“Play what you hear, and if you can’t play it, then practice it.” – Barry Altschul, Modern Drummer interview by Rick Mattingly, November, 1982 Periodic reminder that, creatively, the fundamental equation is real simple. Of […]
Category: very occasional quote of the day
Very occasional quote of the day: productivity
If people saw the way I lived, they’d realize that I spend a huge amount of time just relaxing and goofing off, watching baseball on television, going to movies, taking walks, playing jazz, and practicing […]
Very occasional quote of the day: Grady Tate on reading
“I never dealt with drum music as such, because ninety-five percent of it had nothing to do with what’s happening in the band. So many people have destroyed their careers by reading exactly what’s written […]
Very occasional quote of the day: mesmerized
“The fault with most drummers is they get carried away, mesmerized by the sound of the instrument.” – Larry Ridley, Jr. Modern Drummer, July, 1981
Very occasional quote of the day: form
“It is easy to forget that the man who writes a good love sonnet needs not only to be enamored of a woman, but also to be enamored of the Sonnet.” -C. S. Lewis
Very occasional quote of the day: Joe gives advice
“When I was playing the Vanguard with Freddie Hubbard, I went back to the kitchen and Philly Joe was there. He said, ‘You’re playing good. You gotta kick Freddie’s ass, make his lips burn.’ All […]
Very occasional quote of the day: no such thing as better
“We have only to fight as well as the men who stayed and fought at Shiloh. It is not necessary that we should fight better. There can be no such thing as better.” – Ernest […]
Very occasional quote of the day: religion
“This is my religion. I take long breaks now when I don’t perform and I am not myself when I am not performing.” – Roy Haynes h/t Sheet Music Library
Very occasional quote of the day: feel gotten with respect
From Vernon Reid’s Twitter feed: Funk ain’t easy. Many ASSUME that it is. Swing is complex, but it doesn’t grant carte blanche over other styles. Every idiom has its nuances that demand respect & attention […]
Very occasional quote of the day: you call it swing
“You call it swing, but what I’m saying is it’s a rhythmic sophistication that causes a euphoric reaction, and on a folk level that reaction can go anywhere from sensual feelings, to partying, to dancing, […]