Manu Katche’s new CD, NEIGHBORHOOD was highlighed on NPR this last week, and his song, "Number One" from the CD was Thursday’s Song of the Day.

At a certain point, after a drummer has spent years as the backbone of big acts, he isn’t even considered a musician anymore — he’s the appliance that pumps out the arena-sized beats. This is what he does, who he is. But even drummers have inner lives.

Case in point: Manu Katché, the Paris-born rhythm master, who has spent years supporting Sting, Peter Gabriel, and others. The creator of his own signature pulse — a cymbal-splash whirl that brings elements of jaunty African polyrhythm to fist-pumping anthemry — Katche has, it turns out, interests beyond the big rock show, and a musical philosophy more adventurous than his high-profile associations would suggest.

Also, WITNESS put out some updates as well.

WITNESS co-founder Peter Gabriel visited Washington, DC’s Capitol Hill for a screening and briefing of partner Burma Issues’ new video, "Season of Fear." The video exposes the impact of the Burmese military regime’s attacks on internally displaced people. In the briefing, co-sponsored by Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and McConnell (R-KY), Peter supported our allies in their call for a binding United Nations Security Council resolution on Burma that would include a call for a transition to the democratically-elected government in Burma.

While Peter was in the U.S. we were interviewed on CNN’s "American Morning" program with Miles O’Brien, which will broadcast on Monday, April 10th, 2006 at 9:45am E.S.T. If you are outside the US, please look for CNN International’s pick-up of the "American Morning" interview. Peter also spoke to the American public television program "NOW with David Brancaccio" about WITNESS’ work, as well as his lifelong activism and interest in participatory media. "NOW with David Brancaccio" will devote its entire broadcast to this interview on Friday, April 21, 2006, at 8:30pm on PBS (check local listings at www.pbs.org). We hope that you will be able to tune-in.

You can listen to Tony Levin’s hour long interview on WAMC and hear a fascinating set of things, including the possibility he will do another photo book, this time of his travels with Peter Gabriel. In Tony’s spare time, of course, which won’t be happening for a while, since the tour goes through spring and summer and probably into fall. As always, check out Tony’s site for new tour dates that are still being solidified, and more information about Resonator.