The Monday Morning Paradiddle

A few people have inquired as to what I've been up to lately and where I can be heard in the next couple of months. So here's a few interesting gigs of mine to take note of:

January 25 - Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble Big Band featuring Ralph Bowen presented by the National Music Centre's Summit Jazz Series

February 3 - Big Band Clinic @ The University of Calgary

February 5 - Ralf Buschmeyer  Trio hosts the Wine-Oh's Jazz Jam Session

February 6 - Carsten Rubeling Quartet @ The Cliff Bungalow Jazz Series

February 8 - The Yardbird Suite (Edmonton) with The Brenan Brothers

February 16 - The Invertigo Trio with Jim Brenan and Rubim de Toledo host the Broken City Jazz Jam 3-6pm

March 15 - Brad Shigeta Swing Band

March 16 - Fraser Calhoun Quartet featuring Mulgrew Miller @ Riverside Church

March 17 - Fraser Calhoun Quartet featuring Mulgrew Miller @ The Yardbird Suite (Edmonton)

March 18 - Fraser Calhoun Quartet featuring Mulgrew Miller @ Grant MacEwan University (Edmonton)

March 19 - Fraser Calhoun Quartet featuring Mulgrew Miller @ The Ironwood Stage & Grill

March 20 - 22 - Optimist Band Festival (Regina, SK)

March 23 - Guest Artist with the Regina Jazz Orchestra (Regina, SK)

Please drop by and say hello!

Here's a few things that have been making the rounds lately around the Four on the Floor offices. Enjoy!

- Brian Blade is indeed one of our generations most influential Jazz drummers (and for good reason!)  His work as a leader with his Fellowship ensemble and as sideman with the Wayne Shorter Quartet are two examples of why Brian has been leading the charge over the past ten or so years.

I've really been enjoying his duo work with guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and this track is a good example of the interesting music this drums/guitar duet is capable of:



And if you like that, here's another bass and drums duet featuring Blade with bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa from his album "Prayer" on Sonny Rollins' "Oleo":



More interesting Brian Blade clips coming this week...

- Drummer Marcus Gilmore, who also happens to be the grandson of Jazz great Roy Haynes (!), has been making quite an impression lately. Here's a nice article on Gilmore courtesy of NPR's A Blog Supreme:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2013/02/06/171249897/when-your-grandfather-is-the-greatest-living-jazz-drummer

- Lewis Nash was recently in Calgary with the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour and it was incredible. Nash has always been a favorite of mine. Here's a couple quick ones of Lewis in action from the same recent tour:





- Pianist Benny Green was also on that bill and, as far as I was concerned, really stole the show (and that's saying a lot considering how well everybody played!)

Here's another clip of Benny Green and his trio featuring Kenny Washington on drums:



Dig the very explicit accents that Kenny displays during his drum solo. Time for me to revisit my Wilcoxin snare drum solos, me thinks!

And here's a nice interview with Green talking about his days as a Jazz Messenger, mentored by the great Art Blakey:



- What am I listening to these days?

Mulgrew Miller Trio "Live at the Kennedy Center" - Rodney Green (drums)

Danny Grissett "Form" - Kendrick Scott (drums)

JJ Johnson & Stan Getz "Live at the Opera House" - Connie Kay (drums)

Oscar Peterson Trio "West Side Story" - Ed Thigpen (drums)

Jim Hall "Live!" - Terry Clarke (drums)

- Carl Allen recently gave an excellent masterclass at this year's edition of the JEN Conference in Atlanta on his approach to playing the ride cymbal. Here's a highlight of his session courtesy of Bret Primack, the "Jazz Video Guy":



- My good friend and fellow McGill alumni Rich Irwin recently launched his own on-line drumming school:

http://virtualdrumschool.com/

More on Rich and this exciting project coming soon!

- New Orleans drummer Herlin Riley is always a pleasure to listen to. His modern approach of dealing with New Orleans Second Line music and infectiousness groove always inspires me:



I've been checking out this album of Riley's lately too and enjoy not only his unique playing but interesting compositions as well:

- Special thanks to Chad Anderson who hipped me this special one (audio only!) of Max Roach:



- And finally, to finish off today's extensive Monday Morning Paradiddle, here's a little Tony Williams that has inspired me of late and should provide more than enough "fuel to the fire" to motivate me in the old woodshed this week!