Mike Clark

A few previews today of Mike Clark from his upcoming lessons via The Drum Channel. There's some very important information here!

The Monday Morning Paradiddle

And....we're back. As always, here's a few things of interest making the rounds via the Four on the Floor office these days:

- Joe LaBarbera offers some reflections on his time working with Bill Evans via All About Jazz:

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/joe-labarbera-experiencing-bill-evans-joe-la-barbera-by-victor-l-schermer.php?pg=1&width=1280

- A wonderful piece by Nate Chinen on the late Mickey Roker from WBGO:

http://wbgo.org/post/mickey-roker-dynamic-hard-bop-drummer-and-philly-jazz-institution-dies-84#stream/0

- A profile on Dave King, from The Bad Plus from NPR:

http://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2013/09/10/220772101/the-odd-jobs-of-dave-king

- This is a wonderful feature on Roy Haynes from Jon Batiste and the Late Show:



I gotta say...Haynes is so bad ass that even those sorry drums sound good when he plays them!


- Max Roach and Cecil Taylor interviewed:




- Joe Farnsworth has been on the road Down Under lately. Here's a feature and an interview all the way from Australia:

http://scenestr.com.au/music/joe-farnsworth-is-drumming-his-way-to-australia

http://www.buzzsprout.com/95092/511584-3-interview-with-joe-farnsworth

And from an older performance in Russia (after drinking some covefefe perhaps?) here's an awesome mallet solo to check out:




- Harvey Mason reflects on the accompanying accomplishments of Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones and Roy Haynes via Bret Primack, the Jazz Video Guy:


Harvey Mason on Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Haynes from Bret Primack on Vimeo.


- Kenny Washington speaks to the influence of the John Kirby Sextet on Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker:




- Irish Jazz drummer (and contributor to this blog!) Conor Guilfoyle is featured over at irishdrummers.com:

http://www.irishdrummers.com/2017/06/conor-guilfoyle-supreme-jazz-drummer.html

- Another great Irish Jazz drummer, David Lyttle, recently wrapped up a road trip through the United States and documented his journey via a podcast and a series of clever videos. Here's one of Lyttle's features, performing in the backyard of Art Blakey's childhood home located in the Hill District of Pittsburgh:




- Quincy Davis, the new Professor of Jazz Drumming at the University of North Texas, offers the first of a two-part series on brush playing:



Looking forward to Part II Q !


- Here's an inspiring one featuring Joe Lovano and Paul Motian's drum set:


Joe&Paul'sDrums from Michael Patrick Kelly on Vimeo.


- This one brought back some memories as I used to hear these guys play together in Montreal during the mid 90s. Here's Pete Magadini burning on Cherokee with Andre White on piano and Alec Walkington on drums:



I always recommend Magadini's books "Learn to Play the Drums" Vol. 1 & 2 to all my beginner drum students.

- Some recent clips of Portlands Alan Jones, a recent favourite drummer/composer/band leader/educator/visionary of mine:









- What am I listening to these days?

Horace Silver "Six Pieces of Silver" - Louis Hayes (drums)

Horace Silver "Trio" - Art Blakey (drums), Sabu (percussion)

David Kikoski "Consequences" - Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums)

Art Pepper "Plus Eleven" - Mel Lewis (drums)

Paul Motian "ECM :Rarum"- Paul Motian (drums)

Jorge Rossy "Stay There" - Al Foster (drums), Jorge Rossy (vibraphone)


- And today's Final Word goes to Jim Blackley, an important icon in the realm of Canadian Jazz drumming (who only recently retired from teaching). His teachings have inspired several generations of important Jazz drummers here in Canada:

"The only reason for devoting yourself to a life of Jazz performance must come from a sincere need from within. You must feel deeply from within your heart that this is the path you wish to follow. A decision based on any other reason is fraught with danger....being a musician means being part of a total experience - no winning, no losing"- Jim Blackley

* RIP Adam West (Batman)

Kirk MacDonald & Pat LaBarbera 4tet with Adam Nussbaum

I posted some brief clips of this band awhile ago but fortunately for us here's some well-filmed concert footage, recorded in Ottawa, ON earlier this year, featuring Canadian tenor titans Kirk MacDonald and Pat LaBarbera along with bassist Kieran Overs and guest drummer Adam Nussbaum to enjoy:



If you were looking for a lesson in musical/highly swinging drumming today, you've found it! Nussbaum's sense of flow, graceful sound and motion around the drums always really knocks me out.

Furthermore, I received a copy of their latest album in the mail last month and have really enjoyed the overall group chemistry. Check it out!