Jazz context. Tunes we call standards— originally contemporary popular songs that everyone knew, that were a standard part of a working group’s book. These terms arose when there were regularly working bands and an active […]
Category: rants
Practice makes permanent?
I see this phrase again and again. I guess it’s not entirely wrong, maybe, but taken the wrong way, as things always are today, it results in some wrong thinking. Here’s what a random jive […]
The one true path to knowledge
I am referring to, of course, the autopsy. Obviously. This fascinating by which I mean abominable study has been brought to my attention, scientifically examining the “micro timing” of Charlie Watts’s drumming in the context […]
Lightning round: taking some rudiments down a notch
“There was only one lesson, and that was Lesson 25.” These are some issues with the 40 International Drum Rudiments, that have been irking me for a long time, largely phrased in the second person, […]
Listening to Ginger Baker again
Note: Having finished the following piece of writing, I’m going to file it under rants. I set out to make an impartial analysis, but got so annoyed with the music, I think that category will […]
Artists I have despised
As I get back into the swing of things after traveling, here is another one of those ranting things written some weeks ago for my own amusement. A pointless screed, venting some things that have […]
World’s stupidest debate
All right, let’s get massively on line, people. There’s a hot theory “debate” happening on “Instagram”, about WHERE’S THE 1 on a simple damn rap song by Ludacris, “Rollout”, which I had never heard before […]
The power of pure bullshit
Clearly we’re in a golden age of pure bullshit. That is evident. There is an element of society that seeks delusion, and, finding it, clings to it tenaciously. An advertiser could tell them, no, I’m […]
Charisma of roads, and the lack of
Apropos of nothing, I was suddenly moved to write this. I’ve done a lot of distance traveling by car and tour bus in these United States. It became a writing experiment— I really started with […]
What are we even doing?
Reason as motive, or reason as logic, or reason as a way of life?– George Smiley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carré Listen, this pursuit, playing the drums, getting better at playing the […]
Serving the music
It’s a strange phrase, that people are fond of repeating: serving the music. Me, I like to serve the music, I’m different that way. It sounds good, very pious. And unnecessary. Most people are already […]