DAVE WECKL

Sometimes it seems Dave Weckl's name is muttered in

derision as often as it is summoned in reverence. This is
simply proof of the enormous effect his precise and
complex playing has had on the drumming land-
scape. It's also the reason Dave decided to explore a
completely new way of playing the drums.
by Rick Mattingly
48

WALFREDO REYES SR.

Today's modern drumset player almost inevitably
explores incorporating Latin percussion ideas into his or
her playing. But it wasn't too long ago when such an
idea was considered revolutionary. Walfredo Reyes Sr.
was there when the first shots were fired.
by Robyn Flans
66

BASS PLAYERS
ON DRUMMERS
It's been said a hundred times in these very pages:
Hook up with the bass player, and life will be so fine.
Okay, but what exactly does "hooking up" mean?
Glad you asked, because this month MD invited some
of the world's top bass players—Levin, Lee, Patitucci,
Bronze, Caron, Hinton, and Coutts—to share their
(understandably strong) opinions on the matter.
by T. Bruce Wittet
82

photo by Alex Solca

Volume 22, Number 4 Cover photo by Alex Solca

98 CONCEPTS 34 NEW AND NOTABLE

Maximizing Your Practice Time
by Zoro 38 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP
Tama Starclassic Performer Drumkit
104 ARTIST ON TRACK by Rick Van Horn
Joe Chambers
by Mark Griffith 41 Bosphorus Cymbals
by William F. Miller
114 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE 44 Noble & Cooley Alloy Classic Snare Drum
Study In Rhythms, Part 2 by Rick Mattingly
by Joe Morello
110 SHOP TALK
116 ROCK 'N' JAZZ CLINIC Getting The Best Sound From "Less Than The Best" Drums
Good Things Come In 3s by Larry t. Kennedy
by Rod Morgenstein

118 ROCK PERSPECTIVES

Rolling Funk
by Rusty Parker
14 UPDATE
Murumba's Michael Faue, Kevin Winard, and Kalani,
Sonny Emory, Abe Juckes of Treehouse, Marillion's Ian Mosley,
130 DRUMS ONLINE and Bobby Borg of Warrant, plus News
Power To The People
by Matt Peiken
142 INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS
131 Speak Out: Best Drum Clinics PASIC '97 In Review

132 TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Quitting Your Day Job
by Greg Thomas 6 EDITOR'S OVERVIEW
8 READERS' PLATFORM

18 UP & COMING 30 ASK A PRO

Greg Eklund Of Everclear Phil Collins and Danny Carey
by Matt Peiken
32 IT'S QUESTIONABLE
120 PORTRAITS
Michael Giles: Crimson Original
by Ken Micallef 126 CRITIQUE
Jack DeJohnette CD and book, Wertico & Bendian, Tony Williams
Lifetime, and Bozzio Levin Stevens albums, Mozambique video,
and more
140 ON THE MOVE
146 DRUM MARKET
Including Vintage Showcase

80 150 DRUMKIT OF THE MONTH

MD GIVEAWAY
Win A $14,000 Prize Package
Including A Grover Pro Percussion Drumkit,
Zildjian Cymbals, Gibraltar Hardware,
And Impact Cases
Or One Of 39 Other Great Prizes!
 Staying Open
"A s far as I'm concerned, so-and-so is the guy; he's the only
drummer happening today." "Don't bother with that
book—all you need is Stick Control." A couple of rather
closed-minded comments, wouldn't you say? I was certainly sur-
prised to hear them.
As far as books are concerned, the "classics" are considered
classic for good reason—George Lawrence Stone's Stick Control
and Ted Reed's Progressive Steps To Syncopation For The
Modern Drummer, among others, continue to challenge and
motivate students. But that doesn't mean there aren't potentially
Last week, while at a local drumshop, I witnessed two drum- beneficial works being written today. Keeping abreast of new
mers loudly making these statements, almost as if to inform titles just might offer you some insight into areas of drumming
everyone in the room of their opinions. Then, to make matters you've never thought of before.
worse, a few minutes later I heard another customer tell one of The most worrisome comment to me was the one about the
the employees, "That's the only stick I'll ever use; the other drummer's one-and-only favorite artist. All of us have our list of
brands suck." players we like, drummers who have made us want to get behind
Yes, it is important to have strong feelings about the direction a set of drums and play. Unfortunately, it appears that for some
you want to take your playing, the equipment you use, and the people this list is far too short. You can find terrific drummers
artists who inspire you. However, the attitude expressed by these performing in every style of music. It's a bit of a cliche, but it's
drummers is, without a doubt, keeping them from a lot of valu- true: You can learn something from any drummer. However, the
able information. only way you're going to do that is if you listen to—and stay
Having an open mind about equipment seems obvious. The open to—as many different artists as possible.
overall quality of today's products—from sticks and heads to I think it's imperative for all of us to be open-minded regard-
cymbals and drums—is incredibly high. You may prefer one ing new concepts, products, educational materials, and especially
brand over another because of certain features, but no company's artists. As drummers, it's an attitude we definitely should foster
products "suck." In fact, if you're not investigating and experi- and one that can only help us improve at our craft. The question
menting with as many of the choices available today as possible, is, are you "staying open" to drumming?
you may well be missing out on a musical tool that could really
help you.

The World's Most Widely Read Drum Magazine

MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: Henry Adler, Printed in The United States
EDITOR/PUBLISHER RONALD SPAGNARDI Kenny Aronoff, Louie Bellson, Bill Bruford, Hairy Cangany, Jim
Chapin, Dennis DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, Charlie SUBSCRIPTIONS: US, Canada, and Mexico $34.97 per year;
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FEATURES EDITOR WILLIAM F. MILLER Dave Weckl. PO Box 480, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0480. Change of address:
Allow at least six weeks for a change. Please provide both old
ASSOCIATE EDITOR ADAM J. BUDOFSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Robyn Flans, Burt Korall, and new address. Toll free tel: (800) 551-3786.
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SENIOR ART DIRECTOR SCOTT G. BIENSTOCK lished monthly by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc., 334-DRUM or (815) 734-1214.
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ART DIRECTOR LORI SPAGNARDI MAIL POSTAGE paid at Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at addi- INTERNATIONAL LICENSING REPRESENTATIVE:
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without the permission of the publisher is prohibited.
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 using immature "two wrongs make a right" any enlightened and intelligent person
HOW TO REACH US logic, his argument is plain wrong. Beavis would deem valid. I have several gay and
Correspondence to MD's Readers' Platform
may be sent by mail: And Butt-Head has been justifiably criti- lesbian friends, and none have exhibited
12 Old Bridge Road, cized for its lack of class, but it features any behavior or attitudes that should cause
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 cartoon characters and shouldn't be con- them to be grouped with such heinous acts.
by fax: (973) 239-7139
by e-mail: moddrum@intac.com fused with the reality of Tommy Lee lying I suggest to Mr. Summers that he think
in a pile of excrement. And the implication hard about his harsh judgment of good peo-
that The Simpsons uses objectionable lan- ple who are just like you and me in all
RE: THE TOMMY LEE AD guage couldn't be further from the truth. aspects of life that really count.
Editor's note: Never in MD's history has This long-running, critically acclaimed Scott Martin
an ad generated as much controversy as television series has never used the word New Hampshire
did the Paiste/Tommy Lee ad that "s**t" or given its viewers the finger.
appeared in the October '97 issue. And Kevin Ridolfi I think people have too much time on their
that controversy continues, with a barrage via Internet hands. I thought musicians were open,
of reader comments about the letters that free-thinking types. The only thing that
appeared in the January '98 Readers' I, too, found the Paiste/Tommy Lee ad would offend me is if you ran more ads and
Platform in response to the ad. lacking taste or humor. But I'm thirty-six fewer articles. Please, in this world under a
years old and didn't think I was the "tar- magnifying glass, don't buckle. They can
In criticizing those of us who thought get" audience—as evidenced by the readers always turn the page.
Paiste was out of line with their Tommy who wrote in to say they liked it. Gene Grala
Lee ad, Mike Summers groups a conglom- However, I did take exception with the Bristol, CT
eration of society's ills into a sentence and response from Mike Summers. While ours
suggests that we worry about those prob- is definitely a society of many problems, I was surprised to see so many people mad
lems instead, stating: "Any child could lumping homosexuality in with murder and about the Tommy Lee ad. I was even more
watch The Simpsons or Beavis And Butt- rape seemed rather ignorant to me—thus surprised to see a letter of complaint from
Head and hear the same words." Besides negating this person's opinion as one that Peter Erskine! My friends and I (all fifteen
years old) thought the ad was great! to slip into your magazine is beyond me. Tommy Lee's own comment in your Jan.
I think we drummers sometimes take You would not let a comment slandering '98 issue: "I have only tried to bring the
ourselves too seriously. We should lighten African-Americans, Jews, or women into drummer from behind UP FRONT! I think
up, and realize that we all have something your magazine. MD usually does a good I've done just that!" Jeez, Mr. Lee, correct
in common: We all play drums! We should job of keeping political and religious senti- me if I'm wrong, but I believe the first
also quit censoring stuff. The great Frank ments out of the publication, but this time drummer to accomplish "just that" in the
Zappa fought for this. you made a mistake. eyes, ears, and hearts of the general public
Colin McAllister John Donahoe was Gene Krupa, about sixty years ago.
via Internet via Internet Jim Miller
Philadelphia, PA
Having grown up in rural country, I have While I agree with Mike Summers' defense
smelled pig pens up close and can tell you of the Tommy Lee/Paiste ad, I do not agree
that only the pigs like it. As drummers, I that homosexuality can in any way be
think we should learn from and respect equated with "murder, witchcraft, or rape." Editor's note: January's Readers' Platform
each other as a broad-reaching family. Plenty of homosexual musicians, male and is notable for the additional controversy it
Tommy, I think you went too far. Little female, have graced the pages of your mag- has created. Following are representative
kids read this mag. More importantly, their azine (whether they were "out" or not). examples of responses to several more let-
parents do. Was it your point to make it I know certain letters are printed to spark ters.
even harder for the kids who are trying to controversy, but I sincerely hope that MD
get their parents to respect them as musi- does not subscribe to a homophobic atti- RE: CANTOR ON SEXTON
cians? You haven't helped put drummers tude towards gay and lesbian musicians. It Almost every month, letters appear from
up front, just yourself. is sad to see that some people care more readers who are upset that so-and-so was
Matt Crawford about sexual orientation than about music, featured in Modern Drummer. The most
Eva, AL a universal language. recent of these was Philip Cantor's in the
Matthew Payne January '98 edition slamming Chad Sexton.
How you could allow a blatant heterosexist Seattle, WA I am sick of hearing these kinds of com-
comment like "Ours is a society with plaints. Let me remind people like this that
homosexuality, murder, witchcraft, rape, I remained detached from the ongoing con- MD is a magazine for drummers of many
and much worse on prime-time television" troversy regarding the Paiste ad until I read interests and backgrounds. I do not expect
to be a major fan of every drummer to Sexton if he would open his ears before I think it's great that people from another
appear within the pages of every month's forming his opinions. field of entertainment are promoting drum-
issue, but I can honestly say that I have Kevin Ridolfi ming and music. I have no great love of
never been let down. There is always some- via Internet jocks; in my high school days the band
thing within every issue that enlightens me. sold candy bars to buy sheet music while
As a drummer who is basically a the football team got new helmets each
nobody, I am always interested in hearing year out of the school's pocketbook. But
how anybody who's anybody in the music RE: McCORMACK ON ATHLETE ADS drummers and jocks are both often seen as
industry made their break—and anything I have been a professional musician for just big, dumb cavemen. If ads like these
else they'd like to share about music and over thirteen years, and as such I've had can help to attract the kids who look up to
drumming. This includes Chad Sexton, the opportunity to see, hear, and play on the sports figures to the art of drumming—
Ringo Starr, Jim Sonefeld, Dave Grohl, instruments from most of the major drum- or maybe make a parent think twice before
and all the other talented drummers who related manufacturers. I believe that Steve pulling their kid out of band to play base-
have been the target of some ignorant read- McCormack, like myself and many MD ball—then all the better.
er's jealousy. Chad Sexton is an amazing readers, is well aware of what is worth Matt Crawford
drummer, and I found his feature article spending his hard-earned money on. Thus Eva, AL
very interesting. It seems to me that the his choices won't be swayed by an adver-
likes of Philip Cantor (a name which I have tisement featuring an athlete who has very
never seen on any album cover by the way) meager attachments to the music industry. I
have a lot to learn about music, drumming, also think it's understandable to feel a cer- Editor's note: Finally, some readers actual-
and the music industry. Keep up the good tain amount of resentment when you have ly wrote to us about January '98's articles:
work MD. dedicated a fair chunk of your life to being
Jeff Wakolbinger a musician, and then you see someone LA PERCUSSIONIST ROUNDTABLE
Decatur, IL whose life's ambition has been something Thank you for your January cover story on
completely unrelated getting the (per- the "LA Percussionist Roundtable." As a
While Mr. Cantor has a right to his opinion, ceived) accolades of a drum endorsement. drummer, I tend to forget the significance
calling alternative pop-rock music mere However, those who share in this feeling of percussionists within all forms of music.
"noise" and believing it has "lowered the can take solace in knowing that we aren't It made me aware of how percussion is
bar necessary to be considered a musician" the people these ads were intended for. used not only in live music, but also in
is a bit misguided. It's a reaction to this very Strange as it may sound, millions of dollars' movies, commercials, etc. Also, hearing
sort of academic snobbery that has led many worth of drums are sold each year to people experts like Conte, Castro, and Porcaro talk
musicians to simply make music with the who have never heard of Steve Gadd or about the details of their area in music gave
skills they have. Music is for everybody, not Dennis Chambers, but who have heard of me a fuller appreciation of the entire
just the technical "elite." Mike Piazza or Dominic Roussel. As some- rhythm section, and has allowed me to hear
Matthew Payne one who has endorsements with various grooves within songs that before I
Seattle, WA companies—including one of the companies wouldn't have thought to pick up on.
involved in the ads—I can tell you that Kristen Vosmaer
Mr. Cantor's lack of integrity is appalling, these athletes' value to the company (in via Internet
and his implication that there is a "bar" of terms of overall return for investment) must
measurement for musicianship is prepos- be worthwhile, otherwise the advertisers
terous. The very artists whom he praises wouldn't continue to run the ads.
MD for interviewing would be the first to So there is obviously some merit to this JASON MARSALIS
disagree with his prejudiced theories. advertising. The only remaining question is Who cares what Jason Marsalis thinks of
Jes Linares whether or not we, the readers of Modern every other drummer in the business? What
Franklin, TN Drummer, are the correct target audience about his own playing, which your article
for it. I like to think that we are not, and in the January '98 issue almost completely
Mr. Cantor should have paid closer atten- that the advertisers will move their "athlete ignored? The interview quickly became a
tion to Jim DeRogatis' interview in which ads" to a less informed forum where they vehicle for the youngest Marsalis to prove
Sexton talks at length about his five years will do them more good. However, if we he knows his stuff about famous jazz and
in drum corps and the rudimental lessons continue to see the ads in Modern fusion recordings. Try interviewing up &
he learned from that experience and from Drummer I must assume that they are coming drummers who are confident about
several drum instructors. In the interview- appealing to this audience and therefore their own abilities.
er's words: "That's out of step with a lot of have just as much validity as ads that fea- Ben Mann
alternative rock players. A lot of drummers ture what I would consider to be legitimate via Internet
in this genre learn to play just by playing to spokespersons.
records." Mr. Cantor could learn a lot from Matthew Atkins
open-minded, diverse players like Chad Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
 M u r u m b a ' s
Michael Faue, Kevin Winard,
And Kalani
The Power Of Three

For percussionists Kalani, Michael Foue,and Kevin cuica, surdo, tamborim, shakers, vibes, marimba, and steel
Winard, their musical unit Murumba, is a true labor of drums.
love. What started out as an idea for a percussion Because the individual members had amassed a lot of
ensemble to do clinics and a few gigs turned into a equipment over the years, the project cost them under
full project for the group. The trio, who individually $6,000, including mixing, mastering, and album art. And the
have worked with artists like Yanni, Kenny Loggins, Los Angeles Musicians' Union has been helpful at getting
Quincy Jones, Mel Torme, and Sergio Mendez, the record out to the public, "They've recently started a
recently released their own program to help all the members
critically acclaimed CD, who put out their own CDs, so the
Origins, recording it on their dues are finally paying off," Faue
own and now publicizing it says, "They're sending our record
themselves as well. out to radio stations, and it's beer
"We used the resources we received really well."
had," explains Kalani, "I have Everyone involved with Murumba
a studio, Mike brought an is working hard to increase distribu-
ADAT over from his house, and tion. But the sure way to find the
we begged, borrowed, and album is either through the internet,
pleaded for whatever else we at //members.aol.com/murumba
needed. And there were a lot (where you can actually download
of long nights." some of the music), or by writing to
Musically, the album came the group at 11862 Baiboa Blvd.,
together easily, "We fell into Suite 159, Granada Hills, CA 91344-
our roles naturally," Winard 8017,
says, "I did drumset, Kalani did Next summer Murumba will go out
most of the djembe and with a bass player and another
African kind of stuff, and Mike drummer to play festivals, no doubt
played a lot of the mallets, We booking shows themselves, "All three
went on a computer and of us have talked about how the
mapped it out, sort of like, Do older we get, the more we have to
you want a conga solo on this? Do you want a djembe solo take control of our own careers and follow through in every
on that? And we split it up. We came in with the conscious possible way," Winard says. "This project means a lot to all of
decision to not make it a 'Dig how many styles I can play us. We ail met through Cal State Northridge, so it's neat that,
and check out how long our solos can go' album. The songs after all these years and having gone our separate ways
came first," and worked with different people, we're back together,"
"From the beginning we wanted to go after radio air- Robyn Flans
play," admits Kalani. "I remember having
conversations about song length, arrange-
ments, and grooves. We chopped things
down to four and a half minutes or under
because it's a fact of life that a tune over
that length is not going to get radio air-
play."
Kalani insists the pop format hasn't dimin-
ished the group's priorities, though. "There
are a lot of percussion groups out there
playing what they call 'world music,' but to
me, this is real world music, it's as if this
band was formed with members from dif-
ferent countries. We're using Brazilian instru-
ments on quasi-Caribbean grooves and
Cuban instruments on African grooves. I
think we did a really good job of blending
everything, but still keeping the flavors
there," Some of the instruments used by the
trio include djembe, udu talking drum,
bata congas, timbales, bongos, repinique,
 The new Earth, Wind & Fire record, In The Name Finally, after ten years' tenure with EWF, Sonny
Of Love, signals a return to grassroots sounds is moving up into management. "We have a very
and funk grooves. Occasionally, cheesy open forum in the Fire. Maurice has passed on a

SONNY EMORY sequenced drums rear their ugly heads, as on

"Rock It." Then whap!— in one bar Sonny Emory
vanquishes them with a killing backbeat reminis-
cent of mentor Jeff Porcaro: "Maurice [White,
lot of responsibilities to me because he's not there
all the time." White's apparently left the shop in
good hands. "I'm such a stick-
ler for the groove feeling
EWF founder] and I got together on that intro, right and for the band
thinking, 'Let's fake them out a little bit.' feeling like it's one
"I have such a passion for music," Sonny adds, person," Sonny
"and, of course, for playing the drums. I can enjoy insists.
myself playing a lot of stuff or just laying a Emory car-
groove." EWF's 1996 Greatest Hits Live CD docu- ries this atti-
ments both extremes. On "Africano," Sonny fires tude to road
off a barrage of singles and doubles, all the while gigs with Lee
maintaining a wide funk groove and catching the Ritenour,
horn stings. This is pure Sonny Emory, and you Bette Midler,
can hear the crowd roar its approval. the
In the studio, however, chances looked bleak Crusaders,
that Emory—or real drums, period—would figure and Paula
heavily in the mix, until recently. The final version Abdul. During
of In The Name Of Love, though, features Sonny his time off at
playing on all of the tracks but one. He even co- home in
wrote the first single, "Revolution." Why the about- Atlanta, he
face? "Maurice had produced too many records books club dates
where the computer dominated," Sonny explains. with his own band,
"Basically, he didn't really have a band and was Hypnofunk. Named
doing a lot of those records when the band was after the title track on his
on hiatus. But I had released my own solo record first solo record on Sun And
in Japan, and it was all live tracking. It was also Moon Records, the unit will be releasing an album
the first time Maurice had seen Verdine [White, shortly. The music—acid jazz, for want of a better
bass player] and me record, and he thought, description—will be recorded under the watchful
'Wow, I have a rhythm section!' On this record, eye of Maurice White.
sequences were programmed, but tracking live T. Bruce Wittet
was the number-one priority."

Abe J u c k e s
Manoeuvering Up A Tree
When Abe Juckes joined Treehouse after being a session player for five years and a sideman in Orchestral Manoeuvres In The
Dark, he was excited to be a member of the band. "As a bandmember,' the drummer says,
"you know instinctively what's going to happen musically, which is one of the things
you lose when you're doing a session, because you're meeting the bass player and the
guitarist for the first time."
But Juckes had only played three gigs with Treehouse when they went into the studio
to record Nobody's Monkey for Breaking Records, Hootie & the Blowfish's new Atlantic-
distributed label. "We were still meeting one another," Juckes agrees, "but one of the
things that made me initially offer my services was that we just got on so well. There was
a connection. It sounds really corny, but the four of us are just on the same wavelength—
we're all idiots!"
Juckes says he loved the creative process in the studio with the band. "I really like the
groove to 'Northern Rainbow,'" he points out. "I'm trying to funk it up a little bit on that
one. One of my other favorite tracks is 'Losing Tonight,' because we decided to turn the
click track off and do it live. We used a click on nearly all of the album, but that was
because of sequences and stuff like that. We recorded the drums and bass analog and
then everything else was done digitally on this new Otari 48-track computer. I spent so
many years playing to click tracks with OMD that now I forget I'm even using one. But
it's nice when it gets turned off sometimes."
Robyn Flans
 Marillion's
an Mosley Bobby Borg, who has been
playing with Warrant for the
past two years, says he's very
This Strange Engine In America proud of his work with the
group. Besides playing on
Warrant Live '86-97,
1997 will he remembered us the year of amazing ups and released a few months back,
downs for English progressive band Marillion and their drum- Borg appears
mcr. lan Mosley. The band's latest release. This Strange on their most
Engine, was plagued by the bankruptcy of their American
record company, initially leaving the album unrelcased in the
recent studio
release, Belly ADDING STYLE TO
States. Coupled with the lack of support from their previous
label, many people thought the band had broken up long ago.
To make things worse. Marillion had lost so much money on
To Belly, some
of which he
composed.
WARRANT
their last North American tour, in 1995, that it seemed unlikely Belly To Belly features a new direction for the band. "This
they would return. As Mosley explains, the Internet came to material is very different from the old stuff," Bobby says. "I think
their rescue. "When the fans heard the news." he says, "they it's more dynamic. It also has more percussion in it. There are a
started a fund drive via the Internet to raise enough money to lot of different feels, too. Of course, my favorite tracks are the
get us over here. Within a few months they had raised over songs I helped write, 'Feels Good' and 'Indian Giver.' 'Indian'
$50,000." No small feat, the result was a two-month tour. has a section where I turn the beat completely around, which
The band has had no such trouble playing across Europe, adds a nice syncopated feel to the end of the song. I like the
where they maintain a strong following. But as Mosley tune 'Vertigo' as well, because it has a funky feel to it that I
explains, "Everything in Europe is close together, but the dis- played a lot of ghost notes on. I'm a big David Garibaldi fan."
tances we have to cover in the States are so much greater. This The live album contains a drum solo by Borg that he peppers
tour has been the best yet, though. It's been very special for us, with a variety of styles and feels. "My first objective is to keep
and we're already planning a tour for this coming summer." the rhythm, the pulse. But I like it to have different levels. I start
Michael Bettine my solo off playing a linear groove, then break out into a Latin
thing that I'm playing with my feet, which I solo on top of with
some timbales. The audience seems to really like the section
where I play quietly, sometimes with my hands. Of course, I like
to end with a frenzy, hopefully bringing the audience to their
feet."
Robyn Flans

Matt Cameron has been recording Colored Green. released shortly on Hussain's David Licht is on the Klezmatics'
with Smashing Pumpkins. Igor Cavalera is in the studio Moment Records. David is also doing latest, Possessed. The band also per-
Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez with Sepultura. extensive touring with Charlie formed live during the play A
has left Santana. He is currently on Jay Bellerose is on Talking To Musselwhite, and teaching at the Dybbuk's New York run at the Public
tour with the McCoy Tyner Big Band. Animals' debut record, Manhole. Stanford Jazz Workshop and Theater.
Alex Gonzales is currently on a However, Mike Levesque will be Rhythmic Concepts Jazz Camp. Matt Abts is on Gov't Mule's new
world tour with Mana. taking over the drum seat from Jay Grand Rapids, Michigan's Solid album, Dose.
Tony Sevener is on tour with after the record's completion. Ground, featuring drummer Tom Paul Motian is on Nothing Ever
Summercamp. Guy Hoffman is in the studio Postema, was selected as the winner Was, Anyway with Marily Crispell
Jim Christie is on Dwight with the Violent Femmes. of the Fifth Annual Jim Beam Country and Gary Peacock.
Yoakam's recently released holiday Mike Braun is on tour with Hall Music Talent Search in a "battle of Jon Christensen is on the
record, Come On Christmas. & Dates. the bands" competition held in Tomasz Stanko Septet's Litania.
Simon Horrocks is on the road Mike Radovsky is cutting tracks Nashville last November. Bernard Purdie is on Hank
with the Freddy Jones Band in sup- with Ronna Reeves, as well as co-pro- Shannon Ford is featured on Paul Crawford and Jimmy McGriff's Road
port of their recent Capricorn release, ducing For Kate's Sake. Simon's new album along with Tested.
Lucid. Our best wishes for a speedy Robby Ameen. D.J. Fontana, Tony Newman,
Don Brewer is on the road with recovery to Shelter's drummer, Mike Ricky Sebastian has recently Levon Helm, Gary Burke, Victor
Grand Funk Railroad in support of White, who was injured on tour when played the Blue Note in New York Bisetti, and Randy Ciarlante are on
their two-CD set, Bosnia, released the band's driver lost control of their with Tania Maria, as well as in Sao Paul Burlison's Train Kept A-Rollin'
last fall. van. Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with (Sweetfish).
Abe Cunningham is on tour with David Rokeach recently did gigs Dianne Reeves and Romero Mike Terrana is on Artension's
Deftones in support of their most with Aretha Franklin and Mark Lubambo. Ricky also continues to Phoenix Rising.
recent album, Around The Fur. Murphy. He also just finished record- work on his solo CD. Greg Hall is on Sacred Reich's
Shawn Mullen is on the road ing George Brooks' second CD, fea- Craig Pilo is now touring with Still Ignorant (1987-1997) (Metal
with Stickmen in support of Life turing Zakir Hussain and due to be Maynard Ferguson. Blade).
 b y_____M a t t____P e i k e n
T cursing
here's a drummer somewhere in the Pacific Northwest
the day he tried hauling his drumkit down a
direction. Every day I live what I'm doing, and I couldn't say
that before I joined Everclear."
flight of stairs. One man's fateful injury, though, was He certainly has reason these days to wake up happy,
Greg Eklund's gain. Three years later, Eklund is still thankful Fans have gravitated to Everclear's new disc, So Much For
for the odd timing that led him to the drummer's throne for The Afterglow, almost as feverishly as they flocked to the
alterna-rock darlings Everclear. band's 1995 breakthrough record. Sparkle And Fade. The
I 'd quit my old band and was basically sitting around, just catchy hooks and folksy charm are still there, but Eklund's
being a screw-up—which was the story of my life up to that performance is more tight, full, and robust. He attributes the
point," Eklund says. "I'm still a screw-up at heart, but the differences to musical maturity and the band's unwillingness
band has changed my life in a lot of ways. It's not just the to leave the mixing room without their heads rocking back
money. I care more about music and drumming now, and I'm and forth. Eklund talked about all those things during a stop
a more responsible person because I have a purpose and along Everclear's recent US club tour.

MP: Let's hear how Everclear happened for you. Accord. We did "Nervous And Weird" off their first record, World
GE: Everclear was looking for a drummer, and Art [Alexakis, Of Noise, and they offered me the gig right there. Art was like,
singer/guitarist/songwriter] was really into this guy from Seattle— "Are you ready to starve on the road and eat Taco Bell every
good drummer, really cool guy. He'd already auditioned with the night?" I said, "Yeah, totally." I mean, Taco Bell was gourmet
band, but Art wanted him to get more familiar with the songs food for me at that point. But I thought he was just talking about
because Everclear had a big tour coming up. The day this guy was touring around the Northwest. That's when he told me they were
supposed to drive down to Portland to rehearse with the band, he signing a deal and that we were going to really tour: New York,
lifted his bass drum wrong, fell down something like two flights of San Francisco, everywhere.
stairs, and broke his arm and his fingers. He called Art from the MP: Tell me a little about your training as a drummer.
emergency room to tell him what happened, and Art said, "I'm GE: I studied classical, symphonic percussion in high school, but I
really sorry, but we're leaving for the tour in a week and we need taught myself to play the drumkit. It's always a little awkward
someone now." An hour or two later—strictly by coincidence—I when kids come up to me and ask things like, "How do I play
called up Art and said, "You don't have to audition anyone else. what you play?" or "What kind of advice can you give me for
I'm your man." Now, I didn't know anything about what was being a good drummer?" I basically just tell them to play as often
going on. I didn't know about this other guy, and I had no idea as they can. They need to hit hard and they need to learn a para-
Everclear was about to sign a record deal. I was just into the band diddle. If they can do those two things, there's nothing keeping
and I'd heard they were looking for a drummer. them from where I am.
I lugged all my drums down to the audition in my mom's Honda Back in school I did marching band, so I have some of those
chops in my bag of tricks. But none of that can support that as a drummer. not 2-and-4—if you're doing some 7/8
comes into play with what I do now. And I have a total respect and appreciation thing—it's probably not rock 'n' roll.
the only reason a paradiddle does is if I'm for drummers who can do these amazing That doesn't mean that when I was in
going around the kit and I have to hit a things. But I hate to listen to it. The idea of eleventh grade I didn't try to sound exactly
cymbal, I can double-stick the floor tom to listening to Terry Bozzio in a clinic does like Stewart Copeland, because I did. I
keep my other hand free to cross-stick for nothing for me at all. That doesn't mean he played traditional grip and cranked my
the crash. Plus, if you can pull off a fast can't smoke me and 99.9% of the other snare way up there. And when Jane's
paradiddle anywhere on the kit, you can drummers in the world. But the idea of the Addiction came out, I started putting all
come up with some wicked-sounding fills. drumset being used as a solo instrument these strange backbeats into my own play-
You'll sound like you know what you're doesn't sound right to me. I come from the ing. But that's something everyone goes
doing, even if you don't. Another thing that old school, where you're there to support through. Eventually you do what sounds
really helps is having an ear for music— something else. It's not rocket science; it's right to you. And to me, being technical
understanding song structure and how you rock 'n' roll. It's still 2-and-4, and if it's and trying to work out sticking patterns
takes the feel and emotion out of it.
MP: Before Everclear, had you planned on
making a career of music?
GE: I think it's sort of the elusive dream.
To be honest, I was basically a screw-up
most of my life, so it was very convenient
that music worked out for me. I dropped
out of the University of Oregon. And the
main reason I went there in the first place
was because they had free racquetball.
I met my wife at U of O. I wasn't play-
ing drums at the time. I felt burned out
from studying symphonic percussion in
Washington, DC, so I was basically failing
out of school. She asked me, "Why are you
wasting your time and money doing noth-
ing?" Then she asked me, "If time and
money were of no consideration, what
would you want to do with your life?" I
thought about it for a second and said,
"Well, I'd want to be a drummer and tour
the world in a rock band." And she said,
"Well, why don't you just do it? You're
not even playing your drums right now."
And I'm like, "Yeah, right honey."
But she inspired me to play again. So I
dropped out of school and started a band.
Six months later we were the biggest band
in Eugene, Oregon. Everybody was telling
me to get my life together and get a job,
and I'd say no, because if my band or some
other band wanted me to tour, I wouldn't
be able to because I'd have a job I couldn't
quit. I didn't want to get tied down to that.
Of course, that makes it sound like I
really had this great master plan, while the
truth is that it was just an excuse not to get
a real job. I was justifying my life as a
screw-up. Little did I know that, for not
having a master plan, everything would
just fall into place in such a weird, incredi-
ble way.
MP: I heard that making the new record
was more labor than love.
GE: Well, we love the record. But, yeah, it himself into the hospital for exhaustion just
definitely took a lot of labor to get what we as we started to rehearse the new songs.
were after. We'd wanted to go into the stu- We eventually recorded twenty or more
dio right after our last Australian tour—so songs. But when Art was in New York to
we could be really tight and sharp—put the mix the record, he called the rest of us up
record out in the summer of '96, and then on a conference call and said he wasn't
maybe take off the next ten months or so, happy enough with it. He thought that what
just to be really fresh for when we went we'd done to that point wasn't enough of a
back out on the road. But that's when departure from Sparkle And Fade. So that
Sparkle And Fade really started to hit, and meant going back in and reworking some
we had to stay out on the road. Plus, when of the songs.
we finally did get to prepare for the new At the time, I think I was too close to the
record, we really felt rushed for time. It record to hear what Art heard. But when he
ended up taking a lot longer to make the brought back the mixed tapes, I definitely
record than we thought it would. agreed it was the right move to go back and
It's funny to talk about it now, because redo some things. A lot of people think we
the record came out exactly as we wanted dumped the whole record and started over
it to. But getting to that point was really again, but that's not true. We kept most of
tough. We ended up only taking two weeks the basic tracks. We just dumped some
off between that last tour and going into songs and brought in new ones that Art had
the studio. And that wasn't really like time written in the meantime. And it was mainly
off, because we had to rehearse the new just a matter of adding different textures
songs and get them down. When we came and instrumentation and a lot of the vocal
off touring, we'd all reached the point of harmonies. We ended up jumping around
physical and mental exhaustion, unlike to different studios to learn the songs and
anything I'd ever experienced. Craig demo them and record them, then piecing it
[Montoya, bassist] had literally checked all together.
MP: How much did all that distract you
from the same natural energy and enthusi-
asm that made Sparkle And Fade such a
great record?
GE: It was kind of interesting. Art wanted
to rehearse and demo the new songs he'd
written. Our publishing company has a stu-
dio in their basement, which they gave us
for something like $200 a day. So we
demoed Art's songs. Then we went into
another studio to record, and we spent an
entire day doing the drum track on one of
the songs, "So Much For The Afterglow."
The demos came out sounding awesome,
but in the studio, it just became this real
labor to get it down. What we finally got,
performance-wise, was probably better
than the demo. But it didn't really come
close in the way it felt. It was sort of
painful to get the right take. After agoniz-
ing all day over this basic drum, bass, and
guitar track, we threw it up on the speakers
and played the song. We were all sitting
there listening, and nobody was rocking.
We were just sitting there kinda flat. So as
a reference point, we put up a DAT of the
demo, pumped it through the board just to
compare, and instantly everybody's doing
the head-bobbin'. We knew right away.
 We had pulled off something there in GE: I just think it was being fresh on the
that $200-a-day demo studio that, for some song, playing it that first time with a lot of
reason, we couldn't do in this real expen- energy. If you're doing take after take,
sive studio. We just couldn't reproduce that after a while there's no way you're going
same feel. So we kept the bass and drum to have that enthusiasm in your playing.
tracks from the demo sessions, and that's You can't fake that. You might play well
what's on the record. That sort of rein- technically, but at least for me, feel isn't
forced what we already knew about our- something that can be practiced. You either

selves. We're not virtuoso musicians, so have the juices flowing or you don't,
the feel has to be there. MP: Do you think the songs you did in the
MP: So what do you think made the differ- demo studio had a better feel than the ones
ence, for you, between nailing the feel and you did at A&M studios throughout the
missing it? record?
GE: Not necessarily, because a lot of what On some songs, you can actually hear
we used from there came on first and sec- both kits. On "Father Of Mine," I was
ond takes, too. We did have problems playing along to a click so the drums
there, though, because A&M is so big and would sync up. I started out playing the
we had trouble getting the drums to sound small drums and then put the monster
good. We had two kits set up: a monster kit drums on top of that. When Art mixed the
in the big room, with one of the kicks and a song, he only used both kits during the
snare coming from the kit Dave Grohl used chorus, but he mixed them slightly out of
on Nevermind. And then I had a ridiculous- phase to make this real full sound. Then
ly small jazz combo kit in the other room when it went back to the verse, he tight-
with an 18" kick and a 10" tom. That was ened them back up so it had a lot of punch.
Art's idea. He wanted everything to be var- MP: You sound a lot tighter on this
ied and different. Sparkle And Fade was record...a lot more in control of your
just this raw approach—set up the mic's tempo and dynamics. Did you feel more in
and go—and we did it in about two weeks command of what you were doing in the
because we didn't have money to buy time. studio?
But this time around, we had a lot more GE: On one level, I like to think I've
room to experiment and try things. We dis- improved a lot since we made Sparkle And
covered that there's a good side and poten- Fade, just by touring and through experi-
tially a downside to that. The potential ence. I'd only been in the band for about a
downfall is that you can over-produce month when we made Sparkle And Fade,
things and make a sterile recording—and and most of those songs were written
Sparkle And Fade definitely is more raw before I joined. The new record is a lot
and not as slick at Afterglow. But on the more groove-oriented than the last one, and
upside, at least as far as the drums go, we that fits in more with my natural style. But
were able to play around with sounds and the first month's session of making this
feels. record was really hard for me, mainly
because I was just so exhausted. It was so "So Much For The Afterglow" is another
tough to come off the road after being out fast song, but I had my strength back and it
for so long and then to go right back into just grooved. There's also a song we
the studio and try to be creative. recorded in that demo phase called "Songs
Even before we went in, I knew we were From An American Movie," which didn't
going to do most of the songs on this make it onto the record. I think it's one of
record with a click, and that we were even the best Everclear songs ever written.
going to have some drum loops. We had a Unfortunately, Art couldn't finish up the
guy named Lars Fox come in. He used to vocals in time. We'll probably use it on the
be in this band called Grotus, and he's an next record.
old friend of Art's. He added some loops MP: You mentioned that you feel you're a
and sounds. Again, we knew going in that better player now, just from the amount of
this would be a completely different playing you've done in the past three years.
approach to recording than Sparkle And GE: Yeah, even though I haven't sat down
Fade. and played a kit by myself in a long, long
This was the first time I'd ever tried time. Every time I play, it's with these
playing to a click, but I wasn't really intim- guys. I don't know that I've changed so
idated by it at all. However, I was really much as a player; it's just that the new
physically run down, so I had a pretty hard songs fit into my style better. I mean, it's
time on some of the faster songs. not as if I've suddenly just discovered
"Amphetamine," for example, is really fast groove playing, because my old band
and aggressive, and it was hard to get it before Everclear was very much into that
tight. The fact that I couldn't play what Primus sort of chopsy thing. But I see my
was in my head totally weighed on me. It role in this band differently: using whatev-
was very frustrating. er skills and creativity I have to enhance
Another thing that really hurt me about Art's ideas and bring the best out of the
that song is where we recorded it. At song. It's not about proving I can do a
A&M, the drums were incredibly loud. We triple ratamacue, and that's what's great
had my headphones maxed out so I could about being in a songwriting band.
hear the click and also hear the bass and But getting back to your question, if
guitar. But we had to wait a while between there's any real change for us it's that we
takes because the speaker cones inside the have a lot more confidence now as a band.
headphones would get so hot that they'd Like I said, we're not virtuosos, but maybe
burn my ears. Literally, when I was play- now we're more open to stepping out on a
ing, I'd shift my head to the right or left so limb and trying something beyond our
the cone would lay off one part of my ear means. Take the keyboard part at the
and start burning another. beginning of "Everything To Everyone."
And of course, when you're in the stu- None of us knows how to play keyboard.
dio, nothing else goes down on tape until But we thought this part would sound cool
the drums are right. So the pressure's there. there, so we gave it a shot. There's a drum
Nobody was leaning on me or anything, loop on "One Hit Wonder" that was creat-
but I was pressing myself to get it right and ed off percussion parts I played, and the
consistent all the way through. basic loop is me playing. There's a lot of
You may not be able to hear the differ- shakers and other things going on there,
ence between the songs from the first ses- which Lars spliced up.
sion and the three or four songs we did MP: I like the intro beat you play on "One
after that first mix. But I can tell the differ- Hit Wonder." It's aggressive and tight, but
ence, just by how much more relaxed and it also has a little personality. Was that
confident I was. Listening back now, I Art's concept or yours?
think "I Will Buy You A New Life" is one GE: I think that was inspired by some of
of the best drum tracks I've ever done. It the music we'd listened to right before
was just one of those songs where I hit the going in to record. The new Sheryl Crow
groove on the first take. It's one of those record has some loops, but not dance loops.
classic studio stories: a late night in They were percussion loops with acoustic
Portland, dim lights, and just one or two drums over the top of that, so the loops
takes. were there to provide sort of this hypnotic
rhythm effect. It was Art's idea to put a we don't see really going beyond five or
loop in there for this song. six records, at the most. All my favorite
It was really cool because we put this bands in history have never really been
backwards cymbal swoooooosh on there, viable beyond that point. They might still
and I played these wooden spoons that are be making records, but their best music is
attached together. Another time I started behind them. I think most bands only have
playing this New Orleans blues-jazz kind a certain life span to them. So right now,
of stomp with the cowbell on the offbeat. we're thinking about maybe another two or
Art really liked that, but he wanted me to three records.
simplify it. So we recorded it and cut it into But I really hope to be drumming
the computer so Lars could loop it. He took beyond the days when Everclear ceases to
the best eight-bar part of it and made the be. Even now, I'd like to do some side pro-
basic loop, and then I recorded just a real jects if I had the opportunity. I've taught
simple part on the kit to go on top of that. myself a little guitar and I've got a ukulele.
Then this monster snare roll comes in and I've got marimbas, guitars, bass guitars,
leads into the rest of the song. What was and congas at home, and I've always been
cool was that we set up a P.A. in this tiny into eight-track recording. What would be
demo studio and played to the loop like we really cool at some point is composing
would in a show: no headphones, but soundtrack music. And at some point, I'd
through monitor speakers. We weren't like to front my own band and play guitar.
worried about sound isolation because it The day I can go on stage as a guitarist,
was just going to be a demo. Little did we I'll be happy—even if it's terrible!
know it would come out so great that we'd
use it on the record.
MP: Now that life has totally changed for
you, how long will this last?
GE: We've actually talked about this, and
Phil Collins
I've been a great admirer of your drumming since I was a young-
ster. I always attend your concerts when you're in my area, and I
always write out your drum parts and play to them. I'd like to know
what your Gretsch drumkit setup is, and also what size toms you use
(when playing live, standing up) on the song "Lorenzo." Finally, will
the Phil Collins Big Band be coming to the US to tour?
Peter Guzzardo
via Internet Hardware: Gretsch stands, Ludwig
Speed King bass drum pedal
Cymbals: Sabian
Thank you for the kind words and the support. My 1. 20" HH Chinese with rivets
drumkit varies a bit according to the musical require- Drumset: Gretsch, in a black stain 2. 20" HH medium crash
finish 3. 21" HH Raw Bell Dry ride
ments, but the basic format is diagrammed here. I have A. 16x18 concert tom 4. 17" HH extra-thin crash
two sets of Gretsch toms set up on stage for "Lorenzo": B. 16x16 concert tom 5. 16" HH medium-thin crash
8", 10", 12", and 15" on one side, and 8", 10", 12", and C. 12x15 concert tom 6. 22" HH Chinese with rivets
13" on the other. D. 8x12 concert tom 7. 15"hi-hats
E . 6 1/2x10 concert tom
Regarding my big band, I will hopefully be touring in F. 5 1/2x8 concert tom Heads: Remo coated Ambassadors on
July at selected jazz festivals—but nothing has been G . 3 7/8x14 Noble & Cooley snare and bass drum batters, clear
confirmed yet. piccolo snare Diplomats on 8" and 10" toms, clear
H. 14x20 bass drum Ambassadors on 12", 15", 16", and 18" toms

Danny Carey
I've been a huge fan of yours since I got Tool's Æmma Your paradiddles) between my feet and my hands.
drumming is incredible! What did you practice to get your feet My favorite bands include Yes, Skinny Puppy, Led Zeppelin,
so strong and smooth? Are there any exercises you can recom- King Crimson, Weather Report, Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa,
mend? Who are your favorite bands and/or drummers, past and Kraftwerk, XTC, the Police, Orbital, Laibach, and Yellow Magic
present? And how do you go about creating some of your amazing Orchestra. My favorite drummers include Paco Sery, Steve
polyrhythms? Jansen, Terry Bozzio, Barriemore Barlow, Alan White (of Yes),
Spencer Vliet cEVIN Key, Bill Bruford, Zakir Hussain, Lenny White, Martin
Northampton, PA Atkins, Fish (of Fishbone), Aloke Dutta, Elvin Jones, Kirk
Covington, Vinnie Colaiuta, Sim Cain, and Tony Williams.
I took great interest in what you said in your MD cover story There are lots of good books on polyrhythms available. If read-
about the mechanics of your setup. Many people have told me ing gets you down, listen to West African music and interpret the
the "right" way to arrange my instrument, but I still feel that I'm different parts with your different limbs. That should be enough to
not utilizing its/my full potential (in terms of fluidity, volume, and keep you busy for a while.
energy). Could you please explain how you came to utilize your Robert: Every so often I tear my kit down to nothing and start
set properly for yourself? from scratch. When I set it up, I do so in order of instrument
Robert Bane importance (to me and the music I'm playing). For example, in
Tustin, CA rock I start with the throne, then the kick, the snare, the hi-hat,
etc.—one piece at a time, making sure I'm comfortable with each
I understand that you have a background in marching percus- instrument's position along the way. Take your time and do what
sion, along with some "traditional" percussion training. How really feels good to you, even if it's very unorthodox. If your
has that background helped you in your current playing? setup is unique, maybe you'll play something unique.
Derek Lee Derek: My marching experience was limited to school bands,
via Internet where I played snare and tri-toms for eight years. It wasn't really
an official drum corps, but the rudimental training did help my
First of all, thanks to everybody for their support and compli- hand development a lot. Later, I attended the University of
mentary words' Now, to the answers. Missouri at Kansas City conservatory of music, where I studied
Spencer: I seem to get the best results on double bass by treat- classical and contemporary percussion, along with some jazz. My
ing my teet the same as my hands. I do dexterity exercises, like traditional training on timpani, mallets, and even in classical com-
playing the twenty-six rudiments, working on simple snare drum position and arranging has come in handy more than one might
solos, and breaking up sticking patterns (like single and double think in the rock 'n' roll world. I highly recommend it.
 "Ah, but was I through? Knowing that
Vintage Drum Challenge Rogers didn't make many drums back in Virgil Donati CD Source
1940,I checked catalogs from Gretsch and I've heard a lot about Virgil Donati's
Slingerland (and a number of other drum CD, Stretch. I'd like to get a copy,
builders from the 1910s and '20s, as well) but none of the record stores I've checked
and found nothing comparable. But in the with can find it. How can I obtain a copy?
1931 Chicago Musical Instruments catalog, Bill Compton
a Ludwig School Drum is pictured. It has Los Angeles, CA
the same look, same strainer, same thumb
rods, and same grommet as your drum. The Virgil's CD was produced in limited
shell was maple and measured 6x12. It list- quantity by an Australian production
ed for $7.00. company, which is why it isn't in general
"I'm guessing, therefore, that your drum distribution in the US. However, you can
is a Ludwig & Ludwig shell sold through obtain it directly from Virgil, who is han-
The drum shown in the accompanying Rogers, with a few cosmetic changes to dling sales via his Web site at: www.vir-
photo came from a historical old farm- differentiate it back then and make it gildonati.com.
house in Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas. It damned confusing now. It really is a toy,
appears to be either a quality toy or a small and I think it has only marginal value.
professional instrument. It's about 6" deep However, based on the time I had to take to Studio Buzz
and 9 3/4" in diameter, with wood hoops find it, I think you ought to ask five I've been enjoying Mark Parson's MD
with metal inlays, a rudimentary strainer on grand!" articles relating to drum recording and
the bottom head, red string-type snares, studio situations for years. So I'd like his
tension rods with nickel-plated wing nuts advice about a problem I'm having. I
and claw hooks, calfskin heads, and a Zildjian Serial Numbers recently built a recording studio in my
leather carrying strap (which may or may The last time I visited a music store, I home. I'm using incandescent can lights,
not be original). The shell appears to be noticed that all the Zildjian cymbals had with rotary-style dimmers that seem to be
mahogany, and has wooden reinforcing serial numbers engraved on their surfaces, wreaking havoc on my PA system. The
rings and a wooden grommet around the right at the bottom of the logo. I had never noise made by the dimmers sounds similar
airhole. I'd like to see if your drum histori- seen that before. Upon my return home I to the 60 hz "buzz" found in AC voltage.
an, Harry Cangany, can shed any light on checked my own cymbals—seven Zildjians Items affected include a Tascam dual cas-
the history and potential value of this from various series. None of them have sette deck, a Digitech RP-1, a Hartke bass
drum. such a number. Is that something to worry amp, and my microphones. Standard items
M.C. Blackman about? like a CD player and a tape deck are not
Petit Jean Mt., AR Iran Duarte affected. I know that the lighting and
Asuncion, Paraguay receptacles are wired properly, so faulty
We thought this one might be a chal- grounds would not be the cause of the
lenge for Harry, but he rose to the occa- Zildjian's product specialist, John King, problem.
sion with the following response: "Into the replies: "In 1994 Zildjian began trade- What style of lighting and control does
dark, dank archives I went to try to find marking all cymbal products with a 'laser Mark use in his own studio? Can he recom-
your drum. My first clue to the maker was etching' method of engraving. This mend a remedy (such as a filter or dimmer)
the wood grommet on the shell: It looked allowed us not only to replicate all of our for my problem? And finally, how does
like Leedy or George B. Stone. A check of trademarks perfectly, but also to establish Mark find time to play drums and engi-
various catalogs showed nothing like your an individual lot number for each cymbal. neer?
drum until I looked through the Rogers Cymbals can now be traced back to when jevans
1940 edition. Model 1803 was a 6x12 they were made and who was involved in via Internet
snare model known as the Little Parade each process of manufacturing. This allows
Snare. The shell was 'real mahogany,' with us to closely monitor quality issues for all Mark replies: "This is one of those good
hoops in red and with nickel-plated rods our cymbal products. This state-of-the-art news/bad news situations. First, the bad
and a snare strainer identical to yours. marking system now provides consumers news: Forget about using standard solid-
Another juvenile drum shown below the with the ability to maintain an accurate state light dimmers (rotary or otherwise)
1803 in the catalog (and designated the cymbal inventory (which is helpful for unless you can live with the buzz—which,
1804—clever, eh?) had ebony hoops with a insurance purposes), and eliminates the in a studio, you can't. These dimmers work
nickel band in an inlay channel like those need for us to 'stamp in' the trademark, by chopping up the sine wave of the AC
on your drum. The cost of the 1803 was which could slightly alter the overtones power, and they can't help but generate
$8.50. contained in the cymbal." lots of nasty buzz (not even the so-called
 'noise-suppressed' models). they would feel that their kit was incom- instance, Ronnie Tutt had a kit in Las
"In my current studio I've wired my plete without one. Also, although you may Vegas when he was playing with Elvis, and
lights in banks (three in the main room and not see rock drummers "riding" a ride cym- Elvis asked Ronnie politely if he would go
one in the control room, plus separate track bal in the classic manner, many will have back to his regular covered-wood kit!
lighting over the console/patch bay area) so one just to play the bell for ride patterns or "Regarding seamless drumshells, here's
that I can vary the lighting depending on special effects. We've seen others use ride how they're made: The shell starts with a
the situation. These are all incandescents, cymbals as monster crashes. (And it's not large, flat disk of metal. That disk is
by the way; fluorescents will also generate just rock drummers. Jazz drummers, who 'drawn' by a mechanical process into a
unacceptable levels of electrical noise in generally use lighter-weight cymbals and shape that looks like a can: a cylinder with
your recording equipment. more minimal setups, often will also a closed bottom and an open top. In the
"Now for the good news: There is a way "crash" their ride cymbals.) next step, that cylinder is spun. Various
to dim incandescent (or halogen) fixtures tools are used to cut away the 'bottom' of
without inducing any buzz or hum. The the can—leaving a seamless cylinder—and
solution is to use variable-power trans-
formers (sometimes called "variacs")
Ludwig Tivoli Outfits And then to form the bearing edges, the center
bead, and the snare bed. Then the holes in
instead of solid-state dimmers. Available Seamless Snare Drums the shell are punched, not drilled.
through electronic parts suppliers such as I'm looking for any information avail- "As to why other companies make
Mouser ([800] 346-6873), they cost more able about Ludwig Tivoli Vistalite drums with welded seams rather than
than standard dimmers—but they're dead drumsets, which featured tiny lights built drawn, seamless shells, I can only theorize
quiet in use. (I'll be building a new studio into the clear drumshells. I'm mainly inter- that it's because it costs much more to
soon, and I'm definitely including them in ested in replacement pieces for the lights, make a drawn, spun shell than a welded-
my wiring plan.) For an overview of how how many sets were produced, and what seam drum. There's a lot more tooling
to install variacs in your studio, see the the last year of production was. I hope you involved, and the operation takes much
September issue of Recording magazine. can help me. longer. However, even though I've never
"Regarding the drumming/engineering Scamp360 seen any seamless shells coming in from
thing: It's a matter of balancing priorities. via Internet any of the offshore manufacturers, I must
As a start, consider unplugging your TV. say that their welding processes are so
Happy recording!" For years, Ludwig has advertised good—on their more expensive drums—
"seamless" metal drumshells. What that once the drum is plated, without a
exactly does this mean? And if it's better trained eye you'd never find a seam. On
To Ride Or Not To Ride than bending and welding the shells, why the inexpensive shells, yes, you can find a
I always enjoy seeing the cymbal setups don't all companies do it? seam. What that seam does to the sound of
used by various drummers that you fea- Larry Green the drum depends on the ear of the person
ture in your magazine. About 80% of those Parma, OH playing it. At Ludwig, we believe that the
drummers are rock players, and virtually difference in sound is worth the sizable dif-
all of them show a ride cymbal in their We went to Dick Gerlach—who's been ference in production cost required to pro-
setup. I've been to numerous rock concerts involved with the production of Ludwig duce a seamless shell."
lately, where the drummer never used the drums since the 1960s—for the definitive
ride cymbal at all. I recently saw a rerun of answer to these questions. Dick responds,
"Billy Joel In Yankee Stadium" on cable "The original Vistalite series began in the
TV. The camera was on Liberty DeVitto late 1960s; the Tivoli Vistalite outfit was
much of the time, and not once in the two- available for a very short time in the mid-
hour program did I see him use a ride cym- '70s, at the very end of Vistalite produc-
bal. Why do drummers show a ride cymbal tion. We made just under five hundred sets.
in their setup if they don't play it? "The lights we used are referred to in the
Chuck Ankrom marketplace as 'Italian lights.' They're tiny
Carroll, OH bulbs that come wired in a clear plastic
tube, which you can buy in custom-cut
The flip answer is: "Why have a spare lengths from theatrical lighting services or
tire on a car when you never intend to in some lamp stores. You solder the end of
use it?" But the more serious answer is that the wire up to a live current, and you're in
drummers' setups reflect their personal business. We used a transformer to reduce
taste, their musical preferences, and even standard 120-volt AC current to a lower
just the way they were brought up. Many voltage as it came to the drumset.
drummers were trained on kits with ride "One of the reasons that I think we
cymbals, and although their current musi- didn't sell very many of the Tivoli kits is
cal requirements may not call for a ride, that they 'upstaged' the performers. For
They Came From Out Of The Workshop
DW Lacquer Color Chart, Craviotto Birch Snare Drum,
Add-On Clamps and Arms, and Drumhead Pre-Packs
As if you didn't have enough gorgeous drums to look at on today's market,
DW has introduced their Custom, Specialty, and Exotic Lacquer Color Chart.
The brochure features photos of shells in all of DW's standard "Custom" solid,
transparent, fade, and sunburst lacquer colors, along with a clear plastic sheet
that can be laid atop each shell to show how the drum will look with chrome,
brass, or black hardware. Also shown are representative samples of DW's
"Exotic" and "Specialty" finishes, including birds-eye and brushed options. A
kit finished in highly figured, caramel-colored tamo ash is on the cover.
DW's line of Craviotto
solid-wood snare drums
now includes a 5 1/2xl4
birch model. (Some drum-
mers feel that birch pro-
vides a slightly more open
sound than maple, yet a noticeably brighter sound
than oak, cherry, or walnut.) In addition to match-
ing reinforcement hoops, the drum features an
oiled finish, a choice of DW (turret-style) or vin-
tage tube-style lugs, and steel or brass-plated die-
cast rims.
Add-On clamps and arms from DW provide a
versatile system for mounting a variety of drums,
cymbals, and accessories from any existing cymbal or drum stand. Add-
Ons consist of single and double clamps with "ball-in-socket" tom-tom
arms (as well as optional interchangeable cymbal, closed hi-hat, and
block/bell arms). The assortment of just two clamps and four arms gives
drummers increased flexibility in customizing their kits.
Finally, pre-packs of DW's Coated/Clear crimped-hoop drumheads are
now available in two specially priced assortments: 10", 12", 14", and 16"
tom batters, and 12", 13", and 16" tom batters with a 14" Coated/
Controlled snare batter. Each assortment comes with a free copy of DW's
American Dream II video.

Drummers Are From Mars...

Mapex Mars Pro SE Kit
In a decisive bid to make a splash in the mid-price drumkit mar-
ket, Mapex has upgraded their Mars Pro kit with several new fea-
tures to create the Mars Pro SE. Based on the Mars series' origi-
nal 9-ply shell (mahogany core, inner and outer plies of maple),
the new model is said to offer a "full-bodied, natural wood
sound." It includes tube-style lugs, ITS (Isolated Tom System)
tom and bass-drum mounts, Remo Unicorn drumheads, matching
wood snare drums and wood bass drum counterhoops, upgraded
550 series double-braced hardware, a 560 chain-drive bass drum
pedal, and a choice of six transparent lacquer or wax cherry red
finishes. Four-, five-, and six-piece packages (along with individ-
ual sizes for custom configurations and add-ons are available),
and a limited lifetime warranty on the shells is standard.
 You Say You Really Want
The Sound Of Calf?
Taos Native American Snare Drum
Combining modern snare drum technology w i t h historic
N a t i v e American-styIe drum construction, Taos Drums
offers their Native American Snare. Recently improved
with beveled edges and a lighter Ludwig P-S0 throwoff,
the snare is said to h a v e a rich timbre and a "distinct,
almost palpable feel." A v a i l a b l e in all standard sizes, 12"
and 14" piccolo models, and 5 x 1 0 and 7x10 specialty
sizes, the drums feature heads of split cowhide and yellow,
red. or green hand-painted shells. Quick Stick Picks
From Vic
The Wit And Wisdom Vic Firth American Classic Fusion,
Alex Acuna Kit, and Corpsmaster
Of Rov Burns Indoor Drumsticks, Mike Mainieri
Aquarian Basic Drumset Tuning Video Keyboard Mallet, and Corpsmaster
Drummer/clinician/manufacturer Roy Timpani Mallets
Burns' Concepts column was one of
the longest-running and most popular Whether you do your percussive playing indoors or outdoors,
in Modern Drummer s history. Now on a drum, a timpani, or a set of vibes, Vic Firth has something
you can have a little bit of Roy's new for you. For kit drummers, the American Classic Fusion
expertise for your very own, on stick, in hickory, features a short taper and a medium round
Aquarian's Basic Drumset Tuning wood tip "for warmth and brilliance on cymbals." It's 16 3/16"
video. In it, Roy shares "a lifetime of long and .580" in diameter, and priced at $10.75.
experience," including simple, easy The Alex Acuna Kit Stick features a long shoulder taper with
ways to get your drums to sound good. a reverse taper at the neck for "fast cymbal response and excel-
He also demonstrates ways to improve lent feel." Its blunt-nosed barrel tip provides "a broad and deep
your buzz roll, brush playing, and cymbal sound." The hickory stick is 16 3/8" long and .545" in
hand technique, along with conducting diameter, and is priced at $12.25.
a "factory tour" of the Aquarian drum- The Mike Mainieri Signature vibe mallet has a dense, mush-
head facility. An added feature is room-shaped core wrapped in cotton cord to deliver extra
Roy's drum solo, performed at MD's weight on the bars, thus "enhancing the fundamental tone of
Tenth Anniversary Festival Weekend. the vibraphone and producing a bold, full-bodied sound." The
The video is available at Aquarian mallets feature premium rattan shafts and medium-hard heads.
dealers for a limited time. They're 15 3/4" long and priced at $53 per pair.
The Corpsmaster Indoor Marching Snare
Stick was developed in conjunction with percus-
sion specialist Brian Mason (Phantom Regiment,
Cavaliers). The stick is slightly shorter and thin-
ner than standard outdoor marching sticks to pro-
duce the lower volume levels and more clearly
defined highs required for indoor marching
applications. Crafted in hickory at 16 1/2" long
and .680" in diameter, it's available at $11.75 per
pair in wood tip, $12.75 in nylon tip.
Finally, new Corpsmaster timpani mallets
have straight, non-tapered maple shafts, putting
more weight forward toward the mallet head to
produce more sound with less effort. The
enhanced weight is also said to produce lower
fundamentals from the timpani head. The line
consists of four models (general, legato, staccato,
and ultra-staccato), all 16½" long, .590" in diam-
eter, and priced at $38 per pair.
 Bass Drum Need A Lift?
D'Amico Adjustable Bass Drum Cradle
And RSA Music Enterprises Kickit Adjustable Bass Drum Lift
It's unusual for two separate companies to simultaneously intro- to be instantly converted to a bass drum, if desired. The pedal
duce a product that addresses the same problem, but that's the mounts to an adjustable T-bar attached to the cradle. The drum is
case with the D'Amico Adjustable Bass Drum Cradle and the stabilized in the Cradle with rubber feet that adjust to fit the diam-
RSA Music Enterprises Kickit Adjustable Bass Drum Lift. Both eter of the drum. The unit is available from D'Amico for $189.95.
are designed to raise a small-diameter bass drum off the floor so The RSA Kickit combines extensions for a bass drum's spurs
that a bass drum beater can strike the drum's batter head at its cen- with a lift bracket that both supports the drum at its rear and pro-
ter. Raising and striking a small bass drum in this manner is said vides a site for attaching the pedal. This system can accommodate
to produce a stronger fundamental pitch and greater volume from drums ranging from 16" to 22" in diameter, and can be packed up
the drum. with a drummer's other stands in a typical hardware case or bag.
The D'Amico Cradle adjusts to fit any drum from 14" to 18" in The Kickit bracket retails at $90; the universal legs retail at $68 a
depth and from 16" to 20" in diameter. This allows a 16" floor tom pair.

And What's More

Spaun Drum Company is now offering bell including mahogany burl (as shown), cherry, jarrah, and walnut.
brass snare drums. Each shell is constructed from 1/8"-thick bell The sound is said to be well-rounded, with a "meatier" tone and
brass, and is response than an all-maple shell. Drums can be fitted with
highly pol- brass or nickel tube lugs, or with standard cast lugs, and fin-
ished and ished in hand-rubbed natural oil, stains, or orange shellac (as
coated with a shown).
baked-on
polyurethane Anyone interested in the nuances
coating. and methodology of playing the
Sizes offered tambourine and triangle seriously
are 10", 12", should check out The Art Of
13", and 14" diameters, from 4" to 7" depths. Brass-plated or Tambourine And Triangle Playing,
black powder-coated 2.3 mm triple-flanged hoops are standard by top classical percussionists Neil
on each drum. Retail price is $995 for any size. Graver and Garwood Whaley. It's
Meredith.
new from
MagStar is offering a Music Publications.
new series of 12", 13", and
14" snare drums in 4" to 8"
depths, with shells com-
posed of poplar, birch, and
maple. Outer-face plies
can be of several woods,
Working The Inner Clock For Drumset,

Making Contact
a previously independent book/cas-
sette release by Phil Maturano
(reviewed in the July '94 MD) is now
available from Hal Leonard
Aquarian Hal Leonard RSA Music Ent.
Publications.The reissue is Accessories Publications PO Box #300
now a book/CD package. 1140 N. Tustin Ave. PO Box 13819 New Almaden. CA
Anaheim. CA 92807 Milwaukee. Wl 53213 95042

Remo Correction: Recent tel: (714)632-0230

fax: (714)632-3905 Magstar
(650)961-9346
rsamusic@jps.net
press materials regarding the Remo aquarian98 @ aoi.com PO Box 1172
Plymouth. MA 02362 Sher Music Co.
Pro Pack drumhead promotion incor- D'Amico Drums tel/fax: (508) 747-3493 PO Box 445
rectly stated that the Highlights Of The 44170 Old Warm Petaluma. CA 94953
Modern Drummer Festival Weekend Springs Blvd. Mapex
Fremont, CA 94539 PO Box 1360 Spaun Drum Co.
CD was included in the package at no additional charge. tel: (510)226-8700 LaVergne. TN 37086 711 E. Myrtle
Unfortunately, due to higher-than-anticipated production costs, fax: (510)226-7345 tel: (615)793-2050 Giendora. CA91741
lax: (6151693-2070 tel/fax: (626) 914-9699
a nominal charge of $2 for the CD has been added to its overall Drum Workshop Mapex @ concentric.net
dealer cost, which may or may not be passed on the end user. 101 Bernoulli Circle Taos Drums
Oxnard. CA 93030 Meredith Music PO Box 1916
Sher Music Company is offering the tel: (805) 485-6999
fax: (805)485-1334
Publications
PO Box 344
Taos. NM 87571
tel: (800) 655-3786
Yellowjackets Songbook. It's a col- www.dwdrums.com Galesville. MD 20765 fax: (505) 758-9844
lection of individual instrumental tel/fax: (301)261-5015
Gionni Vic Firth
parts—including drum charts—for PO Box 773 Remo 65 Commerce Way
twenty of the group's most popular Excelsior. MN 55331 28101 Industry Dr. Dedham. MA 02026
tunes. Each instrument has its own tel: (612)474-4103 Valencia. CA 91355 tel: (617) 326-3455
fax:(612)474-7701 tel: (805) 294-5600 fax:(617)326-1273
spiral-bound chart book, and the fax: (805) 294-5700
entire collection is presented in a www.remousa.com
three-ring binder.
 Tama Starclassic Performer Drumkit
by Rick Van Horn The current Performer series is actually the second generation of
its name. It was originally introduced a couple of years ago with
This stunning beauty doesn't look "mid-priced." different shells, a metal snare drum, and composite-material bass
drum hoops. In a bold move by Tama, the series was upgraded last
year with higher-quality shells, a matching-finish wood snare drum,
Tama's Starclassic Performer kit offers a combination of ele- and matching wood bass drum hoops—all at no increase in price.
ments: aesthetics and many functional features identical to the Our test model consisted of a standard five-piece package,
more expensive Starclassic Maple series, but with less-expensive including 10x12 and 11x13 rack toms, a 16x16 floor tom, a 16x22
shells and hardware for affordability. It's designed to be a kit that bass drum, and a matching wood 5½xl4 snare drum. Toms and
any pro could use with satisfaction and pride, and that any student snare drums are of 8-ply construction, 6 mm thick; bass drums are
or weekender could aspire to. 9-ply and 7 mm thick. The inner and outer plies are birch; the in-
 WHAT'S HOT On the other hand, a cymbal stand often needs to withstand
stunning appearance belies "mid-price" status almost sideways impact—especially when crash cymbals are
innovative and wonderfully functional
placed up high. Accordingly, the cymbal stand's legs are double-
tom mount
quality drumheads as original equipment braced for additional stability. But it still utilizes medium-sized
tubing, so it's not too massive. Very practical.
Although the test kit shown in our photo did not include a sec-
WHAT'S NOT ond cymbal stand (which I believe is a basic requirement of any
bass drum pedal not up to the standard of the drumkit), this proved to be a shipping error. In fact, the hardware
rest of the kit package available with our test kit includes a double-braced boom
bass drum sound may be too "controlled" for
stand. Nice.
some tastes
The hi-hat features an easy-to-use rotating stair-step spring
adjustment, a rotating tripod for convenient positioning around
between plies are Japanese basswood. The kit came with an double pedals, and a captured felt-and-washer tiller assembly that
accompanying hardware package that I'll detail later. can't come off during packup. It's really quite a little gem. And
even the clutch has a feature that I haven't seen before. The felt
Appearance washers were so tight on the clutch that they actually had to be
The look of the Performer kit is one of its greatest assets: It's threaded on and off—adding additional security against the top
just plain gorgeous. The use of a birch ply on the outside of the cymbal working loose during playing. I have no doubt that these
shell allows for a beautiful natural-wood finish, with the grain felts would become looser over time, but I still think it's a nice
clearly visible. Our test kit was stained in a walnut finish: a deep touch to start out with.
red color that looked rich and vibrant. The birch ply on the inside I don't think you could ask for more adjustability than is provid-
of each shell is sanded smooth; although I'm sure some sort of ed by the Performer's, MTH900 double tom mount. It's a ball-and-
sealer is used, you'd never see or feel it. The effect is that of very socket L-arm type, but with a major difference from others of this
smooth, dry, bare wood. ilk. One of the L-arm assemblies is held by a separate post within
The small, rounded Starclassic lugs are attractive in and of the mount, allowing it to swing in an eccentric horizontal arc, and
themselves, and provide the added benefit of letting lots of the also to be elevated separately from the other L-arm. This provides
shell surface show. Matching wood bass drum hoops and small a wider side-to-side, range than most double tom mounts of this
claws with recessed key rods enhance this effect. Finally, the type can manage, while also allowing you to put one of the drums
somewhat "old-fashioned" logo badges on the drums add a "clas- at a totally different level, should you choose to do so. (And just
sic"—and classy—touch, totally in
keeping with the concept of the
drums.
All of the memory clamps used on
the kit (rack-tom mounts and floor-
tom legs) are designed to meld with
their corresponding holding brackets.
This creates the look of a single
assembly (as opposed to looking like
a bracket with an obvious collar sit-
ting above or below it). It's a very
nice combination of aesthetics and
functionality.

Hardware
To help keep the overall cost of
the Performer series down, it comes
supplied with medium-duty hard-
ware. The legs on the snare and hi-
hat stands are single-braced—which
I personally feel is more than ade-
quate for almost any playing applica-
tion. After all, the playing stress on
those two stands is absolutely verti-
cal, so you're not likely to tip them
over. Why carry around heavier dou-
ble-braced stands if they aren't nec-
essary?
for an added bonus, you could remove the tom mount
entirely and replace it with a cymbal arm. Can you say
"flexibility"?)
This leads us to the Star-Cast mounting system for the
rack toms. It's a suspension system that utilizes extra
holes in the die-cast drum rims to accommodate bolts
attached to external surrounding mounting brackets. The
bolts are isolated from the brackets by rubber fittings.
Thus the drums are suspended by their rims, rather than
being held by anything attached to the shells.
We'll discuss the acoustic potential of this system
later. But in terms of function, I was impressed at how
stable this system was. I deliberately laid into the rack
toms to see if I could get them to bounce—to no avail.
They were as solid as if they were secured by any shell
mount on the market. And the surrounding brackets
were close enough to the edges of each rack tom to per-
mit very close positioning of the two drums. About the
only downside of this system that I could ascertain was
that in order to change a drumhead, one must either remove a didn't feel very confident about the solidity of this pedal—as it
drum from its bracket (which is easy enough to do with the rubber- came out of the box. (After I bent the rods out a bit to get more
covered Star-Cast mounting bolts), or remove the drum and brack- "spread" at the yoke connection, things improved.) The action of
et from its stand. (In the latter case, the rim-and-bracket assembly the pedal was acceptable, but more than a little noisy.
stays intact, which is more convenient than some other drum-sus- I'm very familiar with Tama's "next-step-up" pedal—the
pension assemblies.) HP80D Iron Cobra. It's similar to the HP20, with the addition of a
In a particularly helpful gesture, Tama has designed all of the solid baseplate, an adjustable-weight beater, and a few other minor
mounting brackets on this kit to be "captured-bolt" types. That is, features that give it performance characteristics that I think would
when you loosen the wingnut, it's held in place; it cannot swing be more in keeping with the overall quality level of the rest of the
away and completely open up the bracket. If you've ever tried to Performer kit.
place a heavy rack tom on its mounting post with one hand, while When I mentioned my opinion to Tama's Paul Specht, suggest-
trying to hold the bracket closed and tighten the bolt at the same ing that the HP80 pedal should be standard issue for the Performer
time with the other hand, you'll understand why I appreciate this series, he explained that in order to achieve all the upgrades made
feature. to the series and still keep it at its original price point, some econo-
Equally nice are the bass drum spurs, which are in two separate my measures had to be taken. Pedal selection was one of them. He
sections. The upper section is a fairly large "track," into which an stressed that a buyer could order the kit with the higher-quality
extension rod has been fitted. This is the section that rotates for pedal at minimal extra cost.
set-up or pack-up. The extension rod is what you use to get your
height adjustment—and Tama has thoughtfully provided a locking Sound
device and position-indicator "notches" to help you find and/or Tama says that the Japanese basswood used in Performer shells
keep the same position for each setup. I didn't find it necessary to "has a sound completely different from maple or birch: very loud,
retract the rod for packup, so once I set the legs they'd probably open, and powerful (but not overwhelming)." They also state that
just stay there. But others may choose to retract the legs, depend- basswood's "tonal power is very well balanced, thanks to a clear
ing on how the drum fit in their cases or bags. It's nice to know sustain and mellow attack."
that the option to do so is there, with no danger of losing your Over the years, I've discovered that head selection can make or
favorite spur position. break the sound of a drumkit—no matter what its wood type or
The snare strainer was quite clean-looking and attractive, with how expensive it is. Even "mid-priced" kits often suffer from the
rubber covers over the snare-tension knob and the knob at the end installation of poor-quality drumheads as a cost-cutting measure.
of the throw-off lever. However, when the snares are in the "on" Not so, however, with the Starclassic Performer kit. The toms
position those two knobs are virtually touching each other, making are fitted with clear Evans G1 single-ply batter heads and Tama
fine snare-tension adjustments very awkward to accomplish. I'd Hazy 200 resonator heads. The bass drum features an Evans EQ1
like to see just a bit of clearance between these two knobs. batter and a Tama black logo front head. Both heads are fitted with
The only part of the Performer hardware package that leans muffling rings; the batter also features tiny vent holes around its
more toward the "budget" side of things than I'd like is the HP20 perimeter to allow air to escape without reducing the depth or res-
bass drum pedal. It's a single-chain-drive model, with a circular onance of the drum. The snare batter is an Evans white coated Uno
Rolling Glide sprocket. It features a basic bent support rod beneath 58. These are all professional-quality heads, which I assume were
the footboard, and on our test model that rod had a tendency to chosen by Tama to complement the inherent qualities of the bass-
come out of its holes on either side of the yoke. As a result, I just wood/birch shells.
 The choice is a good one as far as the toms go. The Gl clear, though, surprisingly, more from behind the drum'than from in
single-ply heads provide excellent sustain—maximizing that front! But there was still no more appreciable low end than before.
"open and powerful" quality. Their attack sound is not muffled (as It wasn't until I began working with the snare drum that I began
can happen with some twin-ply heads), nor do they sound "plastic- to see a pattern. It was the standout drum of the kit, with a mar-
y," as some coated heads can. These qualities add an acoustic bal- velously crisp, dry, woody sound, terrific snare sensitivity, lots of
ance to the "mellow attack" provided by the shells, resulting in a high-end and projection, and surprisingly little need for muffling.
very clear, pure tonality. I was able to get a fairly wide tuning The performance of the snare, the tuning sensitivities of the
range, although the heads had to be tuned down to the point of toms, and the problems I had with the bass drum all led me to
near-looseness to get a really meaty low-end, and they tended to believe that the Starclassic Performer's birch/basswood shells
sound a little choked if I brought them up to a really high pitch. have a natural tendency to reproduce high frequencies more than
I'm not so sure about Tama's choice of heads for the bass drum. low ones. They also seem to have a natural "dryness"—which
The EQ1 single-ply batter head produced a lot of punch and a very explains the "powerful...(but not overwhelming)" part of Tama's
sharp attack, but not a lot of low end. Its muffling properties effec- description. I agree with the "clear sustain" description as far as-
tively controlled any drumhead overring. The muffled front head the toms and snare drum go (which was helped, I'm sure, by the
added even more overring control—perhaps too much. die-cast rims on those drums), but I disagree with "mellow attack."
Considering that there was nothing in the drum and no hole in the Attack was one of the major elements of our test kit's sound—on
front head, I expected it to produce a big, deep sound. Instead, it all the drums, but most especially on the bass drum.
sounded a bit flat and contained—as though there were more I'd define the overall sound of the kit—especially when fitted
sound in there, trying to get out. with the factory-installed bass drum heads—as powerful and
Thinking there was too much muffling on the batter head (and punchy, with good tom sustain, crisp snare projection, and a sharp
that a twin-ply head might produce more bottom), I tried swapping and cutting—but controlled—bass drum (which, I hasten to say,
the muffled, single-ply Evans EQ1 batter for a significantly less many drummers would find an absolute blessing.)
muffled, twin-ply Remo Pinstripe. Although I got more drumhead
ring, I didn't really get more depth of pitch or much more overall Conclusions And Pricing
resonance out of the drum. That led me to think that the muffled The Starclassic Performer series is available in several drumk-
front head might be the culprit, so I put the original batter head it/hardware configurations. Our test kit was what you might call
back on and swapped the front head for a single-ply black Attack the "beginning of the line": a five-piece kit, equipped with the
model with a 4" hole at about the "five o' clock" position. I fig- most basic hardware package available. It lists for $2,499. As far
ured that removing the front head's muffling and adding a vent as I'm concerned, given the excellent quality of construction, the
hole would "open up" the sound of the drum. It did...but not nearly terrific hardware amenities (tom mount, memory locks, nifty hi-
as much as I thought it would. The drum still stressed the punch hat, etc.), the absolutely gorgeous, classy look of the kit, and the
and attack, without the underlying body I was seeking. punchy and powerful (if controlled) sound, the Performer should
So I went to a clear Ambassador front head: no muffling, no be a major consideration for drummers looking for the "next step"
hole. This produced a satisfying increase in overall resonance— (or two!) in drumkit quality.

Bosphorus Cymbals
WHAT'S HOT
by William F. Miller very exotic sounds throughout the line
18" flat ride has a beautifully controlled sound yet
has more presence than expected
Old-world craftsmanship and an "enchanted 22" ride may be the lowest-pitched ride cymbal on
formula" make these eerie and exotic new cymbals the planet

a true Turkish Delight. WHAT'S NOT

a few of these models are so unusual-sounding
Bosphorus is a recent entry into the highly competitive world of that they may be a bit too "out" for some players'
cymbal manufacturing. But this young upstart may have the right tastes
idea for competing in what is truly a crowded marketplace;
Bosphorus is creating cymbals that are just a bit different from the men who create the cymbals are actually veteran artisans.
what's currently available. Hasan Seker, Hasan Ozdemir, and Ibrahim Yakici are the cymbal-
Calling Bosphorus a young company is a bit misleading, in that smiths who create all of the product for Bosphorus. These three
 From left: 18" Turk Flat Ride, 20" Extra Heavy, 22" Ancient Turk, 20" Master Series, 18" Golden Horn

men toil in rather spartan conditions at their facility in Istanbul, is the company's most general-purpose line. I'll say this: These
Turkey, handling all aspects of cymbal production including the hats had a lot of personality for a "basic" line. They featured an
vital hammering of the metal. This old-world, hands-on approach ultra-thin top cymbal matched with a medium-weight bottom, the
ensures that no two Bosphorus cymbals sound alike. combination producing a clear and cutting "chick" and a clean
In general, just what do these cymbals sound like? The company stick sound. However, playing the hats slightly opened brought out
recently sent a few different models for us to check out. After a deeper effect that was nice and grungy. And splashing the two
spending a little time with these instruments, it's clear that some- cymbals together produced a dark and exotic tone. These hats
thing special, a bit unique, and maybe even a bit odd is going on aren't too loud, so they would work perfectly in a small-group jazz
here. And for some people, odd is very good. context, especially if you are looking for something with a bit of
personality. The 13"s sell for $225. (Also included for review was
Very Splashy a pair of 14" Master Series hi-hats, which were somewhat similar
Let's begin with the smallest cymbals Bosphorus sent, the to the 13"s but with a bit more presence. Excellent general purpose
splashes, which are from the company's Traditional Series. In hats. The 14"s sell for $275.)
general, these three splashes—8", 10", and 12"—are very thin and Now for the strangest pair of hats you'll ever hear. The China
'dark-sounding for their size, and create almost oriental-like Hi-Hats, available in 15" only, is a bizarre instrument. The bottom
effects. They're all ultra fast and light, especially the 8", which cymbal is standard hi-hat fare, fairly thick and heavy. The top
speaks barely above a whisper. The 10", in particular, creates an cymbal, though, is a whole 'nother animal. The shape is similar to
exotic China sound. And the 12" is just a tad gongy, offering a dif- a China cymbal, yet with an extra flange so that the top cymbal
ferent timbre in a splash cymbal. If you're looking to add a quick has an edge that can meet up with the bottom cymbal. As for the
color to your cymbal arsenal, these little beauties could quite pos- sound of these bad boys, well, they are out. The chick sound is
sibly do the trick. The 8" sells for $69, the 10" for $75, and the 12" more like a "crunch," the splash sound is pure dirt, and the stick
for $110. sound? Well, first of all, it's hard to get one because of the odd
shape of the top cymbal. Let's just say the stick sound is a bit
An Odd Hat, Indeed "tanky."
The three pairs of hi-hats sent from Bosphorus really start to While the splash and chick sound could be a bit unwieldy, play-
show the unique tack the company is taking. They sent a pair of ing the hats with sticks actually sounded very interesting mounted
13"s from their Master Series, which, according to their literature, in a closed position. I placed them on an X-Hat on the right side of
my kit as a secondary pair of hats, and
they provided a funky, trash-can lid ride
sound completely different from my nor-
mal hi-hats. This actually worked great
in a band context, especially when play-
ing patterns between my regular hats and
the China Hi-Hats. The trashy sound
they produced was somewhat reminis-
cent of the type of white noise Terry
Bozzio likes to get from his stacked
cymbals, but without as much volume or
cut. They're weird, but they're also kind
of cool. The China Hi-Hats sell for
$285.

Time To Crash
The crash cymbals Bosphorus sent
also had that touch of "dirt" to their
sound, an earthy, slightly trashy effect
that is, again, just a little different from
Jim Esposito

other crashes available today. The 14"

Rock crash, from Bosphorus's
Traditional Series, was low-pitched
compared to standard 14" rock cymbals. Top: 18" Traditional crash. Middle: 14" Rock and 16" Dark crashes. Bottom: 12", 10", and 8" splashes
The sound here was slightly gongy yet
with enough sibilance to give it a satisfying sound. The 14" Rock their 20" Extra Heavy ride, which had a clear stick sound and a
sells for $125. (Bosphorus also sent a 16" Dark crash, which was piercing bell. It sells for $239.)
low-pitched and smooth-sounding with a good amount of sustain. The 18" ride from the company's Golden Horn series was
It sells for $149.) impressive. (The Golden Horn line has a unique appearance: The
An 18" crash, also from their Traditional Series, was an excel- top features concentric circles of lathed and unlathed sections.)
lent-sounding cymbal, especially if you favor dark and controlled This cymbal had a dark and pleasing ride sound, with an even
explosions. It also had a relatively quick decay with a full-crash spread. Smacking the cymbal with the shaft of the stick brought
effect. The 18" Traditional Series crash sells for $175. out a funky crash sound that would speak nicely above a band, and
the bell sound was certainly usable. An excellent crash/ride cym-
A Warm Blanket bal. The Golden Horn 18" sells for $185.
While all of the Bosphorus cymbals sent for review sounded Now for my favorite of the bunch: The 18" flat ride, from
good, the ride cymbals were far and away the most impressive of Bosphorus's Turk line (unlathed, extra-hammered top), was an
the lot. Each of the rides had personality, and most had a deep, exceptional cymbal. It had a dark (surprise!) and controlled sound,
rich quality that made them inspiring to play. (The exception was not strange for a cymbal without a bell. But it also had more pres-
ence than would be expected from a flat cymbal. This was the first
flat ride I've played that would actually work in a louder setting—
that's how much presence, tone, and spread it had. I used the cym-
bal on a couple of gigs with a six-piece band, and it found a nice
spot in the music in a full and warm way. (And even the bass play-
er mentioned he liked its sound!) Certainly worth checking out if
you're looking for a more versatile flat ride. It sells for $185.
The prettiest-sounding cymbal Bosphorus sent was a 20" ride
from their Master Series. This one is a jazz drummer's dream. It
produced a smoky, soft, and dark mood that spread out like a
warm blanket. Slow-to-medium-tempo ride work would be perfect
on this one, although even uptempo articulation was fairly clear
here. And as for the tone of this cymbal, there wasn't a harsh note
to be found on it. Not surprisingly, though, was that the bell sound
Jim Espostio

was not all that usable. However, this ride cymbal was a pleasure
to swing on. It sells for $249.
Clockwise from top: 15" China Hi-hats, 13" Master Series hats, The largest cymbal sent from Bosphorus was a 22" ride from
14" Regular hats. their Ancient Turk line. Do you remember years ago when drum-
 mers talked about burying their cymbals in the backyard to prema-
turely age them? (It didn't really "age" the cymbals, it just got
them dirty!) Well, cymbals from the Ancient Turk line look like
they've been underground for a while. They are lathed and ham-
mered, but there's an unfinished, dirty quality to them. (They even
feel a little gritty to the touch.) How does all this affect the sound?
Well, this 22" was one of the lowest-pitched ride cymbals I've
ever heard. The stick sound was clear, but the tone was very
dark—practically dank—and the spread was big and a bit wobbly.

Jim Esposito
The bell sound was odd to boot. Let's just say this one had a
strange personality that only the most adventurous of drummers
would want to tackle. The 22" Ancient Turk sells for $329.
The uniquely shaped China Hi-hats

In The (Cymbal) Bag slightly different tastes is a good thing. After all, we don't all want
After spending some time with these cymbals, there's no ques- to sound the same, do we?
tion in my mind that Bosphorus produces high-quality instru- For more info on Bosphorus in the US, contact Essex USA,
ments. Jazz drummers in particular might enjoy exploring the 5950 Live Oak Pkwy #280, Norcross, GA 30093, tel: (770) 662-
sonic depths of these metals. And the fact that Bosphorus caters to 3002, fax:(770)447-1036.

Noble & Cooley Alloy Classic Snare Drum

by Rick Mattingly WHAT'S HOT
alloy shell produces "ring" that complements the
Can a snare drum be dry and resonant at the same natural frequency of the drum for dry and resonant
response
time? Read on! die-cast rims produce a bright, powerful sound,
but are gentle on drumsticks
size and acoustic performance make the drum
very versatile
I'm not sure what's "classic" about an alloy, but the sound of
Noble & Cooley's Alloy Classic snare drum certainly justifies its
surname. The drum has a dry, full-bodied sound—reminiscent of Alloy Classic, the ring blends in with the overtones of the drum,
quality, vintage wood-shell snare drums—and produces an espe- giving the sound a drier, more focused timbre without robbing it
cially rich timbre. of projection. I tend to be pretty quick about throwing a Zero-Ring
Whereas some drums sound dry because they lack ring (and, over a batter head to get rid of excess ring, but that didn't seem as
therefore, can potentially also lack projection), the Alloy Classic necessary with this drum. As a result, the sound was more alive
has plenty of resonance. The difference is in the pitch of the ring- without sounding overly ringy.
ing it produces. With most metal drums, that pitch is quite a bit The drum measures 4 3/4xl4, which gives it a wide degree of
higher than the fundamental pitch of the drum itself, making the versatility. It can be cranked pretty tight to approximate a piccolo
ring more obvious (and potentially objectionable). But with the snare drum, but it also sounds good when tuned low. When tuned
in the middle of its range the drum had a slightly dark
sound (in the good sense of the term), producing fat back-
beats that would reinforce a band's sound more than slice
through it. Jazz drummers would find this drum a nice
complement to dark ride cymbals of the "old K" style.
Dark-sounding cymbals tend to be thinner than high-
pitched ones. So, given the Alloy Classic's dark, warm
sound, it should come as no surprise that it has a very thin
shell. That shell is made from high-grade aluminum, by a
method called "vacuum process sand casting." It is then
hard-coat anodized, after which a high-tech finish is
applied to produce consistent coloring. The shell has some
visual texture, but is smooth to the touch, and its matte fin-
Rick Mattingly

ish does not show fingerprints.

The drum's ten lugs, snare strainer, and snare butt are
made of solid brass; the hoops are die-cast. All are powder-coated
for a glossy black finish. The top of the rim was especially nice for
rimshots, producing a bright, powerful sound. The smoothness of
the rim's countour seemed to be gentler on drumsticks.
There is a single vent hole, which is cleverly hidden behind the
strainer in a non-vibrational position on the shell. The drum came
fitted with an Evans Genera G1 coated batter head and an Evans
Snare Side 300 Hazy snare head. Snares were Noble & Cooley's
Cam-Action model, which have ridges designed to accept the snare
cord so that the unit will lay flat against the head. Accordingly,
snare response was excellent right to the edge of the head. Set at
medium tensioning, the snares responded well to extremely soft
buzz rolls but didn't sound choked when loud backbeats were
played.
As one has come to expect from Noble & Cooley, the Alloy
Classic is well-designed and good-looking. And because it's made
from metal, one can expect consistency from drum to drum, as
well as perfect bearing edges for accurate tuning. But it's definite-
ly not just another version of what's already out there.
Let's face it: All the major manufacturers know how to build
solid snare drums that do what they're supposed to do. But many
of those drums sound the same, and while there's nothing wrong
with them, they ultimately lack the distinguishing features neces-
sary to achieve character in their sound. What really justifies the
Alloy Classic's existence is its warm, dark personality. It truly
deserves the name "classic." List price is $800.
 by Rick Mattingly
Photos by Alex Solca

D ave Weckl was mad. "I called

Freddie Gruber and I was
practically yelling at him," Weckl
says. "I felt like everyone had been
keeping something from me for all
these years.
"But I wasn't mad at Freddie,"
Weckl is quick to add. "I was just
angry and frustrated that I hadn't
studied with him sooner and found
out that there is another way to play
the drums. When I started applying
what he had shown me, I was
astounded at how easy it was to play
all of a sudden, and at the power and
sound that was coming out. I felt like
a kid again, having discovered some-
thing that I had been missing. For all
those years I had been playing drums
from an athletic approach, working
way too hard and gripping the sticks
too tight. Because I practiced so
much I could pull stuff off and still
make it musical. But after twenty-six
years of playing I had suddenly
found a completely different way to
play. I literally jumped up from
behind the set in excitement and
called him.
 "Freddie told me that it wasn't like I agree. Not totally, because I think some N2K Encoded Music label, Weckl's
couldn't play before this," Weckl says. people use the whole 'I don't need tech- sticks seem to dance over his drums and
"If you work at something hard enough nique' thing as an excuse to not work at cymbals, and his drumming drives the
and long enough, you're going to develop their craft. But in a big way I can feel a music more through energy than through
some ability. This is just a different difference in my drumming and in my sheer power. And on his new
approach. I've gotten slammed in the enjoyment of playing music." Stretch/Concord solo album, Rhythm Of
press and even among my peers for quite The proof is in the hearing. On the The Soul, Weckl's drumming has a loose-
a while about being overly technical and, recent Dave Grusin Presents West Side ness unlike anything heard on his previ-
to a point, non-feeling. In some respects, Story album on the ous solo outings. A lot of the grooves
I can look back now and are pure R&B, but the spirit is more
R&J—rhythm & joy.
You can see the difference, too. In
the past, the pyrotechnics and power of
Weckl's drumming didn't seem to
match his clinical and controlled phys-
ical movements. Even his facial
expressions tended to be those of
someone who was "working" the
drums rather than playing them. Now,
the sound and the look go together.
Both are relaxed and flowing, and
Dave looks and sounds as if he's
enjoying himself.
That's not to suggest that Weckl's
drumming is any less awe-inspiring
than before. If anything, the licks
are even faster. But somehow it's
all more listener-friendly because
it's more human, more musical,
and more fun.
The road that led Weckl to that
destination began with Buddy
Rich. "He was the common
denominator between Freddie and
me," Weckl explains. "Freddie
can be kind of difficult to nail
down on specifics, because he
will talk in a 'cosmic' fashion,
relating drumming to how
everything works in the uni-
verse. For some reason, I kind
of understood what he was say-
ing, but I still had some very
specific questions.
"So I figured the best way to
instigate a productive session
with Freddie was to watch
videos of Buddy Rich togeth-
er. Buddy would do some-
thing, and Freddie would be
saying, 'See, see. Look at
that.' I could somewhat
understand what Buddy was
doing technically, but
Buddy had so much more
than technique. He always
had fluidity and musicality
in addition to the technical ability
to do things that most people
couldn't even think about doing.
"The bottom line of what
Freddie taught me was that the
body works in a certain way.
Even though everyone's bone
and muscle construction might be
slightly different, you should
never obstruct or change your
body's natural motion when you
hit a drum."
After his first session with
Gruber, Weckl tore apart his
setup and started over. "I realized

Dave's User-Friendly Setup

Drumset: Yamaha Maple Custom
A. 5x13 Dave Weckl signature snare
B. 5 1/2x14 Dave Weckl signature snare (aluminum shell)
that I had developed a drum setup that C. 8x10 tom
was completely detrimental to playing D. 8x12 tom
with natural body motion," Dave says. E. 12x14 tom
"So I decided to change my entire setup F. 14x16 tom
G. 16x22 bass drum
in terms of positioning so that I could H, 16x18 bass drum (played with remote pedal)
optimize the conventional grip to the
fullest. I took everything away except the Symbals: Zildjian
bass drum, and I sat there moving the seat 1. 14" hi-hats (New Beat top, Rock top on bottom)
2. 15" Azuka (or 10" K splash)
up and down, backward and forward, 3. 17" A Custom crash (or K Dark crash)
looking for the most comfortable posi- 4. 12" K splash (Brilliant)
tion. I ended up raising the seat a good 5. 6" splash (mounted upside down on top of 12")
6. 22" K Custom medium ride (or 20")
inch from where I had been sitting. 7. 19" A Custom crash (or 17" K Custom Dark crash)
"Then I added the snare drum, which I 8. 18" K Custom Dark crash
think of as the steering wheel. It has to be 9. 14" K China
in a very comfortable place where you 10. 14" hi-hats
(A Custom crash top,
never have to move your body to hit a K top bottom)
rimshot. I realized that it is impossible— 11. cowbell
for me, anyway—to have the drums set
up in such a way as to use both conven- Heads: Remo
tional [traditional] and matched grip in a Sticks: Vic Firth
totally natural fashion. There has to be
some sacrifice somewhere. I never played
matched grip very much anyway, except
when I was going back and forth between
using a cross-stick on the snare drum and tonality-wise. I put my 10" tom where my there's a fine line between holding the
then hitting the toms with the back of the 8" had been, on a stand to my left beside stick and dropping it, which I've done
stick, or when the conventional grip the bass drum. I mounted it high and quite a bit because you can get in such a
wasn't working because the snare drum angled so that I could get to it without relaxed place that the sticks start flying.
was set up at a more natural angle for having to twist my body or dip my shoul- So that's where there needs to be a little
matched. So I positioned everything for der, and it would be very natural going bit of the grip concept."
conventional grip. from the snare drum to the 10" tom with For years, Weckl had held his sticks
"If you just move your left hand with the left hand. I mounted the 12" tom on very close to the butt end, but he no
conventional grip, you'll see that the stick the middle of the bass drum, angled as longer does that. "Freddie talks about let-
falls at an angle. So the first step was well. The whole kit is kind of leaning ting the sticks do as much of the work as

angling the snare drum to lean from left from top to bottom, left to right, so that possible," Weckl explains. "In order for
to right, kind of like the old jazz guys the left hand falls naturally." that to happen, there has to be balance
used to tilt it, but not at quite as severe an Once the setup had been adjusted, and a continuum. If you hold a drumstick
angle. That way, I can hit rimshots with Weckl turned his attention to his left- at the end between your thumb and index
my left hand without having to lean. hand grip. "Actually, when I do clinics I finger and let it hang down, and then you
"Next I got rid of my 8" tom-tom. I had get into a whole thing about how it isn't put it in motion, it's going to swing back
been tuning my drums higher anyway, so really a 'grip,'" Weckl says. "It's a matter and forth very freely. If you put it in
I was running out of room at the top, of simply holding the stick. And boy, enough motion, it would actually go in a
 Weckl On The Record
Here are the albums Dave feels best represent his playing: And here are specific records that have inspired Dave
Artist Album Title Artist Album Drummer
The Dave Weckl Band Rhythm Of The Soul Buddy Rich (all his big band records, Buddy Rich
Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story especially '60s/'70s era)
Dave Weckl Masterplan Chick Corea Friends Steve Gadd
Dave Weckl Heads Up Lee Ritenour any Steve Gadd
Dave Weckl Hardwired Steve Khan any Steve Gadd
Mike Stern Between The Lines Ben Sidran Cat In The Hat Steve Gadd
Chick Corea Elektric Band all Steps any Steve Gadd
Chick Corea Akoustic Band all Stuff any Steve Gadd
Michel Camilo Why Not Paul Simon any Steve Gadd
Michel Camilo Suntan Quincy Jones Sounds & Stuff Like That Steve Gadd
Michel Camilo Rendezvous Steely Dan Aja Steve Gadd
Steve Khan Public Access Chuck Mangione Alive Steve Gadd
Jeff Beal Three Graces Al Jarreau "Spam" Steve Gadd
Tom Kennedy Basses Loaded Stan Kenton any Peter Erskine
Robert Plant The Honeydrippers Maynard Ferguson any Peter Erskine
Bill Connors Step It Weather Report any Peter Erskine
Billy Cobham Spectrum Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham Crossroads Billy Cobham
The Police Synchronicity (video) Stewart Copeland
Brecker Bros Heavy Metal Bebop Terry Bozzio
Some of the drummers who have inspired Dave and who Tower Of Power Live And In Living Color David Garibaldi
he enjoys watching on video or seeing perform live: Earth Wind & Fire any Freddie White
Dennis Chambers, Steve Smith, Vinnie Colaiuta, Virgil Pat Metheny 80/81 Jack DeJohnette
Donati, Sonny Emory, Gary Novak, Brian Blade, Carl Miles Davis Four And More Tony Williams
Allen, Adam Nussbaum, Al Foster, Bill Stewart, Sonny VSOP VSOP Tony Wihams
John Coltrane, BlueTrane Philly Joe Jones
Greer, Sonny Payne, "Papa" Jo Jones, Louie Bellson, Pete Fountain (any late 60s/early '70s) Jack Sperling
Giovanni Hidalgo, and Trilok Gurtu. Led Zeppelin any John Bonham
Little Village Little Village Jim Keltner

circle. adapted that and found that this is where "The forefinger becomes more of a guide,
"I was originally taught that you make all the power comes from—lowering the and you are loose enough to let the stick
the stroke, and then you pull the stick hand and allowing the rebound." rebound almost 180° off the head. But
back up and that's the end of the stroke. With his right hand, Weckl began grip- your hand doesn't move. You start and
Well, that's you doing all the work. ping—er, holding—the stick between his finish with your hand parallel to the drum
Freddie's whole thing is that after you put thumb and middle finger instead of and straight with your arm.
the stick in motion, the other half is the between the thumb and index finger. "This is all palm-down, by the way,"
stick rebounding back. But you have to "Again, it's a matter of balance," he says. he clarifies. "At clinics, I have people
allow it to bounce by having
the stick balanced in your hand
so it works like a see-saw. I
was stopping the stroke after
the stick came off the drum,
and part of the reason was that
I was holding the stick so far
back that it couldn't do its
thing.
"When the stick is balanced,
you can hold your left hand out
straight, hold the stick with
your thumb, and just use a
wrist stroke. The fingers don't
really have anything to do with
it. All the great players had that
figured out a long time ago.
I've seen videos of Tony
Williams doing open single-
stroke rolls, and there were no
fingers anywhere near the
stick. His left hand was wide
open, and the thumb and wrist
were controlling everything. I
wave at me with just their wrists and then before answering.
wave with their fingers to see the differ- "I'd probably still use conventional,
ence in how the wrists work and how the even though matched grip is probably
fingers work. When you're waving with more natural," he says. "It's hard to say for
your wrist, your palm is down, so if you sure, but I do know that I now see conven-
put a stick in there, palm-down is the nat- tional grip as being a whole hell of a lot
ural position for a wrist stroke. If you wave easier than it is usually made out to be.
with your fingers and your wrist is station- Freddie will talk until the cows come home
ary, and then you put a drumstick in there, about how there really isn't any difference
the stick is going to move in a parallel at all between the two—which I still find
motion over the drumhead and isn't going hard to fully accept.
to hit it. So you need to turn your hand "But for whatever reason, maybe
over so that your thumb is up for finger because I've been doing it for nearly thirty
strokes. years, I can't make certain music feel right
"A lot of people—myself included for a with matched grip. It's an emotional thing
long time—try to meld the two together, that doesn't have anything to do with tech-
but it just doesn't work. Those are two nique. A lot of people just like the way
completely different techniques. I use conventional grip looks and feels, and
whichever approach fits the style I'm play- there's something to that, because ulti-
ing. If I'm playing a more straight-ahead mately it's all about feel. When you hold
jazz thing or something with a lot of multi- the sticks with conventional grip, it's like
ple bounces, there are a lot more fingers the hands are complementing each other.
involved, so then I'll be in the thumb-up It's a give-and-take, like a boxer with a jab
position. But normally it feels more com- and an uppercut.
fortable and natural to me to play with the "To me, there is a correlation between
palm down." using matched grip and playing with my
In terms of what's "natural," many peo- feet flat on the pedals. But when I play
ple contend that matched grip makes a lot with my heels up, where both feet are play-
more sense, pointing out that conventional ing off one another and the center of bal-
grip originated in military bands in which a ance is my rear end on the stool, I get the
drum was worn over the shoulder. The same feeling of give-and-take from both
conventional left-hand grip was developed sides of my body that I get from my hands
simply to accommodate the angle of the with conventional grip. When I play flat-
drum. Asked which grip he would use if footed, I feel very balanced, but it also
starting over from scratch, Weckl consid- feels very sterile, and that's how I feel
ers the question for several moments about matched grip."
 Once he had addressed the details of his traditional jazz ride cymbal pattern. click. Although you're trying to be relaxed
setup and hand position, Weckl concentrat- Watching just his arm, you can clearly see with it, that's kind of hard to do when
ed on the big picture. "Body motion has the quarter-note pulse. The "swung" notes you've got a concept that the time has to
everything to do with the time feel," he in between are played with combinations be perfect, so you start to tense up. I prac-
says. "For example, when playing a slow of wrist and fingers, producing an extreme- ticed endless hours to click tracks, and
tempo, you want to make a smooth, contin- ly legato effect. then I got blasted for having too-perfect
uous motion with your arm," he says, "You know," Weckl adds, "I've been time—which was kind of funny to me at
demonstrating a large, almost circular speaking in technical terms, but this really the time. But now I understand the criti-
motion in which there is a lot of forearm isn't about technique. I don't need to play cism, because I really do feel a difference
movement. a faster single-stroke roll at this point in in my time feel."
"Compare that to the idea of just holding my career—although that kind of came

O
your arm stationary over the cymbal, and with the territory of this approach. But that n Rhythm Of The Soul, Weckl
moving your wrist only when it's time to was not the object. This was a means to an decided to take a different
play the next beat," he says, demonstrating end, and the end was to make the music approach from his previous solo
a feel that sounds and looks sporadic. "At a feel good." albums. "I wanted to write some music
fast tempo, the notes are close enough Wasn't that always the goal? that could actually be played by a band,"
together that you can achieve a continuum "Exactly," Weckl says. "I was always he says. "On previous records, my partner
with that technique, but at a slow tempo, trying to make the time feel better, but I Jay Oliver and I got into a very formulated
you need to maintain some kind of motion never understood the way to go about it. way of writing—partially because we were
between the strokes. For the biggest part of my career, I have always under a time crunch to get it done.
"The other side of the coin with fast been involved with playing relatively com- We would start out with me behind the
tempos is that you don't always make the plicated music. It takes a certain amount of drums and Jay playing along on a key-
same motion for each note, because it will effort and concentration to play that music, board, but we were composing with a com-
sound choppy," he says. "You can play and the idea for me was to try to get as puter, so it ultimately turned into computer
three-note groupings by combining arm, close to perfect time as possible. That's the music. The computer can be a great com-
wrist, and finger movements into one large drummer's gig; you want the time to be posing tool, but it also allows you to be as
gesture, which smooths out the time feel." rock-solid. complex as you can conceive of. So we
By way of demonstration, he plays a fast, "So you're trying to lock in with the found ourselves writing extremely difficult
 In The Zone
Dave Weckl's new, looser groove approach can be heard all over Groove played (on rims—right hand notated above staff, left hand
his new band album, Rhythm Of The Soul (Stretch/Concord). Here on fourth space) during guitar vamp before organ solo
are a couple of patterns Dave transcribed from the album.

"The Zone"
Basic "A" section groove

"Rhythm Dance"
Basic "A" groove

"B" groove

Basic "B" groove

parts for the other instruments. then we would bring in musicians one by spontaneity,' it was what it was: computer
"When it was time to record, I would do one to overdub. And although we got pret- music.
my part along with a computer track, and ty good at what we called 'pre-planned "With this album, we tracked almost
everything totally live. Most of the stuff
was done with no click tracks. We were
just playing music." Weckl shakes his
head, chuckling. "Wow, what a concept!"
On the very first track, "The Zone,"
Weckl used a sideswiping motion on the
hi-hats reminiscent of Ringo Starr. "That
was something Steve Smith turned me on
to," Weckl says. "He was also the guy who
motivated me to study with Freddie. Steve
had gotten into the whole motion thing,
and he was watching videos of every
drummer he could find and checking out
what these guys who had such great feels
were doing physically to make it happen.
The thing he noticed with Ringo was that
sideswiping, back-and-forth motion on the
hi-hat.
"So I decided to check it out. When Jay
and I were in the writing stage for this
record, we decided to go for R&B, slinky
New Orleans types of feels. I did the writ-
ing for the record with an 18" bass drum, a
snare drum, hi-hats, and a cymbal. I was
really trying to concentrate on feel. With
The Zone,' I could not make it feel right
unless I used that sideswiping motion. It
has this whole other lope when you side-
swipe like that. It kind of swings a little
bit, but it's certainly not a shuffle. But it's do it. I'll never forget the first time I saw
also very different than playing 8th notes Steve Gadd do a shuffle. He was playing
up and down. It's like the New Orleans the complete shuffle rhythm with his right
thing combined with the straight 8ths of hand, but he was playing the part of it that
rock 'n' roll. would be the standard jazz pattern on the
"I think the modern-day player who can ride cymbal and playing the pickup notes
capture that feel better than anybody is Jim to 2 and 4 on the snare drum, keeping a
Keltner. His feels are just ridiculous. You backbeat with his left hand. I tried it, and
don't know what the hell he's doing or man—talk about keeping a consistent
how he's doing it. It's just a physical backbeat! No wonder it felt like that. But
motion going on that creates the feel. And then, you could never get it to feel like
Jim used to study with Freddie a long time Gadd anyway."
ago. While some may interpret the music on
"Jim is really a sweet man, too. He Rhythm Of The Soul as representing a
always comes around when I'm playing. In change of direction for Weckl, he says that
fact, when I was playing with Mike Stern this has more to do with the music that
in LA early last year, Jim brought Charlie originally inspired him. "Most of the music
Watts out to see me. I can count on one I've done over the past few years has had
hand the times I've been nervous when I the fusion/complicated-jazz label on it,"
played, but that night...! wasn't nervous, Weckl explains. "I loved the music I was
exactly, but having Charlie and Jim sitting making and the people I was playing with,
there was like playing for the President and but when I was a teenager, the music that
the Vice-President. Those guys always got to me emotionally was R&B and funk.
downplay what they do, but it's that feel That's what was in my car all the time, and
thing—the Gadd thing, the Ringo thing, that's what sent shivers down my spine.
the Elvin thing. You can't put that in a "So for this record, Jay and I wanted to
book." concentrate on an era of music that we
The tune "Mud Sauce" has an especially really loved, which was the older R&B.
slippery New Orleans feel, enhanced by a
fat snare timbre that sounds as if Weckl
might have been using multi-rods. "Those
were actually regular drumsticks, but the
snare drum I start off on is a little 8" drum
that sounds really...weird," Weckl says,
laughing. "The drum is tuned low and the
snares are real loose, so it gets a really
funky sound. And then the main snare
drum on that track was a prototype—a ver-
sion of my signature drum that's 13" in
diameter with a wood hoop. It's a little bit
drier and warmer than my other snare
drums."
Amazingly, "101 Shuffle" is only the
second shuffle Weckl has ever recorded. "I
remember seeing something in print one
time that said something about 'drummers
who listen to Dave Weckl all the time but
who can't play a shuffle.' I realized that
most people had never heard me play a
shuffle. I did one on the Honeydrippers
album with Robert Plant, but none of the
musicians were credited on that album, so
most people don't even know that I did
that.
"But I like to play shuffles too, you
know," Dave says. "It's a hard feel to get
happening, and there are a million ways to
But I didn't want to just make a 2-and-4 "Chick and I actually kept it together for enough to go out and do these amazing
record, either, and I wasn't trying to not be another year after John left, but I was so gigs, and then when you're actually out
myself. This is just another part of me that close to burning out that I just had to stop. doing them, you don't have time to do the
I haven't been able to show for a long We had been doing both the Akoustic and necessary preparation it takes to keep it
time. It's an honest direction, and it really Elektric bands, plus I was doing my own going, and you certainly don't have time to
is the place I want to be right now, musi- records and clinics. From about 1988 to put in the work it would take to get to the
cally." 1992, I was on the road nine to ten months next level so you can maintain a feeling of
out of the year. I was trying to keep myself self-gratification. That's not to say that the

O
ne night during the mid-'70s, TV together for the sake of the music and the gig isn't gratifying, because there's noth-
talk-show host Tom Snyder asked band, and Chick was totally supportive, ing like being out there playing music
John Lennon about the breakup of but he knew that I wasn't happy. So we sat every night. Some people are happy to just
his former band. "How could someone not down and talked about it, and we mutually be playing, and they never practice. It
want to be in the Beatles?" Snyder asked, agreed that it was time to move on. There works for a lot of people; it doesn't work
incredulously. Similarly, many have won- were no problems between us from a musi- for me. I have to feel like I'm improving.
dered why Dave Weckl chose to leave his cal or personal standpoint; I just needed a "I need a balance. It's great to progress
gig with Chick Corea. break." to a certain point and then go out and do
"When we had the Elektric Band and But in Weckl's case, "break" didn't great music with a great band and enjoy
Akoustic Band together, the whole idea translate to "vacation." More than any- being at a certain level. But at some point
was to have an organized band situation thing, he wanted to practice drums and it's time to continue the self-exploration
that, Chick, John Patitucci, and I could work on his composing. "I was used to and experimentation for the sake of gain-
work in, then leave to do our own things, having time to devote to learning and feel- ing new knowledge. I also need a balance
and then come back to," Weckl explains. ing like I was progressing," Dave says. "I in life. My wife, Joyce, and I just had our
"John was actually the first to decide that think it's important for most people to feel first child, Claire Elyse, and for me, plug-
his personal situation no longer allowed that they are getting better at something. ging into the family and taking time off
him to be part of it, so once he pulled out, Stagnation is the worst feeling for any- from music can really freshen things up
the unit wasn't a unit anymore. It wouldn't one—at least, it is for me. when I get back to it."
have mattered who replaced him, because "It can be a funny catch-22 situation. Weckl found some of the new input he
the original chemistry was gone. You work all your life getting good desired through his studies with Freddie
Gruber, but much of it came from his
opportunity to get involved in different
musical situations. "It was scary for a
minute, leaving an organized unit that kept
me working steadily most of the year and
then going into a freelance situation,"
Weckl admits. "But the nice thing about
freelance stuff is that you get to plug into a
lot of different music and play with a lot of
different musicians.
"I got reunited with Michel Camillo for
a period of time, with Anthony Jackson.
Playing with Michel is always a great
experience musically and very challenging.
We did some touring and recorded a great
album called Rendezvous. I also got to play
with Steve Khan and Eliane Elias, and I
did some things with Paul Simon again
when Steve Gadd couldn't make some
dates. Dennis Chambers and I were swap-
ping chairs with the Brecker Brothers for a
while, and when I did a summer tour of
Europe with the Breckers I hooked up with
Mike Stern. We started working together
in 1994, recording the CD Between The
Lines. So that was nice too, because when
you work with someone over a long period
of time, you form good personal and musi-
cal relationships with them."
 Weckl was especially happy to have par- with that band, I don't try to copy what down.
ticipated in the album Dave Grusin Buddy did, but the thought of him and his "I'm not saying you should never accept
Presents West Side Story, along with such approach to that music is always on my another job; it depends on a lot of circum-
players as Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, mind. It's like a celebration of him, his stances. But if you've said yes to someone
Bill Evans, John Patitucci, and Lee band, and the music they played." who provides you with regular work
Ritenour. "That music was a bitch, and we Compared to the responsibilities of throughout the year, it's important that you
only had three days to pull it off," Weckl being a member of an established band, stand by your decision. I know a few
says. "But I think that's one of my best freelancing offers the promise of being young drummers who are good players,
recorded performances in terms of big able to have more control over your own but who have developed a reputation as the
band and feel." destiny and take time off whenever you drummer who might bail on your gig if
Can a drummer possibly record music want. It's nice in theory, but in reality another gig comes along. That's a danger-
from West Side Story without feeling the many freelancers get caught in the trap of ous thing to get into.
ghost of Buddy Rich standing over his feeling that they can never say no to a gig, "All you have to do is put yourself in the
shoulder? "In fact, when I was fifteen, I with the result that they work non-stop. leader's position," Weckl says. "If you
played Buddy's arrangement of West Side "Yeah, it's hard to say no, because you called somebody that you really wanted on
Story with my high school band," Weckl never know when the phone is going to the gig, and they said yes and you adver-
replies, "so I did my best to imitate his ring again," Weckl says. "But you can't tised that this person was going to be there,
solo, which still stands as one of the most say yes to everything. One thing that's and all of a sudden they pulled out at the
musical drum solos ever recorded. But as important to understand is that you need to last minute, how would you feel? That's
far as this recording, the arrangements develop a reputation for being responsible something I've always thought about as a
were so different that I wasn't thinking as soon as possible. That means if you say sideman, so if I say yes, then that's that.
about Buddy's approach. The whole focus yes to a gig, then you've said yes to a gig. "But yeah, it is very difficult to say no
was on playing something that fit these If the phone rings a week later with a bet- when you're a freelance musician. I still
arrangements. ter gig, in most cases you can't back out of have trouble. When the phone rings and
"I also do some occasional gigs with the the first gig to do the second one. There somebody wants you, you feel like you
Buddy Rich Band, and when playing all have been lots of times that I was kicking have to do it. And it's good to do as much
those great old charts it's hard not to think myself because I had already committed to as you can, especially when you're young.
about the way Buddy did them. So for me something and had to turn something else But now that I'm getting older, it's getting
easier to say no," Weckl says, laughing. the tunes up for the live show so there was little insight about the music and the peo-
Having freelanced as a sideman for a more solo space, but we're still keeping ple on stage. I want to bring the stage and
while, Weckl is now ready for the chal- the basic concept of the record. We played the audience closer together so it's not,
lenge of being a bandleader. "For the first seven to nine songs per set, instead of the 'I'm the untouchable musician doing my
time, I'm feeling that it's really time for usual four or five with long solos, which is thing and you're just the audience sitting
me to do my own thing," he says. "I have the usual jazz mentality. That's fine in there listening.' That's such a stupid con-
my own ideas about the way I want to do some situations, but I think the average lis- cept. No wonder jazz is perceived as such
things, so it's time for me to do that. It tener doesn't relate to it and therefore can an artistic thing, because there certainly
doesn't mean that I don't want to ever be a become bored pretty quickly. isn't much audience involvement. Not that
sideman again or play with anybody else's "People weren't used to seeing me sit I want to get everybody clapping their
band. I'll always look forward to those sit- there and play a groove," Weckl says, hands along with the music, but the more
uations. But it's time to check out how my smiling. "I've always loved to do that, but you can involve them, the better. I don't
ideas relate to the listening audience." I haven't had the opportunity because of accept the idea that people can't have a
Judging by the reception given the Dave my love for another kind of music that is good time because this is an 'artistic' show
Weckl band during a week-long trial run more jazz and fusion and Latin. The chal- and you're supposed to just sit there and
this past fall at Catalina' s in Hollywood, lenge is to lay back and just play a groove appreciate the amazing musicians on stage.
the group should expect enthusiastic audi- and make the music feel good, but not dis- People want to have a good time.
ences when it begins touring this year. "A appoint the drum heads out there that want "So that's what I'm trying to do with
lot of our goals were recognized with to hear solo stuff. But I think we had a this music. When people allow themselves
Rhythm Of The Soul, in the sense that we pretty good balance, and the response was to discover the emotion within instrumen-
went out and played this music live with- great. Right from square one, when we tal music, they learn something. They have
out everyone having to be so intensely started off the night with '101 Shuffle,' to use their own emotions and minds to
focused on parts," Weckl says. "And we everybody had a good idea that they were think about what they are feeling from the
actually played songs, which was refresh- going to be able to tap their feet to this music. But it doesn't mean they can't have
ing for a lot of people to hear. We were not music. fun doing it."
just going up there and playing a head and "For me, it's about communicating with
blowing and trying to get into a 'dig me' the audience. I also like to communicate
kind of improvisational thing. We opened with the audience verbally and give them a
 orld music is a hip catch-phrase for many musicians who believe
they've created something unique by combining influences
they've gathered in their musical travels. But many don't realize
that world music has been around for quite some time, pioneered by such innova-
tors as Walfredo Reyes Sr.
Born in Cuba in 1933, Reyes has also lived in the United States and Puerto
Rico, gathering ideas and concepts that he combined. It was a time of revolution:
the jet age, creating the possibility of easy travel—and television, where you
could now visit new places without leaving your home. The cultural and musical
exchange inspired people such as Reyes to think about uniting the drumset with
percussion in popular music.
Reyes wants to make it clear that he didn't originate the use of drumset in
Cuban music. But he was among the first to integrate percussion and drumset.
Over forty years ago it was Reyes, along with Guillermo Barreto and Danny
Perez, who were influenced by the new bebop music and seeing Perez Prado's
drummer, who did kicks on a bass drum. They began to replace the traditional
percussion instruments with drumset components, transferring those rhythms to
the set. Around that same time drummers in the United States began experiment-
ing with Latin rhythms, playing conga parts on tom-toms and cross-stick back-
beats on snare drums.
by Robyn Flans "With the influence of American drummers and Chano Pozo with Dizzy
Gillespie," Reyes explains, "the whole thing started to meld together. Mario
Bauza was the conductor for the Machito Orchestra and one of the people who
kept true Cuban music going in the United States. In 1948, Mario introduced
Chano Pozo to Dizzy Gillespie, and even though I have photos of Cuban musi-
cians introducing Cuban rhythms to Americans as far back as '46, together Dizzy
Gillespie and Chano Pozo made famous the tune 'Manteca,' which was the start
of it all. It was the marriage of bebop and the conga drum, and from then on
American drummers were trying to imitate the conga drum rhythms and Cuban
drummers were trying to incorporate the Cuban rhythms onto the drumset."
Reyes is a true international musician—he has played with the finest Flamenco
dancers from Spain, the Cuban and Puerto Rican greats, Mexican orchestras, and
some of the most renowned entertainers in the world, including Paul Anka,
Josephine Baker, Tony Bennett, Milton Berle, Victor Borge, George Burns,
Photos by Jay Blakesberg Xavier Cugat, Sammy Davis Jr., Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Durante, Robert Goulet,
Frankie Lane, Liberace, Anthony Newley, Bernadette Peters, Juliet Prowse,
Debbie Reynolds, Ginger Rogers, Doc Severinsen, Ben Vereen, and Dionne
Warwick, as well as a twenty-year association with Wayne Newton.
RF: When did drums enter your player and singer. They toured the
life? island of Cuba in a station wagon,
WR: I was born into a musical and my father was one of the dri-
family. My father was a trumpet vers. Since we had a big home, they
player, and all my uncles were stored all the instruments in it when
either trumpet or trombone play- they weren't playing. The set of
ers. This was in Havana, Cuba, drums actually belonged to
which is where I was born. Since Miguelito Valdez. Every morning I
the first day I woke up I saw would get up and bang on the bass
instruments all around me. What drum. That was my first love. I
got my attention was the big bass think I knew I was going to be a
drum that was left in my living drummer since I was four or five
room. years old.
My father played in Casino de RF: When did your father take you
la Playa, which was a very seriously?
famous orchestra in Cuba in WR: My father never wanted me to
those days that featured the be a drummer. He always said,
famous singer Miguelito Valdez. "Study piano because you'll make
My dad—Walfredo de los Reyes more money and you'll be a
II—was the first-chair trumpet leader." All my uncles lived in the
house with us, and all I heard were trum-
pet and trombone scales all day long. In alfredo Reyes Sr. has spent most of his fifty-year career fusing the drumset with traditional
percussion. Here are a few vintage shots of Reyes that show some of his early experi-
the meantime, I was banging on boxes and
ments.
pans.
A couple of years later, in 1941, after
Reyes in action in 1951,
playing with Casino de la Playa and hav- performing with the
ing a lot of success, Miguelito Valdez, Josephine Baker show at
the "Teatro Enchanto" in
Anselmo Sacasas, and my father left for
Havana, Cuba. He was
New York. I was seven years old. My dad one of the first drummers
went to work right away with many to incorporate double
bass in a Latin band.
orchestras. When I arrived in New York
City and we lived near 156th Street and
Amsterdam Ave., we were the only
Cubans there. I grew up in an ambience of
many, many cultures. I didn't speak
English at all, but I started school in the
third grade. I learned English with friends,
reading comic books and listening to radio
shows.
I started going around to the recording From 1952 to 1955 Reyes
sessions with my father and meeting a lot was the staff drummer for
of great American players. Bebop was Havana's Channel 4 TV
Orchestra, which was led
coming in 1943 and '44. We were in a by the great Cuban com-
war, and the rhythm situation changed poser Julio Gutierrez.
because the drummers were getting more Walfredo had to perform
many different styles in
involved in other countries' musical ideas. this setting.
Before the jet age, you couldn't just go to
Brazil. I think the jet age and TV changed
the whole musical world.
Later we moved to 49th street between
8th and 9th Avenues, which they called
Hell's Kitchen. Moving there really
opened things for me. I was twelve or thir- Here's Reyes at a jam ses-
teen years old, and I realized there was sion in 1960, fully incorpo-
rating timbales and con-
more to playing than just the bongos, con- gas with the drumkit.
gas, and timbales. I loved those instru-
ments, but I noticed the drumset because I
was always going to the theaters on
Broadway and seeing Buddy Rich, Louie
Bellson, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, and all
the great drummers. I started listening to
different ways of playing.
There were also many good Puerto
Rican percussionists I loved who could
play the set, like Humberto Morales. He
had a little bass drum and a big cymbal. In
those days to see a 20" bass drum was
kind of funny—they called it a bebop bass Dig this setup: Reyes,
drum. It amazed me to see him play the with flutist Jose Fajardo in
shows. Usually they had an American 1965, showing some
amazing four-way coordi-
drummer play the show and a Latin player nation by playing drumkit
along with a conga with
his left hand. He has since
developed this technique
to a high art.
for the timbales. I wanted to do both at the
same time.
RF: When you decided you wanted to play
percussion and drumset, what steps did you Walfredo Reyes Sr. was one of the first drummers to integrate Latin rhythms into drumset playing.
Here are some of the albums he lists as representative of his drumming.
take?
WR: I was looking at all these guys in Artist Album
New York who were great, like Jose Walfredo de los Reyes Cuban Jazz
Mangual from Puerto Rico and players Walfredo de los Reyes Wal-Pa-Ta-Ca Vol. I
from Cuba like Armando Peraza, the great Walfredo de los Reyes (with Cachao) Wal-Pa-Ta-Ca Vol. II
bongo player, who was playing with Steve Winwood Junction 7
George Shearing at the time, and Chano And here are some of the records Walfredo lists as inspirations.
Pozo. I feel fortunate to have known and (You'll notice this is one pioneer definitely nor living in the past.)
worked with all these people. Artist Album Drummer
RF: But how did you learn? Wayne Shorter Night Dream Elvin Jones
WR: I started going to Cuba on my sum- Miles Davis Four And More Tony Williams
Michel Camilo Thru My Eyes Horacio Hernandez
mer vacations with my mom when I was
Frank Emilio Flyn Barbarisimo Changuito
ten years old. I found out that things were Antonio Carlos Jobim & Friends Alex Acuna, Harvey Mason
different there. People were listening to Los Rapines Aniversario Encuentro 33 various
jazz, plus the traditional music was there. Giovanni Hidalgo Hands Of Rhythm Giovanni Hidalgo
Drummers in the United States were listen- Dr. N. Ramani Lotus Signatures Trichy Sankaran
ing to Cuban music, but what they were
getting from it was totally different.
I started getting what they were playing and I was the only one who knew fact, Adler taught Buddy Rich. Coming in
in Cuba because I was spending three solfeggio. I was accepted, but after a cou- contact with Danny, my technique
months there and nine months in the ple of months I decided I wanted to be in improved more and more. Danny taught
United States. That continued until I was Hell's Kitchen with my friends. I was me Henry's system—the finger technique,
sixteen. I started getting into Cuban music already performing, and my dad had gotten his approach to sticking. He saw me one
and Cuban folklore and playing and watch- me a drum teacher, William V. Kessler. day and said, "You have to change your
ing the Cuban bands. Then, when I would RF: What did he teach you? technique," so I owe a lot to that man.
go to New York, I would watch the jazz WR: I got into drum technique and read- Living in New York at the time was like
bands, and I started comparing. ing. I spent about three years with him, and attending "The University of Playing." If
I told my dad I wanted to take lessons, then my next teacher was a Cuban drum- you don't have those life experiences, all
so he finally decided to teach me solfeggio mer, Danny Perez, who is one of the best the technique you develop and study isn't
himself. I got far enough in my private reading drummers I've ever met. He still going to make you a player. I believe that
lessons to take the examination for the teaches in Miami. Danny had studied with you can learn from everybody—the old
Music and Arts High School in New York Henry Adler who, in those days, was the people and the young people who are com-
City. There were five hundred applicants, number-one teacher in New York City. In ing up with new ideas. You can't stay
 alfredo Reyes Sr.'s setup is an interesting mixture of contemporary drumset and traditional
percussion. His drums are from Remo's Mondo series, with a 6x13 snare drum, 10", 12", 14",
and 16" toms, and 16x18 and 16x20 bass drums. He also uses three Remo Tombeks, 8",
12", and 13".
Mounted around the kit toms are two Toca timbales and three congas, plus several cowbells
from David Harvey, of Concord, California. One of the cowbells is positioned on the floor and held
by a Toca bracket; Walfredo plays this with a pedal that has his signature beater attached, which
is made by Regal Tip. (He also uses Regal Tip sticks, including their 5A and Horacio "El Negro"
Hemandez models with wood tips, as well as their timbale sticks.) Walfredo also uses a Gibraltar
rack system and pedals (a double pedal on each bass drum).
Walfredo's cymbals of choice are Sabian, including a 16" El Sabor, a 12" Hand Hammered
splash, a 16" Hand Hammered crash, a pair of 13" AAX Studio hi-hats, a 20" Hand Hammered
flaw ride, and a 16" MX Chinese.
The drum throne Walfredo uses is a little bit different, too. "I use a cajon [wooden box played
with hands] many times for my seat. I occasionally play it in combination with the bass drums or in
different patterns."

behind. phonic—and there I was with two bass

But back in New York, I started working drums. She was an amazing lady and peo-
at the China Doll on 52nd street on ple loved her. She was there for about a
Humberto Morales' drums, and the first year.
show I played was with Billy Daniels. I In those days our show band had a
was nervous. He was like a Sammy Davis rhythm section—a bongo player, a conga
in those days and made the tune "That Old player, a singer, and me on drums. It was a
Black Magic" very famous. He had very marriage between Cuban and American
fast tunes and my hands would get tired, music. The Cuban musicians were always
but after the show the conductor came and listening to Bud Powell and Dizzy
said, "Kid, you did a great job." I was fif- Gillespie; many would gather every day at
teen years old, but I was tall, so they someone's house to listen to the latest
thought I was older. At that time I was also bebop record. Of course, I had already
playing with my uncle Emilio Reyes, who lived in America and had seen those musi-
was a trumpet player who had left Cuba cians perform live, so people would ask me
and come to New York. Emilio has a son questions.
now who is also a great drummer, Ralph In 1954 I became the staff drummer for
Reyes. the Channel 4 TV orchestra in Cuba with
In 1951 my father got called to play at the great Cuban composer Julio Gutierrez.
the Sans Souci Hotel in Havana, so we We had to come in at 9:00 in the morning
packed all our stuff and moved back to and rehearse to do two or three programs
Cuba. I was seventeen and I arrived with that night. We also had many singers who
my two bass drums. They had big, big came in from Mexico. People don't realize
bands for every show—I'm talking about
four trumpets, two trombones, and five
saxophones. It wasn't easy to fit in,
because even though I was originally from
Cuba, I was really from the US.
After being back in Cuba, Candido, the
conga player, became a major influence
because he would do a lot of stuff with
independence. I would see him play three
conga drums with his hands and a cowbell
with his foot. Right away my mind clicked:
"I can do this. I can play one hand on the
conga and one hand on the cymbal."
My first call to do a show there was with
Josephine Baker. I was seventeen years
old, it was a big orchestra—semi-sym-
that we had a lot of musical influence from
the Mexican orchestras and with singers
like Pedro Vargas, Marco Antonio Muniz,
and Lucho Gatica, who would come to
sing in these programs and bring incredi-
ble arrangements. There was a big band
from Mexico, the Luis Arcaraz Orchestra,
which was like a Glenn Miller Orchestra,
with fabulous trumpet players.
The funny thing that was going on then
was the Cuban Federation of Musicians
and the American Federation of Musicians
did not like each other. The United States
did not permit Cuban orchestras to work in
the United States, and Cuba didn't permit
American bands to work in Cuba. To
belong to Local 802 in New York, you had
to have your first papers in American citi-
zenship. In those days it was very difficult.
Finally, in 1952, they came to an agree-
ment, and the first band to travel to Cuba
was Tommy Dorsey, with Buddy Rich on
drums. And where did they go? To the
Sans Souci, where my father was working. Shelly Manne and Buddy, and we were five years, and then I got a call from some-
That's where I met Buddy and saw him picking it up. one saying that they wanted to open a casi-
play. Then Woody Herman went to Cuba RF: Once you were influenced, how were no called Casino Parisien in the Hotel
with Shelly Manne on drums. The drum- you integrating it into your own playing? Nacional, which was big stuff. Eartha Kitt
mers in Cuba began seeing people like WR: The TV station gig went on four or opened the casino. I was asked to form a
dance orchestra, and my father led the and combines it on the tablas and the ed by the musicians there, who are some of
show orchestra. So it was Walfredo de los drums. Indian players are all I am listening the best in the world.
Reyes Sr. and Walfredo de los Reyes Jr. to now. I made my home there for seven years
This is where I started using a drumset in RF: What was the Cuban Jazz Club, which and worked with those fine musicians. I
front of the band along with conga drums. I you had in the '50s? owe a lot to the guys there for what I
started playing drumset, congas, and tim- WR: It was a bunch of guys who were all learned. It was such a little island but with
bales all by myself. I was playing congas jazz buffs. We would play jam sessions so much talent. Anselmo Sacasas, the
with my left hand while playing the rest of every Sunday afternoon at a club called piano player who had been with my dad
the set. And sometimes, instead of the tom- Havana 1900. Horacio Hernandez's father when I was born, was a new bandleader
toms, I had two timbales tilted like two was actually the vice president of the club. there, and I became his drummer. In that
toms, plus I had a 14x14 tom-tom on the We brought Philly Joe Jones down there, band I played for Eddie Fisher, Sammy
floor, a little 20" bass drum, a hi-hat, and and he didn't want to leave. He loved it. He Davis, Nat King Cole, Paul Anka, Sophie
two congas. went for one day and stayed at the Tucker, Liberace. At the same time, I
I have recordings where you can hear me Nacional Hotel for three months. He was began to record every day, doing jingles
playing alone, but it sounds like two peo- an incredible guy and an incredible drum- for Pepsi, Coke, and Johnson's Baby Oil.
ple. I did that gig until 1962, when I left mer, so I learned a lot from him. We would RF: How did you get from Puerto Rico to
Cuba because of the revolution. I was also save money in the jazz club and send Las Vegas?
doing a lot of the recording that was com- American jazz musicians money for their WR: In 1970, I was called to do a show in
ing out of Cuba at that time. One in partic- plane ticket. Las Vegas called "Latin Fire Revue,"
ular was an all-star record called Cuban RF: What made you decide to leave Cuba? which was playing at the old Thunderbird
Jazz with the famous bass player, Cachao. WR: I don't want to get into too much pol- Hotel. From there I became the house
It's now available on CD. On that album, I itics. But I left Cuba in 1962, because, first drummer for the Desert Inn Hotel for about
play two sets of timbales and the drumset. of all, I was an American citizen. Also, my four years. Then I was asked to join the
I want to make a point about multiple wife had died of leukemia in 1960. When I great Don Vincent Orchestra.
percussion: It's not how many things you went to New York, I remarried and we had RF: How did you feel about Las Vegas?
put up there, it's how you utilize them. The children—Danny, Kamar, and a daughter. WR: Las Vegas was a trip. There were
current example I would like to use is My wife was Puerto Rican, so eventually incredible orchestras with the greatest
Trilok Gurtu, who takes the folkloric music we all moved to Puerto Rico. I was accept- musicians in the United States. Each hotel
had maybe thirty-five musicians. I was part WR: When I played with Juliet Prowse it tions came in with the computers, and the
of the Desert Inn Orchestra conducted by was gorgeous. She was such a lady and an strike happened. We were saying, "We
Carlton Hayes, and then I joined Don incredible dancer. She did everything with want this and that," and I think it got out of
Vincent. I was Debbie Reynolds' drummer so much love. The same thing with Debbie hand in both camps. The acts don't use
for a couple of years, and she had a new Reynolds. When I became her drummer, orchestras anymore and we also don't have
show every month. She also had one per- she needed a percussionist, so who did I acts who use big bands. The young genera-
cussionist who had to play all of the mal- get? [Walfredo] Junior. And that's how he tion is missing out. So much is electronics.
lets and timpani. There were great percus- started. Debbie used to call him Frito That's why Latin music is so popular—it's
sionists there, but my knowledge in congas Bandito, because she couldn't pronounce still free.
and timbales and having the hands for that the Walfredo thing. RF: So what did you do when Las Vegas
really stood out, so more and more of the RF: Was anybody difficult to work for? began changing?
acts had me playing congas. I had to play WR: There are a lot of stories I could tell WR: Wayne [Newton] decided to start
mallets too, although I'm not a percussion- you. When Jack Carter came to town, traveling. When he asked me if I wanted to
ist on that side. I did the best I could. every drummer was nervous. If he wanted go on the road, I wasn't overjoyed because
One night Don Vincent, Wayne something and you didn't give it to him— of my kids and all that. I always liked to
Newton's conductor, saw me play with like the right rimshot when he wanted it— stay in one place, but you have to make a
Juliet Prowse. Her show ended with there was a meeting after the show. Jackie living. I was with him from '83 to '93, but
Ravel's "Bolero." After the show, Don Leonard would curse at you right on stage. I finally quit when Wayne went to
called me over and asked if I wanted to Another one, incredibly notorious, was Branson, Missouri. I got remarried at that
audition for his organization at the Sands. I Milton Berle—Uncle Milty—although I time and moved to Concord, California. I
played his show and he said, "Okay kid, loved the guy. figured it was time for me to go on with
you've got the job." I became the house RF: Was there anyone who was very diffi- my life, which I am glad about.
drummer there and played for people like cult from a musical standpoint? But Wayne was a really good guy. He was
Shecky Green, George Burns, Tony WR: I think all the shows in Vegas were the best man at my wedding. He even tried to
Bennett, Charlie Callas, and so many won- challenging. I did many of the big produc- mediate between the hotels and the musi-
derful entertainers. tions as well. In those days, Vegas was the cian's union during the strike. We had some
RF: Who were some of the most challeng- musical capital of the world. But it went incredible experiences together, like going to
ing acts to work for? down the drain around '93. The corpora- the Persian Gulf on those USO tours.
RF: What were those like? Alex Acuna, Louie Bellson, and Luis around him constantly. I look at him and
WR: This was during the Gulf War before Conte. My sons Junior and Danny were think, that's the way a drummer should be.
Bob Hope went over. Like Wayne says, we around, watching us playing. We would Not only is he one of the greatest drum-
were sent to check things out first. It was jam all day. Then I would take Junior to mers in the world, he is a great human
incredible. It was the most wonderful thing work with me and he'd see rehearsals, so I being. When you associate with good peo-
to see these young people on those ships guess I was an influence. As far as my sit- ple, not only as players but as human
actually fighting for their country and ting down and teaching them, I said no beings, it rubs off. That has always been
democracy. I was on the battleships way—I would not do that. A father can't my luck.
Missouri and New Jersey, and we were teach a son. I went through that with my RF: What kinds of things have you done
greeted with a red carpet by the Navy. dad—we were always fighting—and I since moving to the Bay area?
RF: Was it scary? didn't want to get into that with my chil- WR: I have done some movie sound-
WR: It was. The military was on red alert. dren. So I taught them a little and insisted tracks—like Mambo Kings with Linda
I brought back about thirty letters from they study with good teachers. They have Ronstadt and Predator 1I—and some
sailors and Marines to their mothers, and I their own way. They're not me. recordings, like Steve Winwood' s Junction
called several of them. When I would get Danny sat down on the drums one day 7, where I worked along with Junior and
one of the mothers on the phone I would and just took off. I remember Alex [Acuna] Danny. I have been working with some of
say, "I just saw your son," and I could hear was with me in the living room and we the local musicians, too, such as the great
crying. It was amazing. heard this drummer and he said, "Who's percussionist from Cuba, Orestes Vilato.
RF: You were obviously a great influence that?" We went to the garage and there was Recently he and I did some clinics for
on your children. Danny, seven years old, on the drums, and Sabian cymbals.
WR: Out of my six children, two are he was playing a rhythm that was amazing. Lately I've mostly been doing clinics for
drummers and one is an actor. All of my I want my kids to be whatever they want to Remo, on their Mondo kit, which is a very
children are great, but we're talking about be. My other son, Kamar, also took off on refreshing idea for the drummer-percus-
music here. percussion, but he wants to be an actor. sionist. It uses drumheads made out of a
RF: Did you want your children to go into I must say, though, that the people you special material that is stronger and harder.
music? associate with in life are very important. I The set can be played with sticks and
WR: In my house in Las Vegas, I had the think one of the influences in my kids' hands, like percussion, which is right down
greatest drummers come and play, like lives is Louie Bellson, because they hung my alley. I use Toca percussion in conjunc-
tion with the Mondo kit. I also do clinics for Toca, Gibraltar, and
Regal Tip. Currently, I'm planning my next video.
RF: How old are you?
WR: I'm going to be sixty-four, but I feel like I'm thirty-two. I
keep up with the young people, and I appreciate them. Older musi-
cians tend to put up barriers, thinking that what the younger musi-
cians are doing isn't as valid as what was done years ago. I listen
to everything. I play with young kids and try to get involved, but
without losing my foundation, my past. You shouldn't lose your
heritage.
If you are born with the gift of rhythm—that inner way of com-
municating with people that we percussion players have—I feel an
aura. There is no color barrier. When we start playing it doesn't
matter if we're Indian, Brazilian, Cuban, or American Indian—it's
communication. The first beat was our mother's heart. People
communicated with drums before there were words. I could get on
a drumset or a conga and go to Africa, to a hostile tribe, and we
could communicate and become friends. Rhythm creates unity.
RF: What advice would you give to younger players?
WR: My message to young people would be to have them listen to
everybody, hear everybody, love everybody—young and old.
People often ask me what I think about Cuban music today com-
pared to the older music. To me, Cuban music is Cuban music. It's
like a baseball game with different players. It's being played by a
younger generation with new ideas, and you have to give the
young generation a chance. There are great young players out
there with many ideas. And you have to respect everybody's ideas.
 by T. B r u c e W i t t e t
n a perfect world, if the drummer were to get tan-
gled in some intricate fill, the bass player would be
right there laying down quarter notes until things
resolved. Similarly, if the bass player were to soar
off with some ambitious popping and slapping, the
drummer wouldn't shadow every move, but rather
lay down a firm backbeat. Both would know that
home was close by. And any time one or the other
desired to make a fanciful excursion, a nod or a body movement
would suffice to signal the intent. Their trust would be implicit.
It seems obvious that we build trust by listening. On the band-
stand, most communication is nonverbal, simply because a musi-
cal performance is not an appropriate occasion to chatter. There
are exceptions, like Buddy Rich, who, as we will read, kept a
running dialog with his bass player. Most of us, though, wait
until we get off stage and let off steam in forums like Modern
Drummer, where we give equal time to divergent musical views
and hope to become more well-rounded musicians.
But sometimes it's a little like preaching to the converted.
Sometimes it takes a different perspective to steer us right—the
vantage point of someone else who has a stake in the matter.
To this end, MD contacted half a dozen prominent bass play-
ers representing a number of styles and several generations.
They spoke with wit and reverence about the drummers in their
lives; they offered anecdotes and analysis about the interplay
between bass and drums. Hopefully some phrase will stick with
you, like the following dry observations uttered years ago in
these pages by California session bassist Carol Kaye:
"Drummers have their fills at the end of eight bars. They usually
rush. I'll go with them a bit. They then usually drag when they
get through with their fills, and I'll play on top of the beat to
smooth it over."
Kaye's words hit at least one young drummer like a bolt of
lightning. What a revelation: By focusing on our roles and ten-
dencies—and on those of our bandmates—our respective jobs
become easier, the music flows better, and our performances
become happy memories. And because of this, people will want
to play with us. The phone will ring. So belated thanks, Carol,
for your candor.
A very special note of appreciation goes to Milt Hinton, leg-
endary session bassist who, since the 1930s, has gigged with
every drummer from Buddy to Zutty. Milt agreed to an inter-
view, despite a serious bout of ill health and—adding insult to
Some of the young cats seem to
injury—a round of major dental surgery, making speech labori- be polarized and more special-
ous. His photo diary, Bass Lines, was a major inspiration for this ized. They're either into the 4/4 jazz
article. Milt survived the transitions from swing to bop to rock. thing or the funk, straight-8th thing,
Now he is again defying the odds: He turns eighty-eight this
year. As a bandleader, if you need a
So sit back and let the bassists talk while we remain silent. drummer to do both, the list gets
After all, if we can't trust them, who can we trust? pretty short."—John Patitucci
 got the best pocket of any British drum- wasn't.
mer. Dave Mattacks is good at that as well; "Jim doesn't subscribe to the idea that the
he's got a pretty light touch, but he makes drummer is always responsible for keeping
Dave Bronze has seen drummers come it sound loud. time," Bronze continues. "It is the collective
and go. Touring and recording with Eric "If someone had asked me five years responsibility. That guy plays around with
Clapton since 1993, he appeared with Jim ago to write out a list of my favorite drum- time more than anyone else I've ever
Keltner on the blues testimonial CD From mers, it would have read something like played with. He bends it around and is very
The Cradle, and is in the current Clapton this, although not necessarily in this order: creative, but it always feels right.
lineup, which includes Steve Gadd and Joe Richie Hayward, Jim Keltner, Steve Gadd, "Andy Newmark [who also played on
Sample. When not backing Slowhand, Andy Newmark—in fact, all drummers From The Cradle] comes from a complete-
Dave plays on London sessions, and with who have come through Eric Clapton's ly different angle; I think he'd be the first
Mike & the Mechanics/Squeeze key- band! I've learned from all of them. to say that he's not a blues aficionado. He
boardist/singer Paul Carrack. According to "Richie was a huge influence on me in brought his own thing to it, which was
Dave, he is a "big fan of bass as bass, not the early days," says Bronze. "Because I quite different.
too much fancy stuff." Bronze also insists was well-versed in his playing—I had "I believe Steve Gadd was first brought
that he is "anti-slap at the moment—strong played in bands that did Little Feat music— in to do a stint with Clapton at the Albert
fundamental, not too much treble. I like to it was pretty easy to fit in with him. But, as Hall. That was quite a humbling experi-
be down there with the kick drum. always, there is a certain adaptation to be ence. I remember driving to the rehearsal
"I played with Henry Spinetti for a long done. He put it behind the beat. thinking, 'God, I'm going to meet Steve
time," Bronze says. "To me, he's "Jim Keltner—definitely a unique Gadd. How am I going to cope?' But he's
approach to the instrument. It kind of reminds a real sweetheart. We get on great person-
me of the Beverly ally and musically.
Hillbillies— "With Steve, you have to make accom-
you know, modations, because he's very authoritative
the pictures about where he puts the beat. I'll defer to
of that old him, to be honest with you; I'm not going
truck with to say, 'This is where it is' and plunk
Granny sitting away. I'm going to go with Steve, because
on top and all I trust him.
the sauce pans "When playing with Steve, I don't have
hanging off to look at him to make sure we come down
the side. When at the same time—ever. I actually play
you watch Jim with my eyes closed a lot of the time any-
creating in the way, and it's never been a problem. We
studio, he sits count from 1 to 4 at the same speed, which
there, scratches is nice."
his head, looks On synchronizing each bass note with
around, rummages the kick drum, Dave offers, "It depends on
through his boxes, the track. In some cases, I love it really
and comes up with straight, sort of nailing every note with
funny little cym- every bass drum hit. When it's working,
bals and drums. He it's a great thing to sit on and let every-
then bolts this stuff body else soar away. Other times it's not
around his kit until appropriate, like in blues stuff."
he comes up with a Dave has strong opinions about time-
sound that's right. keeping. "You have to be sure of your own
On one of the tracks time. I confess that for many years I
we did, he had three wasn't. I'm the kind of guy who, if things
or four pairs of mara- are not locking well, I blame myself—at
cas duct-taped to his least I was until the days when everybody
arms while holding a was using clicks and drum machines and I
pair of maracas in one was getting calls to overdub bass parts. I
hand and a tambourine found my time was good and I never had
in the other! When you any problem: 'Hang on, it can't be me,
listen to the album you then!' You have to go in knowing your
think that stuff was sense of time is within reasonable limits,
overdubbed, but it and then let it go from there.
Alain Caron
with Dennis Chambers
 Leedy drums, which had been sitting in Jordan? "Well, there's the old Steve
my bedroom for six years. Once I saw Jordan—the younger Steve Jordan—who
close-ups of these extremely successful used to do his fair share of speeding up the
musicians playing to women who were track. Eventually Steve started to discover
completely losing it over them, I was groove. He was always very cocky
hooked. Plus we saw close-ups of Ringo whether he was playing well or not."
playing—everybody learned something Will has also done a lot of work with
about playing right there! It was a great
wake-up call all the way around."
How about the common criticism that
the Beatles' time was all over the place?
"The feel wasn't all over the place," Will
states emphatically. "Time is something
you can measure with a metronome. So
what? Did it say anything to you as a
piece of music?
"I played with Ringo on one of his solo
albums and at the Royal Albert Hall with
George Harrison. All I could think about
was what this cool guy was going to do,
and he played the same incredible stuff he
did way back then.
Duncan Coutts "Buddy Rich was funny because he had
this incredible attitude. We were doing
this session and I was sitting in a chair
"The last five years I've been playing thinking to myself, 'I want to get the hell
with so many good drummers, I haven't out of this session; I don't want to shine or
got any of memory of playing with bad do anything memorable; I just want to
ones! You get the odd occasion when the leave! I'm not going to play anything
drummer is not up to it. In general, young except roots and get out of here.' The way
drummers tend to play too much. And Buddy was treating people was bad. The
when it's not happening, it makes me feel percussionist's name was Crusher
that I'm not doing my job properly, and Bennett, but Buddy refused to call him
that's an unsettling experience." anything but 'Bruiser': 'Ah...Sir, my
name is Crusher.' 'Great, okay, Bruiser,

WILL LEE when we get to the bridge, do this....' And

Buddy's performance was kind of corny
because he was playing a rock tune."
You know Will Lee as a member of the Will also played with another heavy-
David Letterman house band. He has an weight, Billy Cobham. "Early on in my
uncanny ability to anchor the time while career I had come up from Miami to audi-
allowing it to flow in directions dictated tion for Billy's band, Dreams. I knew the
by various guest artists. A fixture on the material but I didn't know what a dream it
New York session scene on bass, you can would be to play with a drummer who was
also hear him sing once in a while on jin- so secure that I didn't have to think about
gles. And while Will can slap a fast run or being the timekeeper. All I had to do was
two on bass, he likes to lay back: "The play. What a great concept! The time?
only time I don't rush is when I'm play- Whether the time was great or not, it
ing." Will's first instrument was drums. didn't matter. It was something you
"The Beatles' appearance on the Ed couldn't argue with because Billy meant
Sullivan Show was the thing that got me," every note he played."
Will recalls. "I was an eleven- or twelve- And what about Will's former
year-old drummer with a set of WFL and Letterman rhythm-section partner, Steve

"I just finished recording a new duo album with Bill Bruford. On one tune he played in
3/4, in 7/8, in 12/8, in a slow 4/4 with a different downbeat—he played everywhere,
places where no one else would ever have thought of."-Tony Levin
Steve Gadd over the years. "With Steve, oh the session. I looked to the other side of the Montreal, and Europe.
man, it's a totally easy relationship. I glass, and I could see her mouthing the "It's very rare to find a drummer whose
always compare Steve's musicianship to words, 'You're rushing!' How's that for internal clock stays consistent throughout a
[bassist] Anthony Jackson's, a musician building confidence? That was our last date. performance," he says. "Dennis Chambers
who knows the value of a hundred 8th I wasn't rushing. It was just that Roger's can play totally freely, but his clock is
notes but also of a couple of tied whole time was so far back there, it made every- impeccable. Some drummers play a groove
notes. Steve is one of those guys who, no body feel like they were rushing. However, and it's perfect, but then they do a fill,
matter how big that space is between notes, when you get back into the control room— and—whoops!—the time shifts a little. Not
you know where that foot is going to land— and this is true with a lot of players—his with Dennis.
it will be right where you want it to be." drumming just sounds like magic." "Some drummers' styles don't necessari-
Hearing the aforementioned Carol Kaye On the state of drummers today, Will has ly fit yours," Alain adds. "The better a
quote about drummers speeding up during a positive vibe: "There aren't many bad drummer is, the easier he is to play with.
fills, and then hearing Rick Marotta's drummers anymore. The competition is too More and more modern musicians are able
name, Will offers: "Rick Marotta is the great. When I came up, there were a lot of to play different styles, whereas a few
opposite of that quote. He practically slows lousy drummers, and I got used to being years ago you had to be a specialist. But no
down during a fill! He's sort of like...you the timekeeper. Nobody should have to matter what style you play, the first quality
know when you're driving your car and have that responsibility." of a drummer should be the clock.
your parking break is on?" "I studied Cuban rhythms to be able to

ALAIN CARON
Will also worked with Muscle Shoals fit with the drums. Recently I played a gig
veteran Roger Hawkins. "Once I decided with Alex Acuna in Germany, and I'll tell
that he and I were going to make it to the
end of the song—if I just hung in there Not long ago Alain Caron made the
with him—it was alright. It took me a cover of Bass Player magazine. He is a fre-
while to get into that trust thing with him: I quent poll winner, cited for his fluid, artic-
had never played with a guy who felt that ulate style. A fusion bassist with the
laid-back, especially with the backbeat. Quebec band UZEB, he now alternates
"I made the mistake of bringing a date to between living and working in New York,
you, when Alex starts a beat, it's not funk! same time, and with a good personality was fashionable), Tony Levin is widely
It's something else, and it's great. Alex you could hang with. And Paul is one of applauded for his tenure with Peter Gabriel
Acunia is an amazing drummer because of those guys with a clock. Through the tune, and King Crimson. Originally a classical
that. He knows all the rhythms, and there even if it may speed up somewhere, it's musician, he burst onto the New York ses-
are rules to those rhythms that state why always connected. sion scene with another Rochester native,
the conga player is playing this, why the "David Garibaldi did the tour with my Steve Gadd, in the early 1970s. Tony
bongo player is playing that. It makes a band last fall. He's amazing. He's got a describes his approach as "intuitive."
unit. If one member doesn't play the right pocket. You count off the tune, and the "I've been very lucky to play with a lot
part, the structure falls apart—just like in next 1 is right on, and it stays there until of excellent drummers, and there's a big
jazz, where the hi-hat is on 2 and 4 and the the end of the tune." difference in their feels. But I don't really
bass player is walking. Who are some of the other players Alain compare them qualitatively. I just enjoy the
"I think there's too much of a big thing enjoys? "I played with Terry Clarke. He's experience each time.
about playing behind or ahead of the beat. I one of my favorite jazz drummers. The Jim "I've just finished tracks for an album
think that could all be bullshit. I listen to a Hall trio with him and bassist Don with Vinnie Colaiuta. Being an American
drummer and I play with him and try to fit Thompson is one of the best jazz trios I've drummer, his focus on laying down the
with him. I listen to some tapes I do with ever heard, right up there with Bill Evans, time is paramount, which I've found is less
different drummers, and I play differently. Paul Motian, and Scott LaFaro. And Peter the case with British drummers. In my
I know that my tendency is to push it a lit- Erskine—a very strong drummer. You opinion, Vinnie will usually play the time
tle, but as I get older my playing is more don't mess around with Erskine; he's in a way that's easy to join in on, and he
relaxed. strong yet so fluid." occasionally does little things in his part
"Why do you get along great with some for variety, which lets me either be the
people and not others? It's the same with solid guy sticking to the steady part, letting
bass players and drummers. After seven- him do the flourishes—or I can stray a bit,
teen years of playing with Paul Brochu, we and I know he'll hold things down.
just close our eyes and it's there. It was An innovator on bass guitar, upright "Manu Katche, with whom I've done
hard to find a drummer for UZEB who bass, three-string bass, Chapman Stick, and lots of albums, is always doing flourishes
could play really open and strong at the coiffure (he shaved his head long before it and finding new ways to approach a stan-
dard beat. I usually feel it's best for me to anyway. I've also done a great deal of in 12/8, in a slow 4/4 with a different down-
stick to a steady part when playing with playing with Jerry Marotta. He plays beat—he played everywhere, places where
Manu, enjoying the surprises he'll add. unusual parts, but usually with a very no one else would ever have thought of.
Sometimes, when he feels it's right, he'll heavy backbeat, which lets me either enjoy "I could go through a long list of other
move way up on top of the beat. Live, I being the downbeat guy or coming up with drummers: Steve Ferrone—playing the
kind of plod behind the beat, not going some offbeat parts. beat as solid as possible, leaving plenty of
with him. But if we're recording, I'll try to "I had the pleasure of working with room for the whole band to go wherever
stick with him. Live, it's often difficult to Buddy Rich for a couple of weeks, though they like. Keltner—again, solid, but with a
stay tight with him because I'm busy doing he did fire the whole band on one of those distinctive feel that makes you think you
a dance step with Peter Gabriel or I'm so days—and hired them back the next. don't even need a vocal there to have a
far away from him, with a radio transmitter Buddy played with an incredible intensity, great record. Richie Hayward—totally
on the bass! often way on top of the beat. You know original parts and unique feel, an honor to
"Steve Gadd was sort of my teacher how he looked while playing, head always join in with. Bozzio—his kit alone lets you
years ago—sticking with me through some turned to the side? That's because he con- know you're in for a new experience!"
shakey times as I converted from a classical stantly talked to the bass player. Here's Tony has a definite opinion about drum-
player to a jazz bassist, and then to a rock what he was saying: 'You're dragging!' mers and playing time. "Any drummer
player. [Check Tony's Web site at Amazingly to me, when he felt like needs to cover the function of playing time
www.papabear.com/tlev.htm for an essay impressing someone, he could maintain well. The other factors—originality, cre-
on that subject.] When I started with Steve that extraordinary intensity without rush- ativity, technique—follow along after
I didn't even understand the concept of ing. That experience, which lasted a set or playing time. Any bass player will tell you
playing on top of the beat. And back in two of the short time I was with him, is the same thing. It's a bit sad to run into a
those days, Steve did play a lot on top. still a great memory for me." drummer who's so focused on his fills, or
Later we both moved to New York City, About Bill Bruford: "Creative to the how fast he can play, that he's neglected to
and he listened to Rick Marotta laying back max—you never know how he'll react to learn how to play time—leaving the band
on the beat, and picked up that technique. what's going on. A perfect example: I just in the lurch.
"I had an easy time—still do—playing finished recording a new duo album with "Please don't think that since I'm com-
with Rick, since my tendency is to lay back him. On one tune Bill played in 3/4, in 7/8, menting on drummers' tendencies I think
that bassists, including me, are any more on the mark. I struggle,
like most players, to do my best, to keep up with the quality of the
musicians around me, to learn, to improve, and to have fun with
the music."

DUNCAN COUTTS
Duncan Coutts is the rock-solid bassist with Our Lady Peace,
his first successful band. Duncan's partner in the rhythm section is
drummer Jeremy Taggart. "I auditioned for them and went on the
road right away," Duncan says. "It took a while for me to get up to
road speed, since they had done four hundred shows at that point.
But playing with Jeremy is just a neat thing. He likes to lay with
the bass and encourages me to do stuff with him."
That begs the question, should a drummer and bass player
always lock into every note? "It's nice as long as we're very aware
of what each other is doing. That's one thing Arnold [Lani, OLP
producer] drilled into my head. It evolved to a point where we
could move off to do fills and stuff, as long as we knew what each
other was doing.
"Jeremy puts in odd-time fills and odd-feeling things, accentuat-
ing certain notes in a bar that I don't feel. I've listened to that, but
never played with people who play that way.
"All of our tempos fluctuate slightly live, so we constantly listen
to each other. It should be easy to play with a drummer in the
sense that he is aware of what the bassist is doing, but not in the
sense that he's going to sit back and not challenge the bass player.
As much as we play pretty much like the record, as a rhythm sec-
tion we feel we can add our own little things." to be Billy Higgins or Elvin Jones and has a real heart for jazz,
which you can hear when he's playing rock. He has a big wide
beat like those guys, and he plays things that are unusual. It's not a
JOHN PATITUCCI stock drum part. Same with Gadd.
"I'm pretty malleable, so I don't think that any of them are hard
John is another poll-winning session bassist who gets accolades to play with. It's a function of how rigid you are. As a bass player
for his sleek, fusion stylings and his adaptability. You name the you can't afford to be that rigid or you'll miss out on a lot of
rhythm section, he can hang with it. Proof: He flawlessly accom- incredible styles of drumming. Paul Motian plays nothing like
panied Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez at last year's MD Drum Jack DeJohnette or Tony, but he's equally valid. Steve Gadd has a
Festival. different voice from Vinnie Colaiuta or Dave Weckl, although
"I've been fortunate to play with a lot of different kinds of drum- they were both influenced by Gadd. Tony influenced Vinnie as
mers," Patitucci states. "Everybody has a unique voice when they well as Gadd. It's an evolutionary extension of the line.
get to that high a level. I've had a chance to play with Jack "It's interesting that some of the younger cats are getting in
DeJohnette and Tony Williams a little—not enough, though. touch with older jazz guys like Art Blakey and Philly Joe. There
"I notice that if I was sensitive about it and was loose and not are great players like Brian Blade, Herlin Riley, and Bill Stewart
too rigid, I could really have a lot of fun and enjoy the different following that line with a great feel and very fresh approach.
stylistic preferences each drummer has. Some drummers play "Some of the young cats seem to be polarized, though—more
wide-open, like Paul Motian, who I used on my latest record—big specialized. They're either into the 4/4 jazz thing or the funk,
beat with an interesting 'painting' concept. Obviously, I've played straight-8th thing. As a bandleader, if you need a drummer to do
with guys who are more dense, like Jack, Dave Weckl, Tony, Gary both, the list gets short.
Novak, Vinnie Colaiuta—guys who have ways of filling up the "Time, feel, and consistency are always going to be important.
sound—and drummers like Al Foster, who kind of paint broad Everybody in the band keeps the time. If the other players are lean-
strokes but who can also get some density happening. Peter ing on the bass player and the drummer and not playing time, then
Erskine, though, is someone who can play different ways. the music suffers. Everybody has to play strong time. Everybody
"I did some Ry Cooder things with Jim Keltner, and I always should be able to play by themselves and generate the time. It
felt he was the Elvin Jones of rock N roll; he started off wanting takes a while for younger players to get that together.
 "A lot of times it's difficult for drummers to play with intensity
but not play too loud. I think we still have a ways to go on that
one, just because it's such a hard thing to do. If you listen to Roy
Haynes or Al Foster, they can play quiet and really burn, whereas
sometimes a younger cat hasn't developed that touch."

MILT HINTON
Milt carried a camera on his journeys around the world, docu-
menting the jazz life since the 1930s. "My thought was that pho-
tographers take pictures of musicians the way they see us," Milt
explains, "but they don't see us like we do. I wanted to take pic-
tures that they wouldn't take because it didn't mean anything to
them: a guy sleeping on a bus, or things we do that we get some
kicks out of—or musicians listening to a playback, where you can
almost hear the music because they're so deeply engrossed in what
they've just recorded."
Milt worked with many of the greatest drummers and in many
different situations. But which was his favorite? "We had a rhythm
section called the New York Rhythm Section with Hank Jones,
Barry Galbraith, Osie Johnson, and me. We did a million things
together." Given Milt's love for Papa Jo Jones, why wasn't he
involved? "Jo didn't read well enough. He didn't have the disci-
pline in a couple of places. Osie could read, and he could play
anything. Jo Jones wasn't interested in doing all the things that we
did, playing any kind of music, so we called Osie.
"But Papa Jo Jones was the greatest drummer I ever played
with. He played like a violin player: He didn't hit with his sticks—
he wouldn't hit heavy—he'd hit once and the stick would bounce
the second time. So he got an easier, softer sound that kept the different thing. Gene was not nearly as on top of the beat as Buddy
rhythm going. He was so much a drummer—a real man. I was. The drums sounded different, too.
researched him: He went all over the country as a boy, tap dancing "Buddy used to depend on me to get him bass players. He used to
with his father down in New Orleans. He wasn't interested in say to me: 'Hell, man, send me a young bass player.' I said, 'You
money; he was interested in playing the way he wanted to play. killed the last two I sent you!'
"One record that I think is a perfect example of what drums "Some drummers were too loud. The good guys would soften
should sound like is Jo Jones Plus Two, recorded by some guy at a down and bring it up. I made records with Art Blakey and Buddy
little studio on Long Island. I never heard a drum sound like that. DeFranco. You had to dig in a little more with Art because he was
Of course the drummer has to get a good sound in the first place; heavy-handed.
then, it's the microphones. Jo's sound blended with the bass, "Shelly Manne was a fine musician. He knew how to play well
although I can't explain it. His snares were so crisp, and his cym- with anybody, and he would listen. I would consider his time right
bals were soft. on the beat. I played with him in Japan some years ago with Teddy
"I listened to some records recently that I played on with Cab Wilson. That was one of the nicest experiences I can remember. We
Calloway's band. There was only one mic' hanging in the hall, but did a tour in Europe, too.
my bass is very clear on those dates—and the drums. We made "I played with Steve Gadd when he started out. Harry Lim had a
our own dynamics, you know?" record company, and he was the one who brought Steve Gadd up.
On making the transition from swing to bebop, Milt offers, "If I've been lucky enough to play with a tremendous number of
you look at all the drummers and bass players with the big bands drummers. I made a list of all the drummers I played with once,
who also tried to work with small bands, you'll see that not too and it went back to Kaiser Marshall and Baby Dodds. I got started
many could make the transition. I was one of the only ones who with Zutty [Singleton]—New Orleans jazz,
successfully came from the big bands and went to the small bands, "I was always interested in playing with good guys. I loved to
because I was trying to listen and get in with the players." play and I got along with everybody, so consequently everybody
On adjusting his playing to suit each drummer, Hinton says: would let me play with them."
"Yes, you had to do that, because some drummers played on top of Words from the wise, indeed,
the beat and some played right on the beat. I played with Buddy
Rich and I played with Gene Krupa, and it was just a completely
 Maximizing Your Practice Time
by Zoro Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I never actually
sat down to practice songs. I've always done that. But in conjunc-

A
s with most drummers I know, over the years I've wasted tion with that, I've learned many more songs by utilizing time that
plenty of time in the practice room. However, after countless would otherwise be wasted.
hours of practice, I believe I've devised a system that allows
me to maximize my practice time for the greatest return. I'd like to A Balanced Approach
share some of my ideas on the subject with you. Something to keep in mind when actually practicing a song on
the drums is this: Most standard pop or rock tunes have several
The Song Remains The Same verses, and generally they repeat the chorus one or more times.
As time goes by, most of us eventually lose sight of what we But they usually have a single "bridge" or C section—the passage
need to practice the most. As far as I'm concerned, it's vitally that generally only happens once in the song. So if you practice
important for a drummer to learn songs—and lots of them. What such a song twenty times, you'll have played the bridge twenty
good is it if you have a super groove, times, while having played the chorus
incredible independence, and chops and verses at least two or three times
galore if you don't know very many as much. This arithmetic explains
songs? Almost every situation that you why quite often in bands the weakest
apply your drumming to will be within section of the song is the bridge. At
a predetermined framework. The only times in my career when I served as
exception is go-off drum solo stuff musical director, I always rehearsed
that's really only appreciated by other the bridge section many times for that
drummers. I can't stress the importance very reason. I suggest you do the
of knowing songs enough. same with the tunes you practice.

The Subliminal Method Developing A

With songs as our focal point, let's Repertoire Of Songs
approach learning them from a different Every style of music has a core of
direction. First, spend some serious tunes associated with it that are most
time just listening to the song you wish frequently requested by listeners and
to learn, before getting on the drums. Let the music soak deep into played on gigs. These are known as the "classics" or the "stan-
your soul. This is important! Most of us attempt to play the music dards" for that idiom. It would be wise to investigate what those
before we really understand it. Don't be misled by what may songs are for the style of music you're most interested in master-
sound very simple. Just because you understand what is being ing. You can do this simply by asking other players and doing a
played doesn't mean you can play it. Internalize the music; learn it little research. You're bound to end up playing them somewhere,
subconsciously first. and you'll be glad you did your homework when someone calls
I have learned a gazillion songs using this method. I've made those songs. Other musicians are impressed by drummers who
tapes of many of the standards in the jazz, funk, rock, and blues know how to play the right stuff over the music. Chops are point-
genres. Then I've played those tapes over and over in my car less if you can't catch the accents with the band. No one is inter-
while driving or on a Walkman while doing some other activity. ested in what drum book you were practicing out of all day. All
By doing this, I was programming my mind, storing up all those they care about is whether or not you know the song.
tunes to be retrieved upon demand. Later, when I'd be on a gig
and someone called out one of those songs, I was able to play it Breaking It Down
fairly confidently even though I had never actually sat down to Have you ever been playing a song and come to a section that
learn or transcribe it, because it was stored away in my subcon- you couldn't execute comfortably? That's a red flag. You need to
scious memory. stop and break it down before going any further. It may be the
coordination of the bass drum foot, a hi-hat lick, or the ghosting of Time Feel Chart
a snare beat. It may be the rhythmic kicks or figures. Whatever it
is, the song should dictate to you what you need to practice. Isolate Style: Rock. Funk. Blues, Country
quarter-note grooves
the problem, identify what's giving you trouble, and concentrate 8th-note grooves
on that. broken 8th- and 16th-note grooves (one- and two-hand)
There is a huge difference between really transcribing a song 16th-note slow grooves (one hand)
16th-note funk grooves (two-hand, RLRL)
and jamming whatever you want over it. You have to really break 12/8 grooves (one-hand lead; triplet feel)
it down and figure out what makes it work and why. I don't neces- 12/8 grooves (two-hand, RLR LRL; triplet feel)
sarily mean to literally transcribe it on paper—although that's fine shuffles (all types)
two-beat feel (gospel, polka, country)
if you know how. I'm talking about mentally transcribing it— hip-hop, go-go, new jack swing
memorizing it. I guarantee that all the great players have spent New Orleans grooves (second-line feel)
plenty of time mentally picking apart hundreds of songs. They
Style: Jazz
learned songs beat by beat, fill by fill, and section by section. 4/4 swing (slow, medium, fast)
That's a lot of work, and it takes serious mental focus. But it's 3/4 swing
how you develop the all-important "ear." There are many great 5/4 swing
brush applications (slow, medium, fast)
drummers who don't read a lick of music, but they have highly
trained ears. If you can't read, you'd better have ears like Dumbo, Style: Fusion
because you are going to rely on them when it comes to picking up odd-meter grooves (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, etc.)
things quickly. Style: Latin/Ethnic
samba bolero
Practicing Time Feels bossa nova salsa
To the right is a list of various time feels you should have songo reggae
calypso baiao
together in order to be a versatile drummer. (This is by no means a 6/8 Afro-Cuban
definitive list; it's only to give you some ideas.) Playing along to
songs within a particular style and time feel is the only way to Note: All time feels should be practiced at various tempos for
really get that feel together. Playing exercises can help to develop greater flexibility and control. The majority of your practice should
coordination, but not feel. consist of mastering various time feels within the context of songs.
 Here's a method I came up with for directly targeting time feels well.) This feature allows you to play the tune much slower than
in my practice schedule. Buy ten blank 90-minute cassette tapes, the original tempo, which is great for learning purposes and tran-
and label each tape with a different time feel: shuffle, 12/8, salsa, scribing difficult licks. Once you're comfortable with playing the
5/4, 7/4, samba, etc. Record only songs that fall into the category groove at a slow tempo, you can move it back to the original
of that particular time feel on each tape. Now you have ten differ- tempo. From that point you can turn the pitch control up and play
ent tapes of various grooves. This way you can practice the time it at a much faster tempo. Many live versions of songs are played
feels as they actually apply to a variety of songs, complete with all at faster tempos than the recorded versions. This is one sure way
the kicks, rhythms, and accents that go with each groove. You of getting used to playing the tune under those conditions.
eliminate wasted practice time flipping records, rewinding tapes, When I get bored with my tapes I make new ones of different
or skipping back on CDs. songs, so my library just keeps growing. Over the years I have
Let's take shuffles, for example. Record a tape of shuffles, start- accumulated over 3,000 CDs. This has been a big investment, but
ing off with the slowest ones you can find and adding faster ones it's not unlike a carpenter who must buy all the necessary tools to
progressively through the tape. By the end of the tape you should complete his job at the highest level. This technique of practicing
have recorded the fastest shuffle tempos you can find. This system has been great for my playing because it helped me to identify my
allows you to practice for ninety minutes on shuffles at all tempos, weaknesses. When I was required to play a gig that stressed a cer-
starting off nice and slow, then warming up to the mid tempos. By tain time feel, this was a way to focus on that feel. Practicing with
the time you approach the fast tempos at the end, you're much a library of tapes that emphasize various time feels is an excellent
more relaxed and less likely to develop tendonitis. way of becoming a great drummer.

The Music Search

In order to create a tape library with which to make my practice
schedule more productive, I began searching my own record, tape,
and CD collection. I identified every tune of a given style or time
feel. After exhausting my own resources, I turned to musician
friends of mine. I used to sift through their music collections,
searching especially for grooves I didn't have enough of in my
own library.
Start listening to the CDs you already have. Analyze every song
and identify what kind of groove it is. Give every tune a time-feel
classification. Additionally, use a Dr. Beat or similar metronomic
device to establish a tempo setting for each tune. Keep a sheet
telling you the tempos, time feels, and approximate running time
with each practice tape. This all takes some time to put together,
but it's time well spent, because once you do the homework you'll
waste much less time in the practice room. You'd be surprised at
the results that even a short amount of constructive practice can
achieve.
As a technical note, I recommend purchasing a CD player that
has an A/B switch on it. (I have a Denon model DCD-690.) The
A/B switch allows you to play the same section of music over and
over, without having to start at the beginning of the track. This is
absolutely great—especially for long songs. If you're having diffi-
culty with a passage ten minutes into a song, you can concentrate
solely on that section. This feature has saved me lots of time when
learning new material, because I go straight to the difficult sec-
tions and get them out of the way first. I home in on all the kicks
and accents in that section and really get them down.
The A/B switch can be invaluable when working with instruc-
tional books, too. There are many great books on the market with
accompanying CDs—but they have a tendency to cram a million
beat examples onto each track selection. This can be a pain in the
neck if you want to focus on the thirteenth example of a given
track. Again, the A/B switch lets you repeat that one example over
and over.
Another great feature to have on a CD player (if you can still
find it) is a pitch-control switch. (Denon used to make this as
 Joe Chambers
by Mark Griffith force-feeding the music. A perfect example of this can be found on
"Mephistopheles" from The All Seeing Eye. Throughout this per-

J
oe Chambers is not a household name, but he holds an impor- formance Chambers weaves his drumming in and out, searching
tant place in drumming history. He has played with many of for the space where his drums will fit. This way of playing makes
jazz's greatest innovators, including Wayne Shorter, Chick him a sort of "anti-drumming drummer"—but a very musical one.
Corea, Charles Mingus, Joe Zawinul, and Joe Henderson. On McCoy Tyner's outstanding large-group recording Tender
Chambers is also a pianist, a vibraphonist, and a masterful com- Moments, and Joe Henderson's brilliant Mode For Joe, Chambers'
poser. drumming supports the many soloists by following them as
Joe made his drumming and compositional debut in 1964, on opposed to leading them. On both recordings Joe's intuitive sup-
Freddie Hubbard's Breaking Point. His drumming made this port of the various soloists proves him to be almost musically psy-
recording different from Hubbard's previous outings. While many chic—and very aware of the sonic spectrum. When a soloist
drummers of the '60s were busy playing lots of notes and breaking played high, Chambers would often complement that with a low
up the time, Chambers played fewer notes and broke up the space rumble. Conversely, when a soloist played in a lower range,
that contained the time. On Breaking Point, the accent schemes Chambers would balance that with more crashing and the use of
contained within Joe's playing were not camouflaged by a barrage his cymbals. This musical syncronicity is what makes Joe
of surrounding notes. This, and his elasticized timekeeping, make
Joe Chambers and Breaking Point the place to begin studying the
complex and challenging jazz drumming of the mid-'60s.
Wayne Shorter's recordings Etcetera, The All Seeing Eye,
Adam's Apple, and Schizophrenia all feature Joe's fantastic drum-
ming. On Etcetera, the quartet seems to float on Chambers' danc-
ing and propulsive beat. Joe's brushwork on "Penelope" is strong
but subtle. On "Toy Tune" Joe lets the other musicians provide the
final accents to his drumming crescendos. Joe fills up the breaks in
"Barracudas" in inventive ways, while his solo on the title track
evolves from a spatial vamp into a powerful cadenza, then back to
a virtual whisper. Etcetera is a very important jazz recording, and
a powerful statement to the greatness of Joe Chambers.
On the classic Shorter quartet session Adam's Apple, Chambers
gives a clinic in dynamics. When the music calls for very quiet
and subtle support, Joe provides it. On tunes that call for more
aggressive drumming, he builds so gradually that you can't even
tell it's happening. Then, when the need for "bashing" subsides, he
takes it right back down to where it was at the outset. Chambers'
treatment of the original version of "Footprints" is very different
from the later Miles Davis version with Tony Williams, providing
two contrasting (yet brilliant) approaches to the same tune. On
"Chief Crazy Horse" Joe lighthandedly bashes through a rhythmic
vamp with taste and precision.
On Schizophrenia and The All Seeing Eye the groups are larger,
and Chambers' support is more varied. Schizophrenia is a fairly
traditional outing, but The All Seeing Eye features lengthy pieces
with multiple sections. Chambers is a pillar of strength and con-
trol, guiding the group through Wayne's complex compositions
with grace and fire.
One of Joe Chambers' unique characteristics is his inclination to
fit his transparent drumming around what is happening, instead of
Chambers so important (and so popular with many of jazz's great- At the end of Joe's drum solo on "Aquarian Moon" he fades out
est musicians). and concludes with complete silence. "The Omen" features Bobby
Another important aspect of Chambers' drumming is what he and Joe switching instruments and playing freely with pianist
doesn't play. This characteristic is amply demonstrated on three Herbie Hancock. Components and Dialogue are each sextet
recordings Joe made with the great Andrew Hill. Andrew! is a affairs, requiring Joe to listen even harder to find "his space." On
hard-driving date. One For One is very similar to the outstanding Patterns and Total Eclipse, Hutcherson's quartet is augmented by
Point Of Departure, which featured Tony Williams. Compulsion is a single saxophonist, and features Joe at his best.
a unique recording that featured two African drummers in the Total Eclipse featured pianist Chick Corea. Joe had played on
rhythm section along with Chambers. Joe proved to be the perfect Chick's 1966 recording Inner Space. The liner notes on that record
drummer in this context, since his style is focused on leaving state that Chambers was "occupying that magic netherworld
space, not filling it up. These three recordings are all available in between swing and space." In Corea's own words, Joe was playing
the outstanding box set The Complete Blue Note Andrew Hill "sounds and textures." This is an integral recording of mid-'60s
Sessions (1963-66). modern jazz. Patterns included pianist Stanley Cowell. Cowell
Perhaps part of the reason that Chambers doesn't sound like any later called Joe for the adventurous Brilliant Circles, and recently
other drummer is because he plays the drums like a vibraphonist. for Back To The Beautiful.
When you consider some of the special aspects of playing the Before Weather Report was formed, Joe Zawinul made a record
vibes (such as dampening and muting), you gain important insight titled simply Zawinul. It featured Wayne Shorter on sax, Miroslav
into his drumming. Vitous on bass (both original members of Weather Report), and
Chambers had a strong relationship with vibraphonist Bobby Chambers, playing music that Zawinul had written for Miles
Hutcherson, and is on six of Bobby's early recordings: Davis. Based on the musicians involved, Zawinul could be consid-
Components, Dialogue, Happenings, Oblique, Patterns, and Total ered the "first meeting" of Weather Report, and Joe Chambers is
Eclipse. (These recordings also include twelve of Joe's composi- an integral part of it. You can hear the influence Zawinul and
tions.) All of these works employed a pianist along with the vibes. Chambers had on Miles' recording In A Silent Way. Around this
With this instrumentation it's often difficult for the drummer to same time both Zawinul and Chambers participated in an unre-
find "his space." Again, this is one of Chambers' specialties, and it leased Miles Davis session that will be issued for the first time as
comes to the forefront on Happenings and Oblique. On part of an upcoming Davis box set. Miroslav Vitous's monumental
Happenings, listen to how Joe's ride cymbal is quiet yet precise. Mountain In The Clouds recording was also done around this same
time. Chambers plays drums on two songs; Jack DeJohnette is on
the rest. It is simply outstanding.
Tracking Them Down
In 1978 Charles Mingus wrote a thirty-minute suite called Here's a list of the albums mentioned in this month's column, including
label and catalog information. Below the list are several sources you
"Three Worlds Of Drums" for Dannie Richmond, Joe Chambers, might want to check for hard-to-find releases.
and Steve Gadd, released on Mingus's Me, Myself An Eye. It is a
fascinating concept and composition, and the three drummers are Freddie Hubbard One For One, Blue Note BNLA 459-2
stunning. Chambers and Richmond play together on the rest of the Breaking Point, Blue Note CDP 7 84172 2 Compulsion, Blue Note BST 84217
Wayne Shorter Joe Zawinul
recording. Also check out Charles Mingus And Friends In
Etcetera, Blue Note CDP 7243 8 33581 2 0 Zawinul, Atlantic 1579-2
Concert, recorded in 1972. Adam's Apple, Blue Note CDP 7 46403 2 Miroslav Vitous
In the early '70s, Chambers assembled a group for three unique The All Seeing Eye, Blue Note CDP 7243 8 291002 2 Mountain In The Clouds, Atlantic SD1622
recording sessions, all of which are contained on the recording The Schizophrenia, Blue Note CDP 7243 8 32096 2 0 Charles Mingus
Almoravid. Two of the sessions were done with the instrumenta- Joe Henderson And Friends In Concert,
Mode For Joe, Blue Note CDP 7 84227 2 Columbia/Legacy C2K 64975
tion of drums, two mallet players, congas, percussion, and bass.
McCoy Tyner Me, Myself An Eye, Atlantic SD 8803
One of these sessions also added piano. The third session featured Tender Moments, Blue Note CDP 7 84275 2 Joe Chambers
a standard sextet. Each group played two tunes on the record. Bobby Hutcherson The Almoravid, Muse MR5035
While The Almoravid is based on drums and percussion, there are Oblique, Blue Note CDP 7 84444 2 Double Exposure, Muse MR5165
no drum solos. Still, it's one of the greatest drummer-led record- Happenings, Blue Note CDP 746530 2 Phantom Of The City, Candid CCD 79517
Components, Blue Note CDP 7243 8 29027 2 0 Colossal Saxophone Sessions,
ings ever.
Dialogue, Blue Note CDP 7 46537 2 Evidence ECD 22130-2
Chambers' next solo recording, Double Exposure, was also Patterns, Blue Note CDP 7243 8 33583 2 8 Candid Jazz Masters
unique. It was made by the duet of Chambers and organist Larry Total Eclipse, Blue Note CDP 7 84291 2 For Miles, Candid CCD 79710
Young, and Joe plays drums exclusively on just two cuts. The Chick Corea Woody Shaw
other four cuts are devoted to Chambers and Young playing piano Inner Space, Atlantic 305-2 Last Of The Line, 32 Jazz 32024
Stanley Cowell M'Boom
and organ duets, with Chambers also adding percussion. Joe plays
Brilliant Circles, Black Lion BLCD 760204 Live At S.O.B.'s, Bluemoon R2-79182
the piano beautifully. This is an outstanding recording by two very Back To The Beautiful, Concord Jazz CCD-4398 M'Boom, Columbia/Legacy CK57886
talented musicians. Andrew Hill Collage, Soul Note 121059
Unfortunately both The Almoravid and Double Exposure are out The Complete Blue Note Sessions (1963-66), Kevin Hays
of print—but they're worth searching for. One of the cuts from Mosaic MD7-161 Sweet Ear, Steeplechase SSCD 31282
Andrew!, Blue Note BST-84203

Tower Records Mail Order, (800) 648-4844

J&R Music World Mail Order, (800) 221-8180
Audiophile Imports, (410) 628-7601
Third St. Jazz And Rock, (800) 486-8745
Rick Ballard Imports, PO Box 5063, Dept. DB, Berkeley, CA 94705
Double Time Jazz, PO Box 1244, New Albany, IN 47151
Scott Davidson Music, (302) 529-1081

The Almoravid, "Medina," is on Woody Shaw's reissue Last Of

The Line. That same reissue also contains Shaw's own recording
Cassandranite, which includes Chambers' brilliant drumming.
Max Roach's percussion group M'Boom benefited from
Chambers' percussive concept and skillful playing. For an exam-
ple of this, listen to M'Boom, Collage, and Live At S. O.B.'s.
Joe recently made an outstanding live quartet recording called
Phantom Of The City, featuring saxophonist Bob Berg. He also
arranged, produced, and led a unique date (featuring twelve differ-
ent saxophonists ranging from Steve Coleman and John Zorn to
Phil Woods and Lee Konitz) called The Colossal Saxophone
Sessions. On this double CD, Chambers groups many different
saxophonists together. Because of their varied backgrounds, this
concept could have been a disaster. Instead, Chambers' strong
drumming provides the firm foundation necessary for an ultimate-
ly outstanding recording. In the '90s the Candid Jazz Masters (co-
led by Chambers) recorded a tribute to Miles Davis simply titled
For Miles. Also give a listen to '60s throwback Kevin Hays'
inspired Sweet Ear.
Joe Chambers plays more than notes: He plays music. He is a
creative musician and a musical drummer who refuses to repeat
himself or stand still.
 Getting The Best Sound From
"Less Than The Best" Drums
by Larry T. Kennedy Drum Truism #4—Your drums can always sound better!

F
Never before have we had so many ways to change the sound of
or many of us, investing $2,500 or more to buy a top-of-the- our drums. More types of heads from more manufacturers, more
line drumset is not an option at this point in our drumming muffling products, more electronics choices—there's always
careers. My band plays in small clubs every other weekend, something else to try in your quest for the best possible drum
and it would take every dollar that I make playing for an entire sound!
year to purchase the least-expensive, name-brand, top-of-the-line So, once we understand these "truisms," where do we start?
kit.
Of course, there are valid reasons that the pros play kits with Analyzing Your Drum Sound
shells of all maple or all birch. Top-of-the-line drums will sound First, you need to determine how your drums actually sound to
good almost despite anything that you do to them. For those of us the people you play for. There are a couple of ways to do this:
who own a less expensive drumkit, it is a bit more of a challenge 1) Tape your band from the back of the room, with a good tape
to get a good sound—but it can be done. I've been playing an deck and decent mic', placed where the audience will be hearing
"entry level" Pearl Export kit for more than three years. While you.
these drums sound pretty good (since I replaced the original batter 2) Have a drummer friend play your kit, with your band, while
heads), I'm still learning ways to make them sound better. you listen from the back of the room.
Hopefully I can help you make the drums you now own sound bet- Of these alternatives, I much prefer the first. This is the only
ter, too! way to tell how your drums sound to the audience when you play
Let's start our quest for the best sound from our drums by them. Be sure to always record yourself playing with your band, as
acknowledging a few drum "truisms": your drums will sound different when played alone. What you
Drum Truism #1—You will never be able to make your want to know is how your drums sound in their normal musical
drums sound exactly like the drums you hear on CDs. When context. You don't have to make a studio-quality tape. Make the
you listen to a drummer on a CD, the drum sound often has as best tape you can with the equipment you have.
much to do with recording technology as it does with drum tech- When I listened to the tape I had made of my band, I found that
nology. Recording engineers can use equalizers, compressors, and the distance between my drums and the audience makes my toms
other gear to alter the actual sound of drums and cymbals. Plus, sound muddy and lower-pitched "out there" than they do to me.
CDs are recorded in a controlled environment, designed to yield They also all sounded like the same drum. My snare sounded
optimum sound. The garages, bars, and clubs the majority of us "brittle," and my bass drum was often not being heard at all.
play in are far from being "controlled" environments.
Drum Truism #2—How your drums sound to you is not the Making Your Drums Sound Better
most important concern. One of the most recent lessons I've Once you've heard your tape and know how your drums actual-
learned is that my drums and cymbals sound radically different to ly sound, decide what sound you want. Then, don't quit experi-
the audience from the way they do to me as I sit behind them. Ask menting until you get that sound!
yourself these important questions: I recently invested $7.50 in the excellent book Drum Tuning by
1) How do my drums sound to the audience? Larry Nolly, and have spent quite a few hours in my den experi-
2) How do my drums sound to the other members of the band? menting with tuning and head selection, using this book as a
and, only then: guide. After working with Drum Tuning, my philosophy is to get
3) How do my drums sound to me from behind the kit? the best sound out of each individual drum, and then make slight
Drum Truism #3—Your drums and cymbals will sound dif- adjustments to make the drums sound good together. (I'll probably
ferent in every different place you play. If you depend primarily also buy Bob Gatzen's Drum Tuning: Sound And Design video to
or totally on the acoustic sound of your drums and cymbals, you'll learn even more about how to get better sound from my drums.)
likely have to adjust your sound from one place to the next. The Based on what I learned from Drum Tuning, I began tuning my
size of the room, the height of the ceiling, covered or bare walls, toms a bit higher than sounded "right" to me from behind the kit,
bare or carpeted stages—all these factors will affect your sound. and took off almost all of the muffling. After much effort, I
learned that there was nothing that I could do to make my 12" and when "chasing" a better sound. Don't try to reinvent the wheel,
13" mounted toms sound distinct one from another and get a good but use any and every resource to get advice on head selection,
sound from each drum; I had to tune the 12" too high and the 13" tuning, muffling, etc.
too low—and this still wasn't effective. This discovery led me to
order 10" and 14" Export tom add-ons, and to drop the 13" tom Playing Different Places
from my setup. This greatly eased my tuning efforts to make my I always tune up my drums at home, in a quieter place than I'll
toms sound different from one another, and it was much cheaper be able to find when I set up in a bar or club. However, I know
than buying a whole new kit. that I'll have to adjust my tuning for the room as I set up, and then
Another, less expensive approach I took prior to buying these again based on how the drums sound in that room while the band
add-on toms was to set up a four-piece, with either the 12" or 13" is playing.
tom and the 16" floor tom. Since the audience wasn't hearing three I also sometimes change heads, based on the size of the room
distinct tom sounds with the 12/13/16 lineup, I could "lose" one of and how hard or soft I'll likely be playing there. If I'll be playing
the mounted toms and still get the same effect. fairly hard, I use twin-ply heads; for playing softly, I use single-
As for the problem with my snare drum, I experimented with ply heads, tuned a bit higher. (I use a second cymbal bag to carry
different tunings, and finally found a good sound by adjusting the spare heads with me when I play out, and have either the one- or
tunings of both the batter (top) and resonant (bottom) heads. I had two-ply heads ready to swap over, should the ones already mount-
to mike my bass drum for it to be heard. (More on this later.) ed prove to not be the right choice for that room.)
Generally, thicker or two-ply heads are going to be a good Try to make a tape each time you play a new place (during
choice for less-expensive drums. Most often, it's difficult to get sound check, if possible, so that you can play the tape back before
full, low tones from inexpensive drums; thicker heads will add you "play for pay"), and make adjustments based upon what you
depth. Try new heads and new head combinations. Replace your hear.
bottom heads with thicker, thinner, or just better-quality heads. I'll save you some of the aggravation that I have gone through
Try a thicker batter head on your floor tom than on the other toms by suggesting that you start with your bottom or resonant heads in
(my favorite trick). adjusting your drums for different rooms. Tuning these heads a bit
Ask for advice from local drummers who have a good drum higher or lower in various rooms can particularly help your toms!
sound. Also consult the clerk at your local music store. Call a
drumhead manufacturer for advice; these guys can be a lot of help
 Mic's And Electronics recommended here should help you get a better sound from the
Once you've exhausted the acoustic alternatives, explore the drums you already own. And, when you and I can justify investing
electronic ones. The pros "close-mike" each drum and run these in a better set of drums, we'll be better prepared to make that set
through a mixer. Costing at least $1,000, this proposition is neither sound as good as possible, too.
cost-effective nor necessary for the relatively small rooms where
my band plays. Instead, I mike my bass drum—nothing fancy, just
an Audio Technica Pro 25 bracketed onto my bass drum hoop and Resources
pointed through the vent hole in the front head. The low tone of an For info on tuning drums: Modern Drummer, Mar. '94
unmiked bass drum just won't cut through much amplification. In
a big room, I also hang a mic' overhead to add just a bit of drum For info on miking drums: Modern Drummer, Oct. '94
and cymbal sound to the PA mix.
Another approach that I will soon explore is triggering drums For info on triggering: Modern Drummer, Sept-Dec. '96
and running a drum module signal into our PA. Not only will this
approach cost about half of what close-miking would, but it also For info on drumheads contact:
seems to be a better way to get the sound I want from my drums. Aquarian, (714) 632-0230
Triggering prevents feedback and other problems that miking each Attack, (330) 755-6423
drum can cause in a small club, and it dosen't pick up my cymbals Evans, (516) 439-3300 or www.daddario.com
(which are already being heard just fine), as mic's would do. Remo, (805) 294-5600 or www.remousa.com
Triggering should allow me to put some of the bottom back in my
toms (which, as mentioned above, I now tune a bit higher than I Should you have specific questions or comments, please feel
prefer for them to cut through), or even "dial in" distinct tones in free to e-mail me at larrytkennedy@mailexcite.com. If you
the sound module for my 12" and 13" toms. don't have access to e-mail, voice-mail me at (912) 895-6059.

Summation
Too often, we're convinced by advertising to believe that the
only way we can get a good drum sound is to buy a new, better,
and more expensive set of drums. However, applying the tips I've
 Study In Rhythms, Part 2
by Joe Morello
Transcribed by Jim Jacobus

L
ast month, in "Study In Rhythms, Part 1," There are several ways to approach these exercises. For exam-
I presented a number of exercises using ple, try playing the hand parts using alternate sticking. Then play
triplets and 8th notes designed to develop them as all left- or right-hand strokes. Likewise, try playing the
the ability to play single- or double-bass drum bass drum as singles, and then using double bass. For further
patterns while playing various rhythms with development, play a jazz ride rhythm on top with your right hand
the hands. This month we'll expand that con- playing the written parts underneath.
cept with the addition of 16th notes. As I mentioned in Part 1, Practice at a comfortable tempo. Concentrate on accuracy rather
this may look simple at first, but it will take practice to play than speed, which will follow naturally once you achieve
accurately. accuracy. Diligent practice will get results!
 Good Things Come In 3s
by Rod Morgenstein

T
here's an incredible amount of drum
material currently available in 4/4 time, so
this month I'd like to offer the following
patterns in the less popular, yet equally won-
derful time signature of 3/4. Several different
drumming styles are represented, utilizing
both triplet and 16th-note feels. The songo bass drum pattern in
example 3 works well in 3/4, as does the baiao bass drum rhythm
in example 4. Example 5 has an Afro-Cuban flavor to it with a bit
of bembo in there (as does example 9), and examples 1, 6, 7, and
10 are more funk- and rock-based.
The time signature of 3/4 lends itself to an interesting array of
feels and emotions, and most any beats in 4/4 can be readjusted to
fit its three-note pulse. Be sure to add it to your repertoire.
 Rolling Funk
by Rusty Parker

T
he following patterns came about as a
result of the music I heard in the early
'80s, when drummers like Steve Gadd,
David Garibaldi, Graham Lear, and Harvey
Mason were using short, rudimental-type rolls
to embellish funk-style grooves.
After analyzing their playing, I heard short rolls in grooves that
were usually made up of 16th-note hi-hat patterns with alternate
hand sticking. After experimenting with different combinations, I
found they flow very well in the funk medium and work best as
embellishments in a groove or to fill holes. Listen to the drummers
mentioned above, or to players like Dennis Chambers, Chuck
Morris, and Dave Weckl, and you'll hear expert applications of
these ideas.
The first pattern written below is the basic beat to which the Incorporating The Seven-Stroke Roll
doubles are applied. Exercises 1-9 incorporate the rolls. Play
these slowly at first, making sure the rolls are clean and even.
Also, the notated bass drum patterns are basic suggestions. Once
your hands are under control with the rolling concept, you can
then make the bass drum patterns more complex. Finally, when
using these concepts in a musical situation, be sure they are just
that—musical!
Basic Beat

Incorporating The Five-Stroke Roll

Roll Combinations

Reprinted from Roll With It (Vol. 1, No. 2), a publication of Drum

Headquarters, St. Louis, MO. Used with permission.
King Crimson in 1969
(from left): Robert Fripp,
lan McDonald, Michael
Giles, and Greg Lake
 efore B i l l Bruford steered King Crimson into polyrhythmic delirium, a by Ken Micallef
funky drummer from Bournemouth, England named Michael Giles
brought, a highly developed and individual style to bear on that band's
groundbreaking blend of art rock theory and instrumental sophistication.
Giles' flashy, rudimental sticking and abstract ideas erupted full-blown
on King Crimson's first US hit. In The Court Of The Crimson King.
Today Giles' chunky double bass drum fills, bar-stretching snare drum
rolls, exotic cymbal-bell flourishes, and edgy, big band-style fills sound
as astounding as they did in 1969.
The unlikely success of In The Court Of The Crimson King and In The
Wake Of Poseidon (released in 1969 and 1970, respectively) propelled
the band onto a headlining US tour. Unprepared for the acclaim that fol-
lowed, the original lineup soon crumbled under the weight of cramped
buses and clashing egos. But the music remains.
Culled from live BBC sessions and concerts given at the Fillmore West
and East, a two-CD set titled Epitaph (Discipline Global Music) docu-
ments that first US tour—and the band's amazing onstage chemistry.
Often jamming into near free-form, avant-garde territory, guitarist Robert
Fripp. bassist/vocalist Greg Lake, saxophonist Ian McDonald, and drum-
mer Giles blew through the now-famous tracks "21st Century Schizoid
Man," "Epitaph," and "In The Court..." like four magicians concocting
their own solar explosion.
Now living in Bath, Michael Giles sheds light on those halcyon days
when the 21st century seemed a distant dream, and King Crimson a revo-
lutionary proposition. The interview took place at a recent press gathering
of the original members to help launch the new CD.

KM: Why did the band come together for this re-release event? KM: On "Groon," the drumming is very exciting, with triplet
MG: Because it's all the live work that we did in 1969. Nothing phrasing between the bass drum and toms. "In The Court Of The
like this has happened since, particularly all the live performances Crimson King" has straight-ahead jazz sections with free playing
recorded in clubs and at festivals. We never heard them at the as well. The band was on the edge even then.
time; the cassettes were taken from recording consoles and then MG: Hearing it now, it still sounds on the edge. If I was to go to a
lost in boxes or taken by roadies over the years. That has brought concert and hear a band doing that today, I'd be really excited.
us back together, even though not as a playing band. KM: For people who can't imagine what London was like in the
KM: Fripp is very good at keeping the different versions of King '60s, can you describe the creativity of that era?
Crimson intact. MG: As musicians we were very serious; we weren't on the
MG: I am amazed at his documentation. He's a librarian, a journal "hippy, flower power" trail. We were just intent on expressing
writer. I'm glad he's done it, because the rest of us haven't had ourselves through music. We weren't part of the swinging London
that dedication to documentation. scene, although we were regarded as an underground cult band at
KM: What was it like to hear the tapes after all these years? the time. And we played all the hip venues as well. Jimi Hendrix
MG: I was astonished at how dangerous and adventurous we used to come see us. But we were so involved with the music that
were. It's funny, because when you are in the middle of it, it all we hardly noticed the fashions and all the goings-on. We weren't
seems very normal. I haven't heard that music for twenty-five into drugs or that scene.
years, and some of it I'd never heard. The drum solo on the What I do remember was the amount of independent—or what
Plumpton gig was really good. we call "pirate"—radio. There was music of all different kinds
being played, which had never happened or adventurous...we just did it. But we always lots of classical music in the house.
before. The pirate radio really opened it up took enormous risks. For instance, we'd I was into Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry,
in the UK. borrowed money to buy equipment. If peo- Mugsy Spanier, Bob Dylan, the Beatles,
KM: Was there any consideration for pop ple didn't like the music, we would have and both trad jazz and modern jazz. I don't
music in Crimson, or were you totally been failures and deep in debt. The busi- think any particular drummer had a major
about being creative? ness setup of Kind Crimson was just as influence on me, although I thought Elvin
MG: It was a strange situation, because risky as the music. We were going into Jones and Tony Oxley were pushing the
when we got into rehearsal we experienced uncharted waters. boat out a bit further.
so much energy from each other, there KM: What was your training and experi- KM: Are you a matched-grip or tradition-
wasn't time to consider doing something ence before King Crimson began? al-grip player?
commercial. There was so much else hap- MG: I started playing when I was fourteen, MG: I started with traditional grip, then
pening, ideas flying all over the place. We and I had lessons for about a year. My dad went over to matched. It gave me more
never discussed being radical or dangerous was musical; he played violin. There was power in the left hand. In my studies, I was
working on time signatures and general
rudiments. But my focus has never been
that technical: I regard myself more as an
expressionist with just enough ability. It's
funny what you can do when you get fired
up.
KM: You have such a unique style and
powerful chops. Did you spend hours in
the practice room?
MG: No. Maybe it does sound like great
chops, but I never thought so. A lot of it
has to do with emotional energy and com-
pletely letting go and responding to what is
happening around you. On "Groon,"
Robert came up with an idea that was
almost a throwaway in the studio—and I KM: Did the band achieve notoriety and emotionally. You're pushing the edge of
just responded to it. Many drummers have attract label interest automatically? the bar with your phrasing, slamming the
more technique than I have. It's more of an MG: Yes, and it was quite surprising to go cymbals....
attitude, really. It's what I call "distress- from rehearsing in a small basement under MG: We were pushing, but I also like to
ing" things, or doing things in an alterna- a cafe in Fulham Park to having managers, play with the spaces as well. It's not about
tive fashion. and all the rest. We were amazed at how it being busy all the time, but rather about
I do get frustrated musically. I don't lis- all snowballed. We played all the clubs finding some different way of using the
ten to "normal" music; it doesn't excite of the time—The Speakeasy, The space. If it's a two-bar break, it doesn't
me. I like anything that is close to the edge. Cromwellian. There was no contrivance for have to be all filled up. I'm very interested
The last few years I've been listening to the "top of the charts." In The Court Of in spaces and gaps and timing. I find it fun.
[20th-century composer/instrument inven- The Crimson King went top ten. "Cat It's only music; it's not going to hurt any-
tor] Harry Parted. Food" came out as a single in 1970, with one.
KM: What led to King Crimson? "Groon" as the B-side. KM: On "Moonchild," from In The
MG: My brother Peter and I were playing KM: In "21st Century Schizoid Man" from Court..., it sounds like you took a percus-
in various bands around the country from Epitaph, you played very fast triplet rolls sionist's approach.
our home base in Bournemouth, on the between the bass drum and tom-toms. Was MG: Yes. While I do enjoy dynamic play-
south coast of England. When we heard that inspired by Elvin? ing, I also enjoy peaceful, meditative,
Bob Dylan, we thought we could do any- MG: I don't think so. It was just my atti- "mantra" playing as a balance to all
thing. We advertised for a keyboard player tude to the way I hear drums. What's inter- the aggressive and energetic stuff.
who sang—and who should turn up but esting to me about all those different ver- "Moonchild" was relatively peaceful, but
Robert Fripp, a guitarist who doesn't sing, sions on Epitaph is the way the drums still improvised. Gentle, flowing improvi-
[laughs] We were so impressed that we had could be quite different on one track. I sation.
to play together. wouldn't play it the same two nights in a KM: What kind of drums did you play
In London we became known as Giles, row. It would develop night to night. then?
Giles & Fripp [recording The Cheerful KM: On "In The Court..." you and Greg MG: A white pearl Ludwig double bass
Insanity Of Giles, Giles & Fripp for Deram Lake would play very staccato in the setup. It was a pretty simple kit compared
Records]. That was the forerunner to King rests—almost mechanically, but still very to what I'm using now. I've got about eight
Crimson, though the musical differences
are like chalk and cheese. I did a little
singing along with my brother, and the
three of us wrote the music. It was the
beginning of the free experimental playing,
but only a bit. That album has some really
stupid traditional music, as well as some
monologues—verbals between each track,
which still make me laugh. Robert's mono-
logue was "The Saga Of Rodney Toadie."
My bit was a variation on one line, "I know
a man whose name is George." Back then,
it was between the Bonzo Dog Doodah
Band and Peter Cook & Dudley Moore,
then Monty Python came out in 1970. It
was all about British humor.
KM: Did Giles, Giles & Fripp get much
work?
MG: No. [laughs] We did two or three
television appearances, but no live gigs.
That was in London in 1968, when we met
lan McDonald from Fairport Convention
[and later with Foreigner]. Peter also had a
co-writing friend named Peter Sinfield.
Robert and I discussed having a serious
band to make a major musical statement.
He suggested having Greg Lake [later of
Emerson, Lake & Palmer] on bass and
vocals. We began rehearsing in January of
1969.
Yamaha toms, two bass drums, two hi-hats, Orchestra...even Neil Sedaka, who's a
and lots of crushed, junk cymbals. very nice man to work with. Session work
KM: Why did that incarnation of Crimson was very frustrating at times, but I wanted
come to an end after In The Wake Of to be with my family. In the '80s I did a lot
Poseidon? of soundtrack work as well.
MG: Touring America for seven weeks KM: You recently recorded a soundtrack
really took its toll. album called Ghost Dance with David
KM: Don't blame us now.... Cunningham and percussionist Jamie Muir,
MG: [laughs] It could have been any- who worked with King Crimson on Larks'
where. It was such a meteoric rise that it Tongues In Aspic. What set did you play on
took us all by surprise. We needed a rest. that album?
Our directions were changing musically as MG: It's almost like a triplet kit, but not
well. lan and I wanted to do something necessarily to be played all at once. In fact,
more gentle, so we formed McDonald & two drummers could play it. I've always
Giles [who released a self-titled album on been interested in making rhythm and per-
Cotillion featuring Steve Winwood]. cussion sound—how can I say it—like sev-
I was particularly conscious of getting eral people instead of one. I'm not using a
away from the blues format, which many snare drum as a main ingredient. That's out
big groups of the time were heavily basing for me.
their music on. In King Crimson, we were KM: That's how "Moonchild" sounds: The
using a big band influence, but it wasn't snares are off, and the cymbals sound as
big band music—just as we were using a important as the drums.
jazz element, but you couldn't call it jazz- MG: It's something that has been a part of
rock either. A lot of people called it "pro- me all these years. Some of it is heard on
gressive," which is another strange word I the John Perry albums, some on the newer
can't get used to. I just call it dangerous, or album with Jamie Muir. I like working
adventurous. spontaneously and seeing what happens.
After that, Ian went to New York and Right now I'm involved with a percus-
joined Foreigner. I began having more kids sion orchestra that also has vocals, key-
and playing sessions in the '70s and '80s. I boards, flute, and bass. Since the '80s I've
must have made thirty or forty albums. been more interested in primitive music,
KM: What are some of those albums? meaning primitive and naive: raw percus-
MG: Wise After The Event by Anthony sion like kitchen sinks, paint tins, all sorts
Phillips, who was the original guitarist in of garden percussion, industrial percussion,
Genesis. A couple with Jackson Heights— anything that with overdubbing or other
that was Lee Jackson of the Nice. A couple players creates a conversation in percus-
of very good albums with John G. Perry sion. However dangerous music is, it's not
produced by Rupert Mine.. .most of this has going to hurt anyone unless you're in a
been well documented on the Japanese ver- really dark band that bites the heads off
sions of the records. I also worked with baby chickens. So why not break out and
George Martin, Michael Nyman, Paul do something with it?
McCartney, Kevin Ayers, Penguin Cafe
 Drummer PHIL RUDD supplied the
perfect 4/4 hammer for AC/DC's
lowest-common-denominator rock
Jack DeJohnette Jack DeJohnette is unsurpassed when it comes to 'n' roll, as the five-disc Bonfire box
Oneness (ECM) making music on a drumset; his thirty years of relent- (EastWest) gloriously illustrates. Lots
less recording, gigging, and musical experimentation of rare and live cuts, the complete
drummer: Jack DeJohnette Back In Black album, and a thou-
percussionist- Don Alias with the best musicians in the world prove that. Three
recent recordings reemphasize Jack's unique voice. sand reasons to smash your
with Jerome Harris (gtr, bs), favorite hotel room.
Michael Cain (pno) Steve Khan's Got My Mental, on which DeJohnette
is accompanied by a sharp array of percussionists, is
the most conservative of these recordings, offering Seely may have that pristinely con-
mostly straight-ahead swing or Latin jazz. Standout trolled British version of indie pop
tracks are the up-tempo "Paraphernalia" and the lovely down cold, but these Americans
"I Have Dreamed," the former showcasing Jack's find plenty of room to insert entic-
unique approach to swing, the latter a lesson in how a ing shades and dynamics into their
drummer can be subtle while still blowing your mind. new CD, Seconds (Too Pure).
Jack sets the tone for the whole record on these cuts, Drummer ERIC TAYLOR scores very
supporting the percussionists and the formidable high points for keeping his parts
arrangements while still retaining his individuality. strong and varied without sound-
Chris Potter's material allows for a bit more inter- ing too twee or "look-at-me!"
play within the group and the structures of the songs.
Steve Khan The album opens with "Wistful," a Potter original that Loud (um, very loud), fast (er, very
fast), and sacrilegious (that's your
Got My Mental (Evidence) would have fit on any early Coltrane classic, and Jack
supports this mid-tempo ballad with a flurry of brushes call), Deicide's latest, Serpents Of
drummer: Jack DeJohnette that only Philly Joe Jones or Elvin Jones could The Light (Roadrunner), features
percussionists: Don Alias, approach. The album then takes a more daring turn STEVE ASHIEM testing the strength
Bobby Allende, Marc Quinones, with the wide-open "Seven Eleven," featuring a drum of wood, metal, and eardrums in
Cafe solo over a complex ostinato that will leave you breath- ways rarely imagined by mere
with John Patitucci (bs), less. The rest of the album is equally wonderful, featur- mortals.
Steve Khan (gtr) ing a playful tango, a tranquil and turbulent free-form
improv, a colorful ballad, and several standout drum Falling somewhere between
solos and textures. James Bond soundtracks and
Chris Potter DeJohnette's own Oneness is the most daring, hardcore sits Bottom 12. On their
Unspoken (Concord) unusual, and fascinating of these three CDs. new one, Balderdash (Strap On
Uncategorizable as "jazz" by any of the traditional or Records), Drummer JOHN
drummer: Jack DeJohnette MONTGOMERY steadily holds down
with Chris Potter (sx), contemporary definitions, it is simply a masterful work
composed of musical freedom, space, texture, inter- the vibe, while J.P. Blackmon and
John Scofield (gtr), play, and ambition. Along with Don Alias on hand lead vocalist John Beeloo add var-
Dave Holland (bs) ious manner of percussive disso-
drums and percussion, Jack creates numerous rhythmic
landscapes over which the group feels its way through nance to the mix. (PO Box 4258,
loose arrangements—swelling and receding, beginning Malibu, CA 90264, (310) 589-5061)
and ending only when the time is right. The effect can
be absolutely hypnotic, and it's almost as if the entire Guitar great Jim Hall has been hid-
record is centered around Jack's ride cymbal. There are ing something from us: He's also an
maybe three or four drummers in history who could ace composer/arranger, as
pull that off. Do yourself a favor and find out why Jack proven by Textures, a five-star CD
DeJohnette is one of them. featuring formats from strings to
Ted Bonar brass quintet. Drummer TERRY
CLARKE handles the eclectic
arrangements with sensitivity and
grace. (Telarc)

Paul Wertico & Gregg Bendian

BANG! (Truemedia Jazzworks)
drummers: Paul Wertico and Gregg Bendian
Could an album featuring "only" two drummers really expect to sell
units and/or be appreciated by the general music public? Well, based
on some of the explosive, cohesive music on BANG!, why not?
It is fascinating listening to all the resultant colors and rhythms that
Wertico and Bendian's intertwining parts produce. It is also mesmeriz-
ing when you separate the speakers and hear what each drummer spontaneous track. Though guitarist Stevens shows extreme ver-
is doing, specifically to how these talented and daring players are satility of stylistic challenges, and bassist Levin (King Crimson)
listening and reacting to each other. Standout cuts include finds the appropriate foundation for each vision that manifests at
"Ballad," a rich melodic canvas featuring Wertico repeating a a moment's notice, there are actually more textures explored here
chant on tuned cowbells and timp-tom as Bendian lays into the than improvisational displays. The various compositions, which
drumkit and "prepared cymbals." "Scarlet Constellations" comes suggest Zappa, the Police, and King Crimson in sound and feel,
in sections and highlights cowbells with dampened vibes, bells, give Bozzio plenty of room to create interesting patterns and
and Wertico's thundering drums. And "Worn March" is a very tom-tom melodies along with his trademark cymbal-accent
funky cadence that goes places you'd never imagine. But the tour rhythms. Most notably, "Dark Corners" and the opening piece,
de force here may be "Titlewaive," a majestic combination of "The Sun Road," allow the drummer to conduct a clinic on
wide-open drums and otherworldly bells. BANG! indeed. (PO improvising creatively within the melodic structure.
Box 24543, Cleveland, Ohio 44124, tel: [216] 691-0700, fax: Bozzio shows no signs of slowing down in his intensity and
[216] 691-9210) determination to explore new ideas on the drumkit. This collec-
Robin Tolleson tion of unrehearsed instrumental communication is an example
of music as an art form in its purest state.
The Tony Williams Lifetime Mike Haid
(Turn It Over) (Verve)
X
drummer: Tony Williams Beyond And Back: The X Anthology (Elektra)
with Jack Bruce (bs, vcl), John McLaughlin (gtr, vcl),
Khalid Yasin, aka Larry Young (org, vcl) drummer: D.J. Bonebrake
Released between Miles Davis's Bitches Brew and with Xenene Cervenka: (vcl), John Doe (bs, vcl),
Mahavishnu Orchestra's Inner Mounting Flame, (Turn It Over) Billy Zoom (gtr)
sounds like a wrecking crew blasting through an unwilling Formed in 1978, X was fronted by three of the Los Angeles
mountain of galvanic straight-ahead jazz, lurching acid rock, punk scene's most compelling performers—singer Exene
eerie space music, and spoken-word weirdness. Finally released Cervenka, singer/bassist John Doe, and guitarist Billy Zoom—
on CD, the follow-up to Lifetime's debut, Emergency!, exudes but their place in rock history would not have been secure with-
the uneven, chaotic, and brilliant nature of Tony Williams' har- out drummer D.J. Bonebrake. No matter how liquor-soaked the
ried mindset in 1970. drama up front became, Bonebrake was unflinching as X's back-
Featuring perhaps the truest amalgam of jazz and rock players bone. Yet he was fully capable of stealing the show, dramatically
ever—a post-Cream Jack Bruce, a pre-Mahavishnu John punctuating songs like "Because I Do" and "Real Child Of Hell,"
McLaughlin, and organist Larry Young—the band's hurly-burly and adding powerful double tom beats, as on "Hungry Wolf."
assault is fired by Williams' lean, staccato, fireball drumming. Like the band itself, this X antholo-
"To Whom It May Concern" savagely gy is extraordinary. Comprised mostly
mauls a blues shuffle, with Tony's of rarities and remixes, it includes early
pounding hi-hat/bass drum pulse bal- demos, rehearsals, and live perfor-
ancing the track between cerebral float- mances, along with select cuts from
ing and explosive riffing. Williams their ten-album career. The liner notes
recites lyrics flatly in "This Night This alone are worth the price of admission,
Song" and Jobim's "Once I Loved," chronicling X's career, personal lives,
seemingly with the intent of driving and vast influence as seen by their
vermin from any home. But on Trane's peers, including Henry Rollins, the Go-
"Big Nick" he lays down the blazing Go's, and Jakob Dylan. Bonebrake's personal legacy lies in his
flams and jabbing rolls that are now part of the fusion drumming pushing the very limits of punk drumming, incorporating ele-
repertoire, while on "Vuelta Abajo" he flies over cymbals and ments of jazz, honky tonk, and country shuffles into the power
toms in a melee of drumming euphoria. chord-based songs. Supported by his versatile playing, X pulled
Want to hear the roots of Chambers, Colaiuta, Cobham, and off their appropriation of different styles of music with apparent
Carter Beauford? (Turn It Over) shows the method to Tony ease—which is what set them apart from every other band on the
Williams' madness, and the legacy it left behind. original punk scene.
Ken Micallef Meredith Ochs

Bozzio, Levin, Stevens Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects

Black Light Syndrome (Magna Carta) Sol Niger Within (Ultimate Audio Entertainment)
drummer: Terry Bozzio drummer: Morgan Agren
with Tony Levin (bs), Steve Stevens (gtr) with Fredrik Thordendal (gtr, bs, synth, vcl),
Black Light Syndrome was recorded Mats Oberg (kybd), Jonas Knutsson (sx), others
in four days by musicians who had pre- Not for the squeamish, Sol Niger Within is an unrelenting
viously never performed together. Each assault on the senses, pairing snarlingly bleak lyrics with crush-
was somewhat familiar with the others' ing guitar riffs and atmospheric noise. The continuous music
styles, but uncertain of the chemistry; does not feature individual "songs," but rather an ever-mutating
happily, the outcome is a statement of flow of compositional ideas, sort of like a post-modern Thick As
cooperation, intelligent musicianship, A Brick on bad acid. As brutal as this Swedish neo-space metal
and sensitive musical creation. is, sax, organ, and well-chosen quiet moments help make it rich-
The evidence is in each and every ly textured.
 The Herculean efforts of timekeeper Morgan Agren are to be Day In The Life
applauded, for he finds direct yet creative ways to mark Day In The Life (TVT)
Thordendal's disorienting odd-meter progressions without ever
sacrificing brute force. His parts show drummer: John Kamoosi
that he is as adept playing prog-rock and with George Reynolds (vcl), Josh DeMarco (vcl, gtr),
avant-jazz as he is full-on metal, while Blunt (gtr), Kris Fleischmann (bs)
his sound is a hard-hitting drummer's
Somewhere between less-is-more and more-is-best is the
dream: a deep, popping snare and scores inventive, energetic drumming of John Kamoosi, whose refresh-
of huge, thundering toms contrasted by ing approach to rhythm steers Day In The Life into the sort of
a clear and bright ride cymbal. lush sonic territory rarely traversed by thrash metal bands.
Pretentious liner notes aside (includ- Day In The Life is intriguingly unconventional, featuring two
ing quotes from philosophers, writers,
lead singers—often within the same song—whose vocals are a
and religious leaders), Sol Niger's dis- textural, melodic contrast to the crunchy, staccato guitars under-
tinct take on thrash is a worthy alternative for those who like it neath. Kamoosi is the dependable rock in the middle, neither lay-
rough but are disenchanted by current heavy offerings. (Box 345, ing back nor overplaying, instead painting aggressive undercoats
S-871 27, Harnosand, Sweden, fax: 46(0) 611 241 36, Web: and hammering them home from start to finish.
www.itv.se/uae, e-mail: uae@com.itv.se) On "Rise," Kamoosi at first pummels us with a creative beat in
Michael Parillo 5/4, then dishes up a tribal tom-and-cymbal break in straight time
before the band finishes us off with more odd-time bliss. And
Ghazal when the tunes aren't in odd time, Kamoosi fakes you out with
Lost Songs Of The Silk Road (Shanachie) delicious, off-the-beat snare strokes and faux downbeats.
Day In The Life is notable, though, as much for how they play
tabla player: Swapan Chaudhuri as what they play. You can hear the hunger and conviction in
with Kayhan KaJhor (kamancheh), every bar, an energy no amount of production or engineering can
Shujaat Hussain Khan (sitar) manufacture. It's a pretty safe bet that Day In The Life puts on a
They sought improvisatory common ground between Indian and heck of a live show. And while they're certainly thrasher-friend-
Persian classical styles, but achieved much more. The resulting ly, don't lock them into a stereotype. Given the time and the
first-time session between these three masters delivers a moving, audience, Day In The Life could help expand the very bound-
immediate universality. The trio builds short motifs over long aries of this genre.
periods with a restraint and interactive intuition that is an astonish- Matt Peiken
ing and inspiring lesson for all instrumentalists.
Kalhor, the trio's master of Persian classical music, weaves the
haunting, plaintive kamancheh (ancient Iranian "spike fiddle")
seamlessly into the Indian timbre of Khan's soulful sitar and
Chaudhuri's tabla rhythm-waves. Westerners may know The Jack De Johnette Collection
Chaudhuri's tabla wizardry from his work with greats like Ravi edited by Rick Mattingly
Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. Although his work with those artists transcribed arrangements by Steve Korn
treated rhythm-lovers with sustained episodes of intense, rapid- (Hal Leonard)
fire technique, this CD is especially compelling for revealing his
skills for thematic sculpturing and economy; it's more about the level: advanced
mind than the hands. On the first cut, Chaudhuri chooses to not $19.95
contribute one note for a full nine minutes. When he enters at the This group of fourteen transcribed Jack DeJohnette composi-
ideal moment, it's majestic. From there, it blooms and blooms. tions opens with a detailed biography of the drummer's prolific

Mozambique, Volume 1 conga chops, this well-crafted instruction-

al package aims to make drum students
extended tutorial in Havana some years
back, so the information presented here is
with Kirn Atkinson
of any persuasion fluent in the language truly first-hand,
(PulseWave Percussion) of an essential Afro-Cuban carnival Chart learners will enjoy the enclosed
rhythm. booklet that lays out the full notation;
$30,60 minutes Although very popular in Europe, workshop learners can key on the spoken
level: intermediate to advanced authentic "roots" mozambique has "gn, go, pa" drum language; and players
Instructional videotapes, a marketing
remained relatively unknown in the US, of every skill level will appreciate the
novelty only a few years ago, have
Thanks to cold war politics, we have "once again—slowly" approach to the
recently assumed the force of a tidal
heard only the "New York mozambique" intricate rhythmic layers. Mozambique,
wave. Yet while quantity is ever increas-
style of Eddie Palmieri and others, But the Volume 1 is presented skillfully and
ing, quality is hit & miss.
Cuban original is a whole different animal, patiently by a veteran instructor whose
West Coast percussionist and teacher
a funky parade groove built from the bot- guiding principle is that every learner
Kim Atkinson's first video release,
tom up with bombos (marching bass deserves to "get it." This will be a hard act
Mozambique, Volume 1, arrives in time to
drums), bells, congas, and the ever-pre- to follow, but rumor has it that Volume 2 is
restore consumer confidence in off-the-
sent clave. The rhythm's Cuban creator, already in the works.
shelf learning resources. Neither a celebri-
Pello el Afrokan, offered Atkinson an Bill Kiely
ty jam session nor a study of burning
career. From there it states that the collection is based on the
recorded versions of the compositions, including background fig-
ures, comping patterns, harmony parts, sequencer ostinatos, bass
lines, and drum grooves. DeJohnette comments on each tune,
describing the inception of the musical ideas, many of which were
inspired by artists he has worked with, including "Herbie's Hand
Cocked," "Ahmad [Jamal] The Terrible," "Milton [Nascimento],"
"Monk's Plumb," and "Where Or Wayne [Shorter]." The parts for
drums as well as the other instruments are well written and easy
to read, and are designed to be followed together (as a conduc-
tor's score).
Obviously this is not just an educational drum book. Collection
is aimed at (and should work well for) advanced performance
groups or individual artists interested in this musically complex
material. However, since the author's intentions were to also
inspire new interpretations that allow for self-expression, it would
have been enormously helpful to have included a CD or cassette
of the tunes; newcomers would have to find the recordings and
familiarize themselves with the original concept, feel, and overall
sound. But anyone already familiar with the music should enjoy
dissecting the compositions; for the serious DeJohnette fan, here
is a great opportunity to cop some of Jack's licks note-for-note.
Mike Haid
 Power To The People
by Matt Peiken
the drummer's stool. Interesting premise. Go to the site to read an
excerpt.

W
hoever coined the phrase "Power To The People" certainly From his biography, you learn that Henderson has appeared in
couldn't have dreamed of anything as funky as the Internet. several literary journals and that he lives, works, and plays drums
But for all the billion-dollar corporations pushing and in Corvallis, Oregon. Click on "The Press" for musicians' jokes
squeezing the Net for all its economic potential, the World Wide and links to a few other drumming sites.
Web has probably meant more to millions of everyday folks with
home pages. Peter Batty
As it happens, a lot of those regular Joes and Janes with home (www.dedrum.demon.co.uk/skinskin/index.htm)
pages are drummers. Not stars. Not anyone we know. Just people Peter is part of "Skin To Skin," a twenty-piece percussion ensem-
who, for whatever reason, think someone out there might be inter- ble from Dorset, England. His Web site focuses on the group,
ested in what they're doing. Well, take heart Joe and Jane. though you'll also find links to drumming events, workshops, gos-
Someone has noticed. sip, groups, teachers, and other contacts throughout the UK.
I stumbled across the following sites by plugging the words
"drummer," "drums," "percussionists," and "personal" into the Eric Miller
search engines HotBot (www.hotbot.com) and Excite (wabakimi.carleton.co/~ewmiller/)
(www.excite.com). By no means are these the only drummers with Read about Miller's setup, style, sound, and how he became
their own home pages. If you've got a site worth mentioning, let interested in drumming. And while you're there, see Miller's rea-
me know through e-mail. In the meantime, surf some of this wave: soning for "Why so many bands have bad drummers." The logic
ranges from interesting to highly amusing, and Eric sticks his neck
Chris Milillo out with a list of drummers he particularly can't stand.
(www.bestweb.net/~cmilillo/)
Through the "personal" area of his site, I found out Chris teaches Roberto Dani
at the Mike Risko Music Studio in Ossining, New York. Click on (home.earthlink.net/~mikamusik/dani.html)
other buttons to check out his equipment and a list of his favorite Dani is an Italian drummer who, on his Web site, says he's
jazz, rock, and fusion drummers. played with every name bandleader in Italy, including Enrico
Milillo writes and posts an instructional column dealing with Pieranunzi, Paolo Fresu, Enrico Rava, Furio di Castri, and Enzo
"feel vs. technical ability" and "learning by ear." There's also a Pietropaoli, and internationally with Mick Goodrick, Kenny
notated lesson on single-stroke rolls. He also runs "The Drum Ring" Wheeler, and Richard Galliano. He's most known, he adds, for his
(www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/3150/), a collection of links work with the band Devil Doll. In the discography, you can hear a
to the personal Web sites for about twenty other drummers. few RealAudio samples of his work with Mika Pohjola.

Dave Capogna DrummerGirl

(web.idirect.com/~poledo/dave.html) (www-personal.umich.edu/~dlichaw/dgirl/)
Copogna's page, titled "Drums & Pounding," is part of a Web While I couldn't find a personal page put up by any female drum-
site for his now-defunct Toronto-based band Poledo. "Yo! It's me, mers, I did happen upon this site, which lists brief bios of dozens of
Dave. You probably know me as the guy in Poledo who wrestles female drummers, along with links to their bands' Web sites.
Grizzly bears and drives a monster truck, but there's more to me DrummerGirl features interviews and a "licks" section with
than that," Capogna tells his fans. "I also play drums, and that's detailed sticking patterns for the conga and djembe, along with
what I'm going to talk about." hand-scrawled rock notations. You'll also find links to other music
and drumming sources, only some of which are related exclusively
Brad Henderson to women. Register on the bulletin board to hook up and jam with
(www.4drums.com/home.html) other musicians.
Henderson's site mainly exists to promote his novel Drums,
about the inner workings of a struggling rock band as seen from You can reach Matt Peiken at mapeiken@pioneerplanet.infi.net.
Modern Drummer Online (at www.mod- The best drum clinic I have ever seen (and needed to do to become one of those guys
erndrummer.com) features a section called I've seen a few) was at Ithaca College last who makes their living playing music.
"Speak Out," where drummers are invited March with John Riley. The setting was Brian's clinic was very organized and
to give their opinions on various drum- very informal; there were eight drummers informative. He was a great speaker and I
related topics. This month's topic on best along with a guitarist and a bass player. could tell that he knew the subject really
drum clinics inspired a big response from John was very informative. For example, well. He also wailed on the kit!
people who had some interesting things to he took a few exercises from Ted Reed's no name given
say not only about clinics, but about some Syncopation and proceeded to explain and
of the clinicians they've seen. Here are just demonstrate how to play it in the style of There seems to be two kinds of drum c l i n
a few of the comments we received. Philly Joe Jones, Tony Williams, and Elvin ics First, there are the ones where the artist
Jones. Many of John's demonstrations tries to amaze you and keep how they do it
I have memories of two outstanding clin- were placed in a historical context. to themselves These clinics are usually
ics. The first was in Hollywood in 1976. It John played for over two hours and more of a show Then there are ones where
was with Jeff Porcaro, Louie Bellson, and answered questions until everyone was sat- the artists are there to teach They are spe-
John Guerin, and it was sponsored by isfied. He was never in a hurry and was cific and deliberate in the playing and then
Synare. (Remember those electronic always genuine. This just added to what insist you understand how to develop it
drums?) Porcaro, Bellson, and Guerin all was an already fantastic clinic. yoursclt
came out for a smokin' d r u m trio with Mark Mahoney That said the best clinic I have been to
Bellson's Big Band! When Jeff Porcaro was given by Mike Porfiloy He played and
kicked it into hyperdnvc, the audience I was fortunate to witness an entrancing taught the audience about what was unique
(which included Karen Carpenter and c l i n i c w i t h Trilok G u r t u at Portland about what he had played He was able to
Reggie Jackson) went wild! Percussion last month. Anyone who's ever explain what he did and then give a method
The second great clinic was in 1981 with heard or seen h i m will most certainly on how to develop it I don't even like pro-
Ed Shaughnessy. Ed talked a lot about agree. I'll estimate that he played for forty- gressive rock but I learned a lot from
reading, big band, the Tonight Show, and five minutes before he said a word. (The Mike
of course playing. But after the clinic. Ed man could have talked for a week and it Joby Foley
hung around for the few people who still would not have compared to the vol-
stayed. We talked about tabla and we ume of things he said with his hands!) I I have attended a few drum climes in my
played a bit. That was amazing! was truly blown away with his playing and twenty years The best one was the clime
Scott Nordell with his patience—he was on day eleven of that Zildjian sponsored here in my country,
an eleven-day tour! By far the best clinic the Philippines, last May It featured
I have to say that the best clinic I ' v e I've been to. Dennis Chambers Not only was he talent-
attended was with Gregg Bissonette. It was Jason Ingalls rich, but also very funny and down-to-
at a suburban Chicago music store. Not earth I had a great time and I'm sure that
only was his playing more than exception- Last month there was an Atlanta DrumFest the other clinicians—Mar Dizon, Ernie
al, I think what most impressed me was his at Atlanta Drums and Percussion. I had Severino, Jun Regalado, and Paco
personality and ability to explain. He really heard of three of the guys on the bill: Gerry Arespacochaga—did too
was able to relate and communicate to the Brown, Richie Morales, and Lee Venters. Clinics are a great way to learn more
audience. But the fourth guy was the shocker of the about our craft, have fun, meet new people,
What I learned most from the clinic is day for me. His name is Brian Stephens, and gam further knowledge and inspira-
that drumming is not only how well you and he's from the Atlanta Institute of tion I'm sure glad that I'm a drummer with
can play your instrument but how well you Music. (I didn't know much about the a global brotherhood!
can relate to others in a musical or personal school until after seeing him and doing a Jonathan Co
setting. That, to me, is an invaluable skill, little digging). Manila, Philippines
and he pulled it off with great ease. Stephens had a presentation called the
Mark Evangelista "Working Drummer Clinic," and for the
first time I had someone tell me what I
 by Greq Thomas

"D
on't quit your day job." A ance plans before you give up
difficult comment for any- that job. With the current high
one to hear, but for those cost of health care, you cannot
of us caught between an all-con- afford to risk a single day without
suming love of music and the reali- coverage.
ty of paying rent, this remark You may also want to allow for
might hit a particularly sensitive unexpected emergencies or
nerve. How do you know when it's expenditures that occur less fre-
time to commit yourself fully to quently than once per month. You
your passion and leave the day job don't want to be caught short for
behind? The decision to leave full- a van repair, or for your signifi-
time employment for a career as a cant other's birthday.
professional musician requires a Next, tally your savings and
great deal of introspection and hon- other assets. In the worst case, if
est self-assessment. In this month's you lose your steady gig and are
Taking Care Of Business, we'll unemployed for two or three
help you ask the right questions months, could you still pay the
before quitting your day job, and rent and eat? Relying on friends
then suggest some strategies for in case of emergency is not realis-
surviving if you do decide to pursue tic for everyone. Coming to a
music full-time. close friend in time of need is one
thing; relying on a friend to sup-
Being Realistic port you is another.
The first question you should ask Speaking of friends, what
yourself is, "What are my financial needs?" kinds of contacts do you have? One
Keep track of your finances over a few months. Don't needn't have great connections in the music business
forget to assess what you spend on entertainment, to begin a career, but it's essential to have contacts,
including CDs, movies, drinks at a bar, or cover especially within your own musical community. Do
charges at clubs. Are you willing to go without any you know other drummers in town who might let
of these luxuries? Don't feel guilty if the answer is you sub for them? Do you know bass players, in
no. It doesn't mean a commitment to music is case the one in your group quits right before that
impossible, it just may require more creative plan- showcase? It's a good idea to have contacts in
ning. several genres of music (jazz, rock, theater, clas-
Another important consideration is health insur- sical) for that one-night gig, if you need it.
ance. Most full-time jobs include some kind of Okay, so you've got tons of contacts. But
health insurance as a benefit. Generally, when don't quit that job yet. What kinds of gigs do
you leave your job, the insurance ends. Some you have lined up for your primary group?
employers, however, might allow you to contin- Will that Friday night spot last indefinitely? If
ue your insurance for a fixed length of time after not, is your band likely to get another gig eas-
you leave your job, for a monthly fee. If this is ily? Or is there a chance that a small snag
not an option, investigate outside health insur- could cause the whole project to fizzle? If
that primary project were to disappear,
would your other contacts be able to pro-
vide you with enough work?
by Gene Houston
Deciding to give up a steady paycheck
may also require some serious soul search- When you finally make that tough decision to relocate to a new city, there are a few things to
ing. Ask yourself, "Will I be able to handle consider before you do, and a few things to do once you get there.
some instability?" It may sound very 1) Take your time. Your choice of a new city will be your new home. So choose one where you
romantic to live day-to-day, but if you're feel good about the people, as well as the musical environment. It's also helpful if you know
the type who's incapacitated by stomach someone already living in the area. A friend can open doors for you that might otherwise take
you months to open.
cramps when the phone bill comes and you 2) Visit the city a few times before moving. The local chamber of commerce can help with
have no money to pay it, you may need to apartment guides and a list of schools and universities. A local city map and phone book are
re-evaluate the advantages of knowing also important to help you find recording studios, nightclubs, and music shops.
another paycheck is a few days away. 3) Get yourself financially fit. You should have at least enough money to live for a couple of
It may also be beneficial to consider months without any income.
4) Have a professional resume made, along with a good demo tape of your playing.
your long-term musical goals. Are you 5) Have business cards made as soon as possible. Visit the local music shops and leave a
shooting for a Top-40 hit? Or would you card on the bulletin boards.
be happy to participate in music even if 6) Visit the musicians union and ask for their assistance. Also check on local musician refer-
you never attain superstardom? Will rely- rals, but be aware that their help may not get you in with the area's better-known musicians
ing on playing for income decrease your immediately.
7) Get out and meet people who can help you get established. Don't be pushy, but be friendly
enjoyment of music? and eager to play for free if necessary, just to be heard. Leave your card with every musician
You may decide to quit your day job you meet. You never know when someone may want to reach you later.
because you simply cannot not play music. 8) When you find out where the best local musicians are playing, get out there and meet them.
Great. An accurate assessment of where Remember, first impressions are lasting—so make it a good one.
your head and wallet are at could save you 9) Don't get discouraged. It's easy to start questioning your decision to relocate when things
aren't happening fast enough. It takes time to get established in any new town.
a lot of grief later. Of course, if you decide 10) Be sure you're ready when you get that shot. Find a place to practice to keep your chops
you cannot give up the stability of a regular and confidence up. If you don't play your very best when opportunity knocks, it could be a
paycheck, don't lose heart. The good news major setback that'll be hard to overcome.
is, in many cases, it's possible to do both, from practicing? Are you intending just to abruptly end weekly lessons so you can
enjoying the fruits of music and some maintain your current skill level, or are you tour Europe for a year.
financial security. looking to master new genres of music? You may need to be creative in finding
The time you spend practicing may not your first students. Teaching through a
Musical Considerations generate any income, but it's an important local music store can help to build a pool
Many aspiring professional musicians investment in your career. For a rock play- of students and may relieve the potential
have an idyllic vision of waking up late, er to study Brazilian beats, for example, inconvenience of having to convert part of
practicing all day, and then driving across will only increase his or her marketability your living space into a teaching studio.
town for a high-paying gig. Unfortunately, as a freelancer. You might also call the local schools and
this scenario may be unrealistic for some of Teaching—If your primary gig does not speak to the head of the music department.
us, especially for the first few months (or afford the luxury of spending your days In many schools, the band director has to
years) after quitting our day job. First, your solely devoted to practice, you might try teach several instruments, and it's rare
primary group may not generate enough teaching as a means of supplementing your when the director specializes in percussion.
income to fully support you. Second, not income. Having a core of weekly pupils He or she might be willing to refer some
all of us have the determination to practice can provide some steady pay, help to orga- students to you for private instruction. At
eight hours a day. Just as deciding to leave nize your own musical ideas, enhance your the very least, the school might be willing
the security of a day job requires a good communication skills, and allow you to to let you post a flyer in the music room
deal of self-assessment, determining the share some of your enjoyment of music advertising your services. Meanwhile, let
most productive use of those hours before with others. Teaching is not for everyone, your musician friends know that you're
and between your primary commitments though. It requires a large degree of com- teaching. Frequently, older students will
demands a critical look at your interests, mitment and a good deal of preparation. come from referrals by fellow musicians.
skills, and needs. Do you have the patience to teach begin- Advertising in music stores or through a
Practice—The amount of time you need ners, especially if they're children? Do you newspaper may also be a worthwhile
to spend on your instrument each day is truly have something to offer more investment.
entirely dependent on you. How much time advanced players? You may also want to Freelancing—Another way to supple-
do you have available? Can you afford to consider how long you'll be located in the ment your primary income is to take some
rely on your evening gigs for all your same area, or whether you're planning to one-time gigs in an alternative field of
income? What do you hope to accomplish tour at all. It's not fair to your students to drumming. Your love of heavy metal need
not prevent you from taking an occasional only a trickle, you may need to ask your- tence, even if it requires some compromise.
show gig, if you're qualified. Freelancing self how important it is for you to be play- A full-time musician pursues music like a
can provide another source of supplemental ing all day. There are a variety of non-per- start-up business. Expect large investments
income, and will still leave time for your forming part-time positions that may be at first, with potentially less-than-commen-
primary commitment. Ask your drumming open where you can surround yourself with surate initial payoffs. Hopefully, if you've
friends to call if they ever need a sub. Keep music, yet still have the flexibility to prac- been honest with yourself about your inter-
in contact with musicians outside of your tice and perform regularly. Try contacting ests, talents, and needs—and you have tons
band for leads. the local drum shop or music store to see if of perseverance—your hard work will ulti-
Studio gigs—If you have what it takes they need any help. Call the city symphony mately allow you to do what you love for a
to be a studio musician, this too could be a or theater company to inquire about admin- living.
good investment in time. Unfortunately, istrative or creative support positions.
most of the large studios are in major Contact artist management companies or
cities, and the competition for gigs in those clubs to see if they're looking for someone
areas is fierce. You may find it easier to get to book bands. Though these jobs may
a studio gig in a smaller city, but the trade- sound like neatly disguised versions of the
off might be less opportunity for work. dreaded "day job," there are two important
Even if you're not interested in pursuing differences: first, they directly involve
a career as a studio musician, you might music, and second, you might make con-
still benefit by accepting an occasional stu- tacts relevant to your playing career.
dio project as you would a one-nighter.
While the pay for demos or friends' pro- Conclusion
jects might be small or non-existent, an A career as a professional is certainly not
occasional freebie is a deposit in the favor easy. Until your big break, or until all of
bank. You'd be making valuable contacts, your projects are off and running, plan on
developing your studio chops, and adver- channeling a lot of time, energy, and cre-
tising your name and drumming ability, ativity into keeping yourself busy and
Other ideas—If the money flow is still maintaining a reasonable level of exis-
 Touring with Dick Dale has taken Ned
Mike Zographos Ned Stroh across the US, to Brazil, and to several
Mike Zographos, of the Bronx, New York, "Mostly rock/funk...but versatile" is how European countries. He's also on Dale's
began his playing career at the age of Butler, New Jersey drummer Ned Stroh 1997 release Better Shred Than Dead. And
twelve with two years of lessons from a describes his playing style. And versatile it anyone playing the SegaSoft video game
talented cousin. He continued drumming must be, since the twenty-eight-year-old Rocket Journey is hearing drum tracks per-
through high school, playing in school currently tours on drum- _________ formed by Ned.
shows and organizing (and drumming in) set for surf-guitar king "Every time I'm on
"Battles Of The Bands." In college he Dick Dale, plays congas stage or in the recording
hooked up with a blues/rock band called with folk artist Geoff studio, there's this inner
Rhinocervs, a group that divides its musi- Martin, and handles gen- voice that says, 'This is
cal time between high-speed punk/thrash eral percussion for Lux the right place for you to
and driving, near-gothic power rock. Now, Caritas Music recording be. You belong here!'
five years later, the group has one 7" artist Bobby Syvarth. There's nothing like the
record on indie label Azra Records "When on tour with feeling of creating in
and a recently Dick, I'm playing four to those two areas—espe-
released self- six nights a week," says cially when things are
produced CD Ned, "in venues like sounding great."
called Behind Irving Plaza in New Ned does his creating
to its credit. York City, and the House on a Pearl Masters
The CD is en- Of Blues in Chicago. Custom kit with Zildjian
joying region- Otherwise I play one to cymbals when touring
al college air- three times a week with with Dick Dale, and on a
play the artists mentioned Premier Signia kit with
Mike's play- above—and others—in the northern New Zildjian and Paiste cymbals for all other
ing on Behind Jersey/New York City club circuit." Ned live and recording work. He also employs
reflects his in- also works as a session drummer in several various Tama, Ludwig, Premier, and
fluences, which of New Jersey's independent recording Slingerland snares, LP percussion, Rhythm
he says come studios, and as a pit percussionist for vari- Tech shakers, and various brands of hard-
from classic ous local theaters. ware.
rock and fusion
music, along Phillips, Dennis Chambers,
with the Greek
music of his
Marc White Harvey Mason, and
You wouldn't necessarily Zigaboo Modeliste to
family her- expect to find a world beat inspire him. His demo tape,
itage. He cites John Bonham, Tommy drummer in the heart of consisting of performances
Aldridge, Ringo Starr, Rod Morgenstein, America's dairyland. But with all of the above-listed
Omar Hakim, and Stewart Copeland as thirty-eight-year-old groups, displays his grasp
drummers important to his development, Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based of both the fundamentals
"although I've been striving for the past Marc White is just that— and the nuances of each
ten years to sound like no one except and then some. With exten- style he plays. He consis-
myself." sive club, fair, benefit, and tently adds color and char-
Mike's equipment includes a Ludwig wedding experience in acter to the foundation that
"Bonham-sized" kit, Paiste and Sabian groups with names like Hip he sets for each song.
cymbals, and Pearl hardware. He plays this Pocket, Apples & Oranges, Marc lists his "gear" suc-
gear because he loves it, but he's also and Mighty Vumba, you cinctly: Yamaha, Pearl,
pragmatic about it, saying, "I'd like to can figure that Marc isn't Paiste. He states his goals
endorse some of these products in the your basic cheeseland in the same way: "First, I
future, because for me, like a lot of drum- polka drummer. want to get to a bigger city
mers, sticks and cymbals are going as fast Funk, jazz, and rock are in order to have better
as McDonalds makes hamburgers." Mike also among Marc's stylistic chances to meet and play
hopes to offset expenses by increasing his preferences, with the influ- with good musicians.
gigs with Rhinocervs (and hopefully get- ence of Tony Williams, Second, I want to turn
ting signed), along with developing a John Bonham, Billy those chances into a devel-
teaching practice. Cobham, Vinnie Colaiuta, oping drumming career."
Steve Gadd, Simon
 Mickey, Minnie,
And Pluto
On The Drums!
Photos by Rick Malkin
Will Kennedy hat are you, Goofy? Last November the
Percussive Arts Society held its annual
convention at the Disneyland Hotel in
Anaheim, California, and while Mickey
and the gang could be seen entertaining the
kids around the convention, it was the
drummers and percussionists in attendance
who were having the most fun.
And why not? The talent roster of per-
forming artists at the four-day event was
impressive, with seemingly every aspect of
percussion being covered. Clinics were
given on marching percussion, doumbek,
djembe, marimba, conga drum, gamelan,
tambourine, talking drum, electronic per-
cussion, udu drum, frame drum, orchestral
cymbals, mallets, Scottish rudimental
drums, and Irish percussion.
As for drumset, this year's PASIC had
what seemed to be an even greater amount
of kit-drumming coverage than usual.
Twenty-two drumset clinics and/or master
classes were given. Here's a rundown of
some of the drumset highlights:
Dave Weckl Author/educator Jim Payne gave a nice
master class on the history of R&B drum-
ming, focusing especially on the great
James Brown drummers Clyde Stubblefield
and Jabo Starks. Jim brought students up to
play and had them zero in on good groove
techniques, including playing ghost strokes
softly and not playing the bass drum too
much in time patterns.
Yellowjackets drummer Will Kennedy
simply wowed the large audience that
turned out for his clinic. Will had just got-
ten off a tour with the Jackets, and his
chops were burning. While his technique
was in good form, including the cleanest
single-stroke roll you'll ever want to hear,
Will discussed the emotional side of drum-
ming and "letting go" within the music.
Also, Will's drumset was mounted on a
DrumFrame, which made its debut at
PASIC and was the talk of the show.
There's no reason that Chad Smith
should feel compelled to perform shtick
and talk down his own playing at his clin-
ics; he can play. The Chili Peppers' drum-
mer opened with an impressive solo that
had some interesting moments, including
getting sounds from all over the kit—cym-
bal edges, rims, sticks-on-kick drum, etc.
His quick hands, use of dynamics, and
cross-sticking chops were also happening.
Probably one of the best drumset educa-
tors on the scene, Ed Shaughnessy gave a
Simon Phillips

focused master class on show drumming

and jazz technique. The former Tonight
Show drummer gave solid and useful tips
on a range of topics, including reading,
music and music stand placement, and
cymbal selection.
Garth Brooks' drummer, Mike Palmer,
talked about working with the multi-plat-
inum country artist. According to Mike,
"Onstage with Garth it's a bar-room brawl,
and I'm right in the middle of it!" Mike
displayed his "big," arm-swinging style,
which results in his getting a huge sound
on the drums. He demonstrated this by
playing along to a few Garth tracks.
The beautifully tasteful playing style of
jazz veteran Joe LaBarbera was a high
point of PASIC. Joe's master class, which
covered time playing and soloing, was truly
an educational event. The main inspiration
derived from his clinic was that the drums
can be played softly and with intensity.
Peter Erskine's clinic had the master
drummer performing on three different
drumsets, making the point that we should
be flexible and perform by using our ears,
not by playing a list of set licks. Peter got
down to some serious playing at his after-
hours gig at a nearby club, where, after a
duet with conguero Giovanni Hidalgo,
Peter remarked, "That was like playing
handball with God!"
Former Dregs/Winger drummer Rod
Morgenstein showed why he is one of the
top progressive drummers playing today.
Rod's clinic featured a performance with
keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and he also
took a few moments to explain some differ-
ent concepts, including how he developed
his metric modulation chops.
Former Zappa sideman and current
LAMA director Ralph Humphrey put

Bernard Purdie
together an impressive quartet (with master
percussionist Emil Richards on marimba)
to perform and discuss odd meters. Ralph
played great and was even more impressive
at helping students understand the concept.
A huge turnout welcomed Trilok Gurtu,
who rewarded the large crowd with a per-
formance that featured the percussionist on
a wide range of instruments. His mixing of
many rhythmic styles, from Indian tabla
techniques to fusion drumset, was stunning.
Jeff Hamilton followed Trilok, saying,
"You've been to India, now let's go to
Indiana." Jeff's easy and fun rapport with
the audience made for an enjoyable hour,
which was partially spent focusing on the
importance of being relaxed at the kit.
Other topics discussed by Jeff included
ways of playing with intensity ("internal
groaning!"), stage awareness ("be open to
the musicians around you"), and brush
technique ("always keep one brush on the
head at all times").
The ever-evolving Dave Weckl debuted
his current approach to playing the drums
at his well-attended clinic. With a new
setup to accommodate his intentionally
efficient playing style, Dave gave a very
informative clinic on a whole host of top-
ics. His looser approach was evident, espe-
cially as he made his way through some
romping New Orleans grooves.
Speaking of New Orleans, the soulful
Bernard Purdie took his clinic audience
on what he called "A musical journey,
from New Orleans to up North." Purdie put
everything he played in the pocket and
eventually performed his masterpiece, the
Purdie shuffle.
The final clinic at PASIC was given by
Simon Phillips, who was in the best form
of his career. Playing to tracks from his
new solo CD, Another Lifetime, Simon
startled the packed house with his dynamic
and grooving drumming. The extended
drum solo he played, which featured sever-
al memorable licks including his favorite
triplets-between-the-two-kicks-and-hands,
brought the audience to its feet.
Other standout clinics were given by
Steve Houghton, Bobby Rock, Clayton
Cameron, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Chad
Wackerman. The next PASIC will be held
November 4-7 in Orlando, Florida. (Does
Disney own PAS, too?) For information
call PAS at (405) 353-1455.
A
ndy Zunski's kit was a labor of love and imagination. space and makes for less hardware to lug around," he says.
Completely "home-made" over the course of a year, it incorpo- The picture on the front bass drum head was created by Andy's
rates Keller shells from Precision Drum Co., hardware from wife, Mary Ellen. As Andy explains, "A photographic image was
Stewart MacDonald's supply, DW pedals, Pearl and Gibraltar developed directly onto the drum head by brushing a liquid emul-
stands, and miscellaneous hardware "from just about every sion (like liquid developing paper) onto the drumhead and then
drumshop in the eastern US." The drumshells are finished with exposing it to the image."
cherry wood stain and clear polyurethane. Andy uses the kit for gigs throughout northeastern Pennsylvania
Andy designed the kit to integrate the tom mount and most of the and upstate New York. Says Andy, "It has garnered many compli-
cymbal boom arms into the bass drum bracket. "It frees up a lot of ments for its great sound and 'one-of-a-kind' appearance."
 GREEN DAY'S
TRÉ COOL
THE RETURN OF
PETE LAROCA SIMS
SARAH MCLAGAN'S
ASHWIN SOOD
STEVE REID
OF THE RIPPINGTONS
PLUS A SPECIAL
Morrison + Wulffraat

MARCHING PERCUSSION
SUPPLEMENT!

ADVERTISER INDEX
ADVERTISER PAGE NUMBER ADVERTISER PAGE NUMBER ADVERTISER PAGE NUMBER
Agner Swiss Drumsticks 77 HQ Percussion Products 113,122 Percussive Arts Society 139
Applied Microphone Technology (AMT) 147 Humes & Berg 59,61 Precision Drum Co. 122
Atlanta Drums & Percussion 122 Husher International, Ltd. 122 Premier 4/5,58
Atlanta Pro Percussion 134 Interstate Musician Supply 27 Pro•Mark 24/25,124
Audiophile Imports 136 Joe Morello 148 Regal Tip 71
Ayotte Drums 87 KOSA 54 Remo 31,45,135
Bosphorus Cymbals 27 L&M Music 57 Roc-N-Soc 91
Brady Drums 122 L.T. Lug Lock, Inc. 88 Sabian 21,23
Camber Cymbal Co. 62 Long Island Drum Center 101 Savior Inc. 106,138.
Cannon Percussion 86,88,90 Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA) 91 Sennheiser 74
Caribbean Rhythms 148 Ludwig Inside Front Cover Shrapnel Records 55
Clear-Sonic Mfg. 136 Magstar Drums 148 Skidmore College 124
Concept One Percussion 112 Mainline 63 Slingerland 93,95
Concord Jazz 92 Mapex 17,141 Slug Percussion Products 136
DCI/Note Service/Warner Bros. 94 MD Back Issues 89,133 Super Gloss/Sam Barnard 148
Dixon 115 MD Cross-Sticking Studies 117 Sunlite Industrial Corp. 76
Drum Center of Lexington 148 MD Drum Instructors Only 137 Tama 26,64/65,78
The Drum Pad 147 MD Festival Weekend 151 Taos Drums 136
DrumTech 70 MD Festival Videos 96/97 Thoroughbred Music 123
Drum Workshop 46/47,99 MD Library 102/103 Toca 77,119
Drum World 22 MD Subsriptions 125 Tribes Drums 136
Drummers Collective 56 Meinl Cymbals/Percussion 7,8 Trick 147
Drums In The Wind 149 Milwaukee Drums 112 UE Systems 149
Drums On Sale 122 Midwest Percussion 108 Vater Percussion 109,147
Evans Products 1 Music Tech 148 Visu-Lite/EPS 147
Fibes 55 Musician's Friend 105 Waddell's Drum Center 136
Vic Firth, Inc. 57,75 Musician's Pharmacy 122 West LA. Music 72
Fork's Drum Closet 147 Musicians Institute 100 Williams Percussion 136
Gemini Percussion Systems, Inc. 37 Noble & Cooley 20 XL Specialty 22
Gibraltar 73 Paiste 79,111 Yamaha 60
Gretsch 25 Pearl Corporation 28/29,Inside Back Cover Zildjian 9,10,1 l,13,Outside Back Cover
Grover Pro Percussion 72 Peavey Drums 107