I was the host drummer at a jam session last night and some guitar player friends showed up. I was fortunate and got to play with them all throughout the evening. You never know who’s going to show up for a jam, and last night no other...
Read moreAttitude
Simply put, I love what I do. Not only do I get to play the drums at many different kinds of gigs, but I also have the opportunity to influence students and try to impart some drumming knowledge. I’m never too old to learn from anyone, and...
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 moreWhat’s Cookin’
I have the privilege of playing drums for a 10-piece big band called Whats Cookin’. This is a high energy band performing original charts of jazz standards, blues and fusion featuring many of Denver’s finest musicians. Currently, we...
Read moreLearning Tunes and Student Recitals
I just had the pleasure of performing in the rhythm section for a guitar recital. There were many different groups that the instructor put together for this and it was big fun! The bassist and I had CDs sent to us as well as sheet music. Needless...
Read moreVocal Jazz in High School
I had the pleasure of being in the rhythm section for four different high school vocal jazz groups today. These students are not only talented, but full of enthusiasm. What a joy to be around that energy! It’s always fun for me to be with...
Read moreSight Reading and Mistakes
Some gigs go better than others. That just seems to happen from time-to-time. When sight reading music, things can really get funny quickly when the charts are difficult (especially without a rehearsal), and/or when the musicianship in the band...
Read moreDriving Home From the Gig
Some of my gigs are one to two hours away and I end up driving home that same evening. Usually, if the gig is further away than that, then accommodations are provided. Personally, I want to arrive about one hour ahead of time. If there’s a...
Read morePlay at the Right Tempo
So, you’re on the bandstand and the guitar player starts every tune without any sort of a count off and you’re doing the gig for the very first time. Yikes!!! This happens more frequently than you might imagine. What to do? Listen and...
Read moreMusic Making
The past weekend, I had the chance to play a great gig with talented musicians. The music was challenging, but it was also fun and painless at the same time. It just seemed like everyone showed up with the same goal — to make music. I can’t...
Read moreDrum Solos or Solo Drums
I like drum solos. I don’t feel compelled to play one on every song, but if it’s the right time — then I’m there! I really like supporting other people when they solo, yet when it’s time for the drum solo most musicians...
Read moreVolume and Competing
I have written in the past about being able to play the drums at different dynamic levels, and I feel that that’s an important part of learning the drums. I try very hard to know my limit as to how hard to hit. I don’t hit hard to...
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