CYMBALISTIC: Just a quick note, reporting on a quick visit to Cymbal & Gong playing a new shipment of stuff. We’re in an interesting period with them, sounds seem a little more variable from cymbal to cymbal; a lot of things are better than ever, some are just changing a little bit, in interesting ways. I’ve said before, the thinner cymbals are really great right now.
Holy Grail – Turkish style
These are sounding great, especially the rides. We’re in a golden age of Turkish-type Holy Grails, and the players I show them to are definitely responding. Details coming with videos of the new cymbals.
The crashes are in an interesting state— they’re thin, but they handle very much like ride cymbals— we get a focused ride-type sound when riding. The crash response is rather slow as you would expect, but it’s there, these are not simply small ride cymbals.
Hihats are solid, with some rather energetic highs.
Extra Special Janavar
These have been a very hot item for a couple of years now, and I expect that to continue with the current round of them. I first requested them as a variation on the Janavar in 2023, with irregular hammering and rougher lathing. I’ve been requesting them in quite light weights, which has the effect of giving a softer feel under the stick, and allownig in some rather burning highs. Giving, with the normal patina, a rather energetic jazz sound, and with the heavy patina, a nice dry funk.
Janavar
Cymbal & Gong has been focusing on some different things, so we haven’t seen a lot of regular Janavars in the last year or so. And they have been getting them generally on the heavier side— still a light-medium, compared to what’s typical for the major companies. They’re sounding great, though. I will be waiting for some lighter examples to give the “special” treatment— a heavy patina, which transforms them into a funky, basically bright sound, suitable for jazz.
Other lines
The Midnight Lamp (Turk-style top, lathed bottom) series is a regular, very popular item for Cymbal & Gong, which I rarely stock. They have a thin, light sound that is lovely and very modern— I just don’t have an ear for them.
There was also a special ordered set of the old Oaktown series, originally made for Round Sound in Oakland, CA. Somewhat similar in appearance to the Agop Signature line. The sound is like a dirtier, funkier Midnight Lamp.
Also recently they made two Dizzy cymbals— 22″ Chinas with a chunk cut out of the edge, with a lot of rivets. Our friend Michael Griener has been using one regularly for years, and these were both excellent. Cymbal & Gong’s China cymbals I think are the best available for jazz drummers.
Videos of new cymbals coming next week. I’m taking cymbals to Germany in November to show and sell, so I’ll be assembling a package of stuff for that— we’ll be seeing quite a bit of cymbal activity coming up.
