OK, the title is a little goofy- a lot goofy- but this is an excellent, fun book of snare drum exercises written by North Texas State University instructor Ron Fink to “uncover weakness in basic […]
Category: drums
Transcription: Elvin Jones – Soul Eyes
Another transcription from the archives- Elvin Jones playing brushes on Soul Eyes, from the album Coltrane, by John Coltrane. The transcription is of the piano and tenor solos; it’s written in the four of the […]
Baby Dodds
One thing I’ve noticed in recent years is that you can’t have a conversation about the drums in jazz without Baby Dodds coming up- he’s become kind of a signifier of seriousness about the subject. […]
Straight, No Chaser – two interpretations
You know, I think I’m kind of a Monk guy? Here’s something I did for a student some time ago- a comparison of Ben Riley’s and Art Taylor’s approach to playing on the head of […]
Charles Dowd aphorisms – part 1
Here are some choice quotes from my old percussion professor at the University of Oregon, Charles Dowd, who died last year. He was a star pupil of Saul Goodman and Tony Cirone back in the […]
Papa Jo and Big Sid
Jammin’ The Blues, a short film featuring Jo Jones and Sid Catlett. Watch for the trade off after 5:40: “Big Sid was like my brother. I never go anyplace without a picture of Big Sid […]
Ben Riley on Monk
Thelonious Monk’s other great drummer from the ’60’s, Ben Riley talks about joining the band, and an early performance experience: Performance clips after the break. You could but shouldn’t write a bop drumming textbook from […]
James Gadson: soul master
Nothing to say, I was just thinking about the drummer James Gadson. What am I going to add? Two Bill Withers clips I post anywhere and everywhere I can: More clips after the break: Another […]
Princess Wee-Wee
In his 2008 interview by Marc Myers at JazzWax, Roy Haynes talks about Lester Young and his reaction to Roy’s first 20″ bass drum: Roy Haynes: [Lester] was a very humorous guy. He had his […]
1996 Paul Motian interview, part 3: ding ding GA-ding
Third part of my excerpts of Chuck Braman’s 1996 Paul Motian interview. TIPS AND COMMENTS: Chuck: Did any of the musicians you worked with ever offer you any advice or make musical comments that struck […]
Transcription: Jon Christensen – Long As You Know You’re Living Yours
Here’s Jon Christensen playing some of those ECM backbeats on Long As You Know You’re Living Yours, from Keith Jarrett’s Belonging. I mean to tackle the big one- The Windup- soon, but in the mean […]
Joey Baron master class, last part: Make Music With Whatever You’ve Got
Joey Baron master class at the New School, 1994: last part ELVIN JONES: I worked a gig at the Vanguard with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, it was like a bebop thing, and Elvin Jones […]