The Monday Morning Paradiddle - May 2021

And...we're back.

Thanks for checking in and there's no lack of interesting things to share with you all in this month's action packed variety column.

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Thanks again to everyone who has been tuning into my ongoing, weekly Instagram interview series Four on the Floor *Live* happening every Tuesday evening. It's been really exciting to speak with and learn from all the artists who have generously taken time to speak with me.

Thank you for all for your ongoing support.

Please tune in tomorrow Tuesday, May 25th at 7pm mountain (9pm eastern) on Instagram IGTV @fouronthefloorblog for my interview with Johnathan Blake!

Alrighty, here's what's on the docket for this month's column:

1) Myself, Ted Warren of Trap'd and Todd Bishop of Cruiseship Drummer! (aka The Three Bloggers) offer another edition of our ongoing collaborative blog series, this time offering our individual thoughts on the concept of technique:

Three Bloggers: Technique by Todd Bishop

The Three Bloggers - Part III: Technique by Jon McCaslin

The 3 Bloggers part 3: technique by Ted Warren

2) Benny Golson speaks about his experience playing with Art Blakey

3) Terri Lyne Carrington interviewed on CBC's Q by host Tom Power

4) A wonderful article on Listening Fast and Hearing Long by Toronto bassist Steve Wallace from Whole Note magazine

5) Check out Adam Osmianski's page That Drum Blog with several wonderful variations on an Elvin Jones coordination exercise that I shared right here on Four on the Floor many years ago Part 1 Part 2

6) An interview with Lewis Nash:

7) A tribute to Albert "Tootie" Heath, recently named a 2021 NEA Jazz Master:

 

8) Buddy Rich interviewed by the BBC circa. 1967:

 

9) Master Drummer Jabali Billy Hart celebrated by Western Michigan University:

 

10) Open Studio's Edu Ribeiro interviews Matt Wilson:

 

11) Alvin Atkinson offers some tangible concepts on trading fours from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Academy:

 

12) Steve Fidyk with two brush pieces and some great concepts to share:

 

13) Another instalment of Quincy Davis's incredible, ongoing Q-Tips YouTube series:

Make sure to check out Quincy's excellent ongoing interview series Drummer 2 Drummer found on Instagram @qdjazz. I always learn something whenever I tune in!

And be sure to take a listen to Nick Ruffini's interview with Quincy Davis over at the Drummer's Resource Podcast. 

14) John Riley with an introduction to the Art of Bop Drumming in a segment brought to us by the nice people at the Avedis Zildjian Company:

15) Billy Martin presented by Brooklyn Raga Massive and hosted by Daniel Freeman:

16) The Experimental Sound Studio and Option Talks Music presents Hamid Drake:

 

17) Newvelle Records presents the duo of Allison Miller on drums with Carmen Staaf on piano:

 

18) A creative percussion solo from Trilok Gurtu:

 

19) Jack DeJohnette (the pianist this time!) offers this composition "Ode to Satie":

 

20) What am I listening to these days?

Willie Jones III "Forgotten Heroes" - Willie Jones III (drums)

Lonnie Smith "Live at Club Mozambique" - Joe Dukes (drums)

Lou Donaldson "Alligator Boogaloo" - Leo Morris (drums)

Stan Kenton "Contemporary Concepts" - Mel Lewis (drums)

Hank Jones "The Oracle" - Billy Higgins (drums)

Kenny Barron & Dave Holland "The Art of Conversation"

21) And today's Final Word goes to Nadia Boulanger:

"To study music, we must learn the rules. To make music, we must learn to break them."

- Nadia Boulanger