The 14-Year-Old Aesthetic

 When I was 14 years old, I had been playing the drums for 4 years. I hadn't really played with a band, other than concert bands. What did I appreciate in drummers I saw and heard? Flash, speed, volume, and spectacle. That was about it. As time went on  I learned about what it takes to be a team member and make a band sound great. I listened to music and tried to learn why the drummers (and other musicians as well) made the musical choices they did. I tried my very best to serve the music the best I knew how, and still strive for this everyday.

Why, do you ask, do I bring up the idea of a 14 year old boy's aesthetic?

BECAUSE THE MUSIC WORLD  SEEMS TO BE DOMINATED BY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everywhere I turn, social media is filled with stick-twirling, no dynamics playing, self attention seeking, frankly….IDIOTS! 

And the worst part is, most (but not all, mind you) of the industry, from publications, to instrument companies, etc. is ENCOURAGING AND CELEBRATING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, if I was just starting out, I would probably feel if I didn't have blistering hand/foot chops and some sort of gimmick, that I wouldn't have a place in the music world. As well, I probably would have ignored all the things that have kept me working as a musician. Things like reading, brushes, blending in an ensemble and dynamics, various feels, and listening, to name a few.

I sometimes feel worried about where the drums are headed these days. I believe the pioneers of this instrument didn't give their whole lives to developing the modern drum set so self-centred kids could do circus tricks in the pursuit of "likes". There has GOT to be more to it than this……..

Okay, rant over. Throw away your practice pad and learn how to make a band sound and feel great…...

David⚡Bowie - The Last Five Years, BBC documentary (2017)

I just saw this great documentary from the BBC about David Bowie's final years. I think his late work is some of his best, and it was interesting to hear about his Broadway show, Lazarus, which I was only peripherally aware of.

 

It was also strangely personal to see someone in the doc whom I had worked with, and frankly didn't like my playing that much. This has been coming up for me lately. Situations where teachers and or fellow musicians don't like what I'm doing. The doc is great no matter how one looks at it, but here's a few things that I learned from Mr. Bowie and was reminded of…

-Be brave

-Take chances

-Trust your instincts

-The fact that not everyone loves what you do is a good thing

-Challenge yourself, and your audience

Thank you Mr. Bowie. Your artistic approach to life is a great example to us all……..

Charles Mingus Sextet, at the Konserthuset Stockholm, Sweden, April 13...

 Thanks to my fellow Avi Granite 6 bandmate Neal Davis for hipping me to this killer footage of Mingus' band in the 60s!               

 

Got to listen to WAY more Dannie Richmond! :) 

Legends of Jazz Drumming Part 1 & 2

I am frequently amazed by the discographical and historical knowledge of many of my peers. It seems fairly ridiculous, but i have never seen either part of this documentary all the way through. I find part 1 especially illuminating because of how much pre-bebop drumming I feel I have yet to learn. Anyway, check these out and I have made a few notes that you can peruse after…..

Okay, here are my impressions. You may have completely different ones, and that's not a problem. You may also see/hear things differently after repeated viewings, which I certainly recommend.

- Louis Bellson is a great host, and his, Roy Haynes', and Jack DeJohnette's insights are very illuminating

-Lot of early hi-hat players play 4 on the hi-hat w/foot (early coordination).

-Also lots of four on snare drum, four on everything!

-Papa Jo seems to be the first major drummer to start developing independent coordination.

-Also playing open handed, almost 100 years ago!

-Papa Jo is a BIG part of the large ensembles moving from that sort of stomping style to the time being much more nuanced and sensuous.

-Ray Baduc really can get around the drums at a relatively low dynamic level.

-Sonny Payne is never anything short of spectacular.

-I think one of the keys to Shelly Manne’s fat snare sound with brushes is that he seems to be using all the bristles, yet he has a very different sound than Elvin, who tends to do the same thing. 

NEW! Analog Geek Podcast

 Hey all,

I've have just started a podcast, you can find it here.

Thanks.

RIP Roger Hawkins.

The Drummer

As I have said recently, the net is such a strange place. I started one evening trying to figure out who the drummer was with Woody Herman when I saw the band play in Regina in the early 80s. I didn't find out for sure, but I came across the name Dave Ratajczak on a Thundering Herd record released around the same time. This research into Mr. Ratajczak's work lead me to a short film he starred in, entitled The Drummer . ( Sorry, I can't seem to embed it, but just click on the link. ) Dave Ratajczak, as well as being a great drummer, has real presence on the screen. So many elements of the movie ring true, especially the weird social experience of playing a wedding where you haven't met any of the band before and are assumed to be the leader because you got to the gig first and that you and the rest of the group live together like the Beatles in the HELP movie! Also worth noting is the sexism directed towards the female vocalist as well as the economic realities of trying to survive as a musician in a big urban centre. Most films about musicians I find incredibly phoney and inaccurate, but  Bill Block (director) did an amazing job!  I would encourage all musicians to see it.

Terry Chambers - Episode 35 - The ProgCast with Gregg Bendian

     

Yay! Gregg Bendian has just interviewed XTC's original drummer, Terry Chambers. Fantastic!