Posting is going to be a little spotty for the next few days; I’m recording my new album at the beginning of next week, and until then I’ll be preoccupied with stuff related to that. […]
Year: 2014
Free Skype lesson at the end of the week.
If you want to get in on the drawing for a free Skype lesson, now’s the time to become a member of the blog (see the sidebar), and/or complete my user survey. I’ll be picking […]
Groove o’ the day: Jim Gordon — Jump Into The Fire
Here’s a cowbell groove from the studio legend, tragically insane, Jim Gordon. It’s Jump Into The Fire, from Harry Nilsson’s album Nilsson Schmilsson, which for people not around in the 70’s will be best known […]
Too high
There’s this thing about the way drummers think: they’re prone to feedback loops. They’ll find something cool, and say “That sounds good! Let’s do that, only more so, forever.” It’s the same impetus that leads […]
Pad practice fodder
In a dream world, a perfect world, we would all do our “pad” practice— I call it snare drum practice— on an actual drum, and giving it our undivided attention. Somewhere along the line I […]
There’s no excuse at all for buying student cymbals any more
Unless you just live for peeling away factory packaging, or have some kind of sick virginity fetish. Following up on my previous piece on this subject— to get good, cheap cymbals now, all you have […]
Survey time!
I kind of snuck this into the Skype post, but I have put together a user survey, so if you could please take a moment to fill it out, I would really appreciate it. “So […]
Groove o’ the day: Mel Lewis — Jive Samba
Mel Lewis plays a funk groove. The tune is Nat Adderly’s Jive Samba, and the album is Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, Central Park North, from 1969. The intro has some fun tom fills, so […]
Skype lessons coming soon
OK, then: starting in March, I’ll be offering private lessons via Skype. And as I get my act together teaching this way, I think I’ll give away a few free lessons. Let’s do it like […]
VOQOTD: Elvin’s epitaph
“You got to remember, music is all about love.” —Elvin Jones From Drum Therapy: Elvin Jones 9/9/27-5/18/04, by Adam Mansbach, a very moving Jazz Times piece about Elvin’s last days. [h/t to AA]