Over the years, I have acquired quite a few drum books. The majority of them are very useful, well written, and I refer to them time and again. However, if I had to pick one book for my “Desert Island Drum Book” it would be John...
Read moreHal Blaine
Hal Blaine just passed away at age 90. Look him up if you don’t know his name. Many of you will know the groups and the songs. 15 Classic Songs that Featured Hal Blaine If you haven’t done so already, check out the documentary The Wrecking...
Read moreHappy 2019
Happy New Year to everyone! 2019 is here! I just received a nice email from a good friend who talked about working on some pretty hard stuff — Joe Morello’s Master Studies and Ted Reed’s Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern...
Read moreDrum Teachers
Today, one of my drum students asked me about the number of different drum teachers I’ve had. So, I decided to make a list: Thomas Search Ted Fulte Joe Hunt Jun Saito Skip Hadden Ed Kaspik Alan Dawson Kenwood Dennard Buster Bailey Frankie...
Read moreMusical Ego and Being Humble
Earlier this week, I was humbled (once again) hearing some musicians at a jam session. Philadelphia is still relatively new to me, so I am still exploring the various places to hear music. I really enjoy hearing great music — regardless of the...
Read moreAnd Repeat
Just when I think I have some things together on the drum set, something else comes along that trips me up. While this obviously frustrates me, I strive to embrace the process. I find that it helps if I allow myself to feel whatever amount of...
Read morePlay the Gig (Again)
I have posted before about the notion of playing the gig you’re on — not the one that you may be dreaming of. You can search for that post — it’s only slightly different than this one. The theme is the same, and bears repeating. I...
Read moreHappy Holidays and Happy New Year!
I hope that this coming year will bring peace and love to everyone. I’m going to keep doing new things and challenging myself. Here’s a little Christmas Video I made for a cousin of mine who requested a Christmas gift. I hope you...
Read moreRock ‘N’ Roll
In this youtube clip, Steve Jordan talks about the push and pull that creates the feel of rock ’n’ roll. I think this is the best three minutes of info out there! Since there’s a lot of information in this video, here are my notes...
Read moreImportant Traits of a Good Drummer
Many drummers are familiar with Tommy Igoe these days. (If not, please google him.) Tommy’s father was Sonny Igoe — maybe not a household name, but very influential back in the day. Tommy has credited his father’s method of teaching...
Read moreA Beginner’s Mind
Over the years and up to this day, I have been interested in learning the drums. What can the drum set do? What are the various styles that I may not be good at — yet? I purposefully buy drum books that cover techniques and ways of playing with...
Read moreBeing Versatile
I enjoy listening and playing lots of different kinds of music. I grew up mainly around pop and rock, but gravitated toward the fusion music of the ’70’s. That music was my gateway into jazz. I was completely blown away by Billy...
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