The Monday Morning Paradiddle

- Thanks to everyone who came out to hear my new band play and to those that sat in at the Broken City Jazz Jam Session on Saturday afternoon. I had a fabulous time playing with Ralf Buschmeyer on guitar and Derek Stoll on keyboards. Hope to do much more playing with these guys in the future. We've got plenty of tunes and ideas, now we just need a catchy name for the group !

- I must say, Calgary's Broken City has the most authentic tasting poutine I've found since moving to Western Canada from Quebec (this means a nice cut of fries, real cheese curds NOT just mozzarella and they really got the sauce right instead of just dumping regular gravy on top.) And yes, I should know...having flashbacks to my favorite haunt, Momma's Pizza on the corner of Sewell and Avenue Des Pins in my old 'hood in Montreal back in the day...

- I love this photo. It really says alot doesn't it ?



I love that drum throne that Joe Morello is sitting on. And what's with the old-style NHL goal lights between Brubeck and Morello ? Was somebody keeping score ?

- From Mike Tarrani's Facebook feed here's a great clip of vocalist Carmen McRae that I enjoyed watching this weekend:



Now just who is that swinging drummer?

- Here's a hip clip of Al Foster from a recent European tour, doing his thing:



I always love watching Al play and that massive chinese cymbal that sits high to his left. I heard him play at the Village Vanguard years ago and I don't think he touched that cymbal once the whole night !

- Make sure to check out the November issue of Downbeat magazine featuring Paul Motian on the cover. November is International Drum Month so many music magazines feature drums and drummers this month more than normal.

In particular, Peter Erksine wrote a GREAT woodshed column entitled "The Comping Game". Very insightful, motivating and this alone should send me to my practice room for the next few weeks with plenty to work on and think about. All drummers should practice this. Thank you Peter !

- I'm going to finish today's post with an inspiring quote found in the Downbeat interivew with Paul Motian:

"Listen to the music. Play what you hear, and if you don't hear it, then forget about it. Maintain the time inside of yourself. You don't have to play it. If it's inside you, it's already there. You don't have to play it all the time. It's in you, man. It's in your body. It's in your head. It's all over the place, man. You can't miss it."

- Paul Motian