Today's post features the great Joe LaBarbera, a fantastic drummer, overall musician, selfless teacher and a wonderful human being. This piece was filmed at the Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood, California:
I've really been digging the Pat LaBarbera/Kirk MacDonald album Trane of Thought lately, a tribute to the music of John Coltrane which features Joe on drums.
Pat and Kirk have been leading an annual birthday tribute to Coltrane at The Rex in Toronto for a long time now (20+ years?) Unfortunately it didn't happen this year for obvious reasons but I was happy to see that this project was finally documented when it was released last year.
I really appreciate the intensity with which Joe plays on this album, keeping the energy up and the engine fires stoked all without overplaying (in my experience, it's all too easy to get caught up in the energy in musical situations like this so you've got to be mindful to listen carefully and play the "long game" so to speak...) Joe's drumming on this album is a great lesson in musical accompaniment.
When Joe plays, it's all about the music, all the time!
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