I just heard the Jim Hall Quartet last night – wow! There was an amazing amount of energy and yet the group practically played at a whisper. I was only three tables from the stage, and at times I had to almost strain to hear the guitar (Jim...
Read moreAccepting Others
OK, so let’s say you have an education in music. Perhaps you have a degree, maybe even a Master’s Degree or beyond. You are a trained musician, as they say. You are able to talk about harmony and theory in a way that others may not understand...
Read moreDoing My Job
At the end of the gig last night, I was told by a fellow band member that by listening to me he always knew where he was in the music. It’s a nice compliment. It’s also my job – at least that’s how I look at it. With a 10-piece big band playing...
Read moreKeep It Simple
I am sometimes amazed at how good something can sound when I keep my drumming simple and to the point. Even when I check out some of the greats, and I hear something that floors me – sometimes it’s so simple! But is it? From a technical...
Read moreListening While You Drum
I played three very different gigs this past weekend. The first one was with a blues/R&B band. At the second gig, I was the sub for a smooth jazz group. The third gig was with a 10-piece big band playing Brecker Brothers tunes as well as some...
Read moreJazz Song Forms: AABA
In many jazz tunes, there is a common form that occurs: 32 bars in the form of AABA. Each section is typically 8 bars in length, thus giving the total of 32 bars. The “A” sections form the main melody with the harmony generally leading back to...
Read moreHaving Some Fun
I had the pleasure of playing a jazz trio gig last night – piano, upright bass and me (drums). There’s a fun thing that can happen when playing music, and that’s when the players show up and just have some fun! We tried a few new tunes (for us)...
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