I'm taking a break!
Thanks for tuning in and after this week I'll be taking a break from blogging, Instagramming, Facebooking, interviewing jazz drummers and all things social media in general over the summer.
Next Monday, frequent Four on the Floor correspondent Tim Mah (host of Jazz Today heard on CJSW 90.9 fm on Thursday mornings from 5:30 - 7:30am) will be contributing his excellent and informed list of significant Canadian jazz releases from the first half of the year 2021.
My sincerest thanks to everyone who has been tuning into to my weekly Tuesday evening talk show Four on the Floor *Live* happening on Instagram IGTV. When I started this experiment back in mid-December I thought this would only last two or three weeks (!) but it really turned into a thing.
I am very grateful to all the great people who took time to speak with me and make this the unique series that it's quickly become. I've sure learned a lot from this experience and hope you have as well.
Special thanks to:
Joe LaBarbera
Geoff Clapp
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The shirts are $30 each (+shipping)
If you are interested in purchasing one, please drop me a line asap at fouronthefloorblog@gmail.com and I'll set you up right away.
Half of my stock is already gone (!) and last time these went pretty quickly so don't delay and order today while supplies last!
Alright, now on to the good stuff. Since I'll be gone over the next couple of months, here's a plethora of great things to check out:
1) Thank you Ted Warren, author of the blog Trap'd for these timely expansions and variations of a 4-way coordination exercise that I shared on my blog last week
2) Ireland's Ronan Guilfoyle shares this fantastic interview with tenor saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, speaking about his experience playing with Elvin Jones and Buddy Rich:
3) A radio broadcast of Max Roach and the Uptown String Quartet circa. 1994 from the archives of New Sounds from New York Public Radio
4) A feature on Joe Chambers from uDiscoverMusic.
5) Han Bennink interviewed by Ken Vandermark from Option Talk Music and the Experimental Sound Studio:
6) Rodney Green interviews Marvin "Smitty" Smith:
7) John Ramsay speaks about the legacy of Alan Dawson on the Drum History Podcast:
And here is a fantastic clip of Mr. Dawson in action with Dave Brubeck, featured on Paul Desmond's hit Take Five:
8) Edu Ribeiro interviews Billy Hart in the final instalment of his amazing weekly interview series from Open Studio:
9) Ulysses Owens Jr. is now hosting The Drummer's Perspective through Open Studio and this includes interviews with Lewis Nash:
...and Herlin Riley:
Owens also recently released an important new book entitled The Musician's Career Guide: Turning Your Talent into Sustained Success.
Here is a preview of his latest book:
Oh yes, Ulysses also has a great method book on brush playing that came out last year. Study it, practice hard and maybe you'll be lucky enough to play like this:
10) Lewis Nash was kind enough to share this incredible Zoom session with Christian McBride in which they listen to and reminisce about recordings they have played on together over the past 30+ years:
This is incredible!
11) Quincy Davis is still turning out incredible, regular content through his ongoing Q-Tips series on YouTube. I tell all my students to check these out and so should you:
11) I've really been enjoying pianist Emmet Cohen's ongoing series of live-stream concerts with the always swinging Kyle Poole on drums.
Here's a couple of recent ones from a concert featuring the great Joe Lovano:
Yeah!
12) Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion featuring Marcus Gilmore on drums:
...and here's Marcus Gilmore's recent interview with Pablo Held:
13) This one has been making the rounds for a while now but a recent IG live from Dan Weiss prompted me to revisit this amazing footage of Pat Metheny, recorded at L'Air du Temps in Montreal circa. 1988, featuring Rakalam Bob Moses on All the Things You Are:
14) What am I listening to these days?
Miles Davis "In Person, Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk" - Jimmy Cobb (drums)
Johnathan Blake "Gone But Not Forgotten" - Johnathan Blake (drums)
Jeff "Tain" Watts "Watts" - Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums)
Joe Magnarelli "If You Could See Me Now" - George Fludas (drums)
Adonis Rose "Song for Donise" - Adonis Rose (drums)
Dr. Lonnie Smith "Live at Club Mozambique" - Joe Dukes (drums)
Lou Donaldson "Alligator Boogaloo" - Leo Morris (drums)
Avishai Cohen "Gently Disturbed" - Mark Guiliana (drums)
Phil Dwyer & Don Thompson "Look for the Silver Lining"
15) And today's Final Word comes in the form of this inspiring quote from Twyla Tharp (via Matt Wilson):
"When you're in a groove, you're not spinning your wheels; you're moving forward in a straight and narrow path with pauses or hitches. You're unwavering, undeviating, and unparalleled in your purpose. A groove is the best place in the world. Because when you are in it, you have the freedom to explore, where everything you question leads you to new avenues and new routes."
- Twyla Tharp, renown choreographer
Well, that's all for today.
Thanks again to all of you for reading my blog and for all your support over the years.
Okay that's all I've got for now and see you in the fall.
In the meantime stay safe, stay healthy and keep it real.
Onwards & Upwards.
Jon McCaslin
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