Little green monsters, just in time for Halloween!

Hey everyone and happy All Hallows Eve to all. Those pagans knew how to party!

Actually this doesn't have a ton to do with the holiday, just the green part.

I have realised in the past while that I badly need to jettison my feelings of professional envy and jealousy. These feelings are making me a more bitter and hardened person and that certainly isn't going to help me be a better musician, or human being for that matter. I have realised I'm spending too much time (read any) wondering why I don't get called for certain gigs, why I haven't toured New Zealand as a leader yet, why I don't have my own talk show etc. Okay with the last two I was being facetious but all those questions are basically useless. I'm going to work on concentrating on the work and celebrating the successes of others without feeling I'm comparing myself to them. I was put on this planet to be the best Ted Warren I can, and I won't get there by being jealous of someone else's life.

I thought I would post this footage of Eric Harland. it's been making the rounds a lot so maybe most of you have seen it. It was significant for me because of the joy and eloquence he always plays with. Whenever I hear him, I want to celebrate his absolute mastery of the instrument and music by becoming as masterful ( in my own way) myself.

Thanks so much. Now smell my feet AND give me something good to eat!

Brian Dickinson Trio

Hey folks, happy Devil's Night!

I'm just doing a quick post of a blues from a gig I did last night with Brian Dickinson and Jim Vivian. (Although you can't see them. My daughter was the videographer, do you think she's biased? :) )

The gig made me think about how I get to work with so many inspiring musicians and how they've easily been as much an influence on me as any drummers I've checked out. Also it made me think how in these times of decreased work, how I need to work on artificially creating the looseness that comes with constant playing. More on that in the days to come. Meanwhile, enjoy "Blues in the Closet". Later.

More Brushes

Hey,

Here's a couple of more brush patterns, suitable mainly for ballads so let's all get romantic!

Wow, some of these diagrams are starting to get a "science class in the 50s" sort of vibe.

Here's video of both of the patterns:

...And here's the crossover pattern with hi-hat on 2 & 4 while I play the melody to Wayne Shorter's "12 More Bars to Go" on the bass drum.

...here's the same idea with four on the bass drum and the melody on the hi-hat.

Thanks!

The Vertical Squirrels & Jane Bunnett

Hey all,

I just found this video. This same line up will be at Van Gogh's Ear in Guelph on December 8th. I've really enjoyed playing with the Squirrels since I joined them a couple of years ago. It's great fun to play in a wide open setting like this where every gig is completely different.

Later,

T.

A little Jam

Hey,

I got into "preparing" the cymbals after seeing a recent Eric Harland performance (I have a tambourine on top of the left hand cymbal and a splash mounted directly on top of the right) and thought I'd play a little solo piece inspired by the slightly different sounds around me.

Thanks,

T.

The left foot, the final frontier!

Hey everyone in this musical neighbourhood we call the internet!

Here's a couple of hi-hat things. They both use a 2 quarter note then one dotted quarter note pattern (seven 8th notes long) while in both examples the right hand plays 8th, the left hand plays quarters, and in the first example the bass drum plays the samba/bossa pattern and in the second example the bass drum plays more of a salsa pattern. I find the coordination where the feet are playing independently of each other some of the most challenging stuff.

Ex. 1

Oh also in example 1 the hi-hat is splashing, in example 2 the hi-hat is played closed.

Ex. 2

Thanks!

3 brush patterns

Hey all, happy Monday.

Here's 3 more brush patterns. I'm still working on the book and when it's finished, all you lovely people will be the first to know.

Here are the 3 diagrams:

...and here's the video of said patterns.

Happy trails!!!!!