— The New York Times
