Well, we're well into Spring here but you'd hardly know it where I live, given all the snow that keeps on lingering about (well I suppose it IS Canada after all, eh?) Anyhow, let's not let the weather get us down and instead focus on all the cool things that our hard working correspondents in the Four on the Floor office have compiled for us to check out this month:
- A spotlight on Baby Dodds & Zutty Singleton from Jazz Profiles.
- An audio interview with the great Billy Higgins from Heidi Chang.
- From Jazz Times magazine, Joe Lovano speaks about his favourite Paul Motian recordings:
- The Mel Lewis radio interviews are legendary and required listening for anyone serious about the study of Jazz drumming. And here they are compiled for your listening and educational pleasure.
And also an interview with Mel Lewis by Loren Schoenberg.
*Loren has also posted a number of Mel's radio interviews, featuring various different drummers, on YouTube. I'll get to those later!*
- George Marsh featured over at the Drummer's Weekly Groovecast.
- A nice drum solo introduction from Johnathan Blake from a recent hit at Smalls:
Also, an older, but great piece from 2012 on Blake from NPR.
Oh yes, and don't forget to check out Johnathan's amazing new album "Trion" with Chris Potter and Linda Oh: https://johnathanblake1.bandcamp.com/releases
- Montreal drummer and McGill Jazz professor Andre White was a huge influence on me during the 90s while I was living and studying in Montreal (he still is in fact and I often think about his approach to the drums and musicianship...) Not sure where this one came from, but here's some grainy footage of White swinging nicely on a rhythm changes:
- Kendrick Scott also has an amazing new album release on Blue Note. Hear Scott's thoughts on his new music here.
- Jerome Jennings is a hard working drummer who's work ethic and attitude I greatly admire. Here's a cool drum solo piece of his entitled "Heart":
- Carl Allen is one of the busiest drummers on the scene today and I often reflect on my lessons with him, back in the early 2000s.
Here's a couple of interviews with Allen to check out:
- The ever musical Tina Raymond via The Working Drummer podcast:
- Ralph Peterson Jr. featured on the Meinl Cymbals Radio Podcast:
- Here's Keith Hall with a great ride cymbal lesson from his new YouTube lesson series:
- What am I listening to these days?
Keith Jarrett "Standards Live" - Jack DeJohnette (drums)
Bernie Senensky Septet "Re:Action" - Barry Elmes (drums)
Wayne Shorter "Speak No Evil" - Elvin Jones (drums)
Chick Corea "Trio Music - Live in Europe" - Roy Haynes (drums)
Elvin Jones "The Complete Blue Note Recordings" - Elvin Jones (drums)
Paul Chambers "The Complete Blue Note Recordings" - Philly Joe Jones/Elvin Jones/Art Blakey/Art Taylor (drums)
- And today's Final Word goes to the ever wise and swinging Joe Farnsworth (pay attention!):
"Must come from inside you. Like breathing. It has got to be the base from which all your drumming stems. Your quarter note. Not Elvin's. Not Higgins'. Not metronome. Not Red Garland trio. That quarter note must always be there. Start with just cymbal. Slow. Breathe. Make it smooth. Then add bass drum. Then hi-hat. Then snare quarters. Make it all one sound. It's mostly mental practice and sound. Your mind and body must have this down without thinking. Like breathing." - Joe Farnsworth (via Paul Lacotta on the Facebook)
Well, that's all I've got for now. Thanks again for checking in and see you in a minute. Until then, keep swingin' as always!
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