I must apologize for the light posting- I’ve been occupied with work and with my still-upcoming, really-going-to-happen this time recording session for my new record. Allow me to make it up to you by offering […]
Category: drums
Elvin Jones transcription round-up
I’m working on charts this evening, so here are some links to Elvin Jones transcriptions by other people: Summertime – transcribed by Steve Korn Have I linked to this before? If not, I should have. […]
Transcription: Jo Jones – It Don’t Mean A Thing…
Here’s a transcription of Papa Jo Jones playing the intro and head of It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing, from a 1970 Black Lion recording, Paul Gonsalves Meets Earl Hines. […]
Todd’s methods: same-handed flam accents
This is something that came organically out of my own playing- it came up again and again in improvising for years before I finally analyzed it. The only place I’ve seen it mentioned since is […]
Survival tips for cruise ship drummers
My man Willie Blair, the only person I know who could get away with flouting most of the non-musical rules. I guess I had to actually write about drumming on cruise ships at some point, […]
Playing quieter
Miles is going to have to ask you to CTFO. In the past I was regarded as a loud player— I forgot how much, until recently a club owner asked if we would please keep the […]
Airto: 1983 Modern Drummer interview
Here’s part of another great Modern Drummer interview, from 1983, with Airto, the famous Brazilian drummer and percussionist. As always, I’ve excerpted the parts that are most important to me, and the headings are mine. […]
The only two videos available.
Another great post at Jon McCaslin’s Four on the Floor– the complete Elvin Jones documentary Different Drummer– reminds me of how scarce information used to be. Up through at least the beginning of my college […]
Cherished notions bite the dust
I need a bushier goatee for this gig. I’ve been experiencing all kinds of growth with my playing in recent years, which I attribute partly to me forgetting things I for years thought were really […]
Some of them just can’t count.
There’s a great extended piece over at Four on the Floor on the subject of form in soloing, and how to hip the other musicians to the fact you are adhering to it: Of course […]
1978 Modern Drummer interview: Tony Williams
From the Modern Drummer digital archive, here are some excerpts from a 1978 interview with Tony Williams. I’ve edited out the large hunks of it where they discuss single-headed toms, the merits of fiberglass drums, […]