I’ve been listening to some great players and their take on the Brazilian Bossa Nova. Besides the Brazilian drummers, the cats I really like best are the players that keep it swingin’ while playing “straight” 8th notes. Check out Jimmy Cobb with...
Read moreDrum Technique
Previously I have posted some thoughts on drum technique. To summarize, I believe that every drummer can benefit from good technique. Have command over your instrument instead of the other way around. I’m from the school of thought that a solid...
Read moreBrazilian Drumming
Over the years, I’ve tried to learn different styles of drumming. One in particular that speaks to me, is the drumming from Brazil. The Bossa nova and samba are two rhythms that are pretty much required for any serious drum student. Dig a bit...
Read moreNew Orleans Drumming
I have been drawn to the music and drumming from New Orleans for quite a while now. It’s really at the heart of so many things — including being the birthplace of jazz. The various cultures that came together created the one place where it all...
Read moreKeep Learning
I was asked recently who I thought are (or were) the best blues drummers. My list included some of my favorites: Fred Below, Jim Keltner, Steve Gadd, and Al Jackson Jr. Jabo Starks, Stanton Moore and Steve Jordan are there, as well. There are...
Read moreBeing Versatile
I like lots of different kinds of music. I grew up listening to The Beatles and top-40 radio pop and rock. One cool thing was that radio stations used to play many different styles of music. I could hear Led Zeppelin followed by The Carpenters...
Read moreThe Half-Time Shuffle
I have a fondness for the half-time shuffle and I really like how Bernard “Pretty” Purdie does it (called the Purdie Shuffle). I remember when I first heard Steely Dan’s Aja album and the tune Home At Last — wow! Shortly after that, I checked out...
Read moreThe Swing Era and the Drums
In my previous post, I briefly mentioned a few different styles of music that drummers should be familiar with when playing a big band gig. I mainly talked about the feel of a tune. I have used the terms “feel” and “style” interchangeably here...
Read moreAt the Gig with Your Metronome
I played a big band gig last night that was lots of fun. It was my first time with this band and there were no rehearsals. I sight read the entire gig. There was a set list with not only the names of the tunes (and their corresponding numbers in...
Read moreJazz Drumming
I just had the opportunity to play a nice jazz gig in a great venue backing up a jazz pianist. It was a classic jazz piano trio – piano, bass and drums. We played standards and one original composition. There was no rehearsal for this gig! I went...
Read moreFollow-up to Jams
My previous post talked about music jams, but I feel I left out something pretty important – knowing styles. Whatever jam you end up at, it’s really helpful if you are somewhat familiar and comfortable with that style. Blues jams require a...
Read moreJam Sessions – Sitting In
For those who don’t know, a jam session is a fairly informal night of music. The jam is usually organized around a specific style of music – jazz, blues, country, etc. There’s a host band which will open up the night by playing some tunes. They...
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