The Monday Morning Paradiddle

Well, yet another year has come and gone over here at Four on the Floor. Today's Monday Morning Paradiddle will be my last post for 2014. It's now time to kick back, relax, enjoy some eggnog and catch up on a few things before the big man arrives on December 25th. In the meantime, here's a few interesting things making the rounds around the office:

- Somebody was quite clever and compiled all these isolated drum tracks from some classic rock tunes:

http://www.openculture.com/2014/06/isolated-drum-tracks-from-six-of-rocks-greatest-bonham-moon-peart-copeland-grohl-starr.html

Now if someone were to go to all the trouble and do the same with the likes of Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, etc. I will personally buy them lunch for all their trouble! Just sayin'...

- Scott K. Fish, former managing editor of Modern Drummer magazine, continues to maintain a fascinating blog with many great articles and interviews with the greats. Be sure to check out his blog Life Beyond the Cymbals at https://scottkfish.wordpress.com. In particular, his four-part series on Joe Morello, remembering Buddy Rich, is really worth reading.

- I've received a lot of positive comments with regards to my previous posts about the benefit of playing and practicing along with recordings to help develop your time and musicality as a drummer. Here's a few more ideas from you, the reader. Thank you for your suggestions!

Stan Getz and Kenny Barron - "People Time"
Monty Alexander - "Triple Scoop"
Jim Chapin - "For Drummers Only"
Lee Konitz - "Alone Together"
Colin Bailey - "Drums Solos: The Art of Phrasing" (book w/CD)
Nick Brignola - "It's Time"
Kenny Barron and Dave Holland - "The Art of Conversation"
Cear Camargo Mariano & Romero Lubambo - "Duo"
Tal Farlow - "A Sign of the Times"
Kirl Lightsey Trio - "From Kirk to Nat"
Bill Mays & Red Mitchell - "Two of a Mind"
Steve Nelson - "Fuller Nelson"
David Sills - "Light Touch"
Kenny Wheeler - "What Now?"


- A few gems of wisdom from the late Eddie Harris:

- I'm really digging the collection of films posted on the Alan Lomax channel over at youtube.com. The amount of music and culture that this man documented is shocking. I've watched this one, in particular, many, many times....Here's Othar Turner and The Rising Sun Fife & Drum Band playing "The Call":




I'm not sure this really qualifies as being "second line", it's something related, but definitely something different too and I really dig it. This is a real lesson on how to make the snare drum groove.

- Here's my man Lewis Nash from a recent gig at New York's Smoke:



- And Gregory Hutchinson lays it down with a pair of brushes:



Apparently Hutch has some on-line lessons coming our way so be on the lookout.

- I've been a fan of Joe Farnsworth's since first seeing him at Smoke with Benny Golson during the late 90s in New York City. Check out what he can do with small drum set-up, sans toms and only one cymbal.



Well now, I guess it's time for me to re-visit my Wilcoxin and the Rudiment Ritual me thinks!

- Tony. Williams.



- Here'a cool guide to Neil Peart's drum setup courtesy of CBC Music:



- What am I listening to and reading these days?

Christopher Smith - "Mel Lewis: The View From the Back of the Band"

Billy Martin - "Wandering"

Maria Martinez - "Afro-Cuban Coordination for Drumset: The Essential Method and Workbook"

Pat Metheny "Day Trip" - Antonio Sanchez (drums)

"Birdman" (official soundtrack to the motion picture) - Antonio Sanchez & Brian Blade (drums)

Joe Lovano "Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol.1" (LP) - Billy Hart (drums)


- And the final word of 2014 undoubtedly goes to this man...



I think it was Max Roach that once said something along the lines of: "For every four notes that a drummer plays, three of those belong to Jo Jones!"


Thank you all for your continued support.
Drive safe and see you all in January 2015.