WELCOME TO FOUR ON THE FOUR: A BLOG ABOUT JAZZ DRUMMING AND ALL THINGS UNRELATED, BROUGHT TO YOU BY JON McCASLIN
Monday, January 1, 2024
The Monday Morning Paradiddle - January 2024
And...we're back.
Thanks for checking in over the holidays and I'd thought start off the year 2024 with a percussive blog post bang. So please enjoy the January 2024 edition of The Monday Morning Paradiddle, my more-or-less monthly jazz drumming variety column.
Hey, I'm going to be in New Orleans this week, attending the Jazz Education Network's annual JEN Conference. It's my first time attending this conference and this will also my first time in the Crescent City. So if you are also going to be there please drop me a line and I'd be delighted to connect. Check my social media feeds (Instagram @fouronthefloorblog in particular) for regular updates.
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The Monday Morning Paradiddle - January 2024
1. When someone says that Jazz is Dead these days, I usually shake my head but I'm actually often curious as to what they are listening to (or more importantly, what they aren't listening to!) Tim Mah's annual list of recommended Canadian jazz albums (see last week's blog post) always highlights the great things happening up here in the Great White North. Please take a read and check out some amazing new music.
Similarly, Ottawa's Peter Hum is also on the pulse of current happenings in Canadian jazz so please check out his excellent year-end list here as well, found in the Ottawa Citizen.
2. A wonderful article and tribute to the late Tony Oxley from the always informed and articulate Vinnie Sperrazza
4. And also from Matthew Crouse's Working Drummer Podcast this fantastic interview with Ra Kalam Bob Moses
5. Award-winning drummer, author, historian and educator Daniel Glass interviewed by The Drummer's Pathway
6. A fascinating piece from the CBC on the late Charlie Watts' collection of drums including those owned and played by Max Roach, Joe Morello and Tony Williams
7. Thanks to Craig VanDerSchaegen who shared this fantastic interview with Billy Higgins:
Here's what Ron Carter had to say about Billy Higgins:
10. My teacher and mentor John Riley interviewed by The Back of the Band Room:
11. Some wisdom from Lewis Nash:
12. Kenny Washington returns to the Drum Candy Podcast:
13. It wouldn't be a Monday Monday Paradiddle without some videos from Quincy Davis' excellent ongoing Q-Tips series:
14. Marcus Gilmore takes a spin on his Sonor drums:
15. Willie Jones III with Roy Hargrove, Michael Brecker and Herbie Hancock:
16. Thanks to the prolific Todd Bishop over at Cruiseship Drummer who hipped me to this duet of Peter Erskine and Bob Mintzer from the album Hymn:
17. Kyle Poole unleashes on a spirited version of Cherokee:
18. Okay dig this...Art Taylor playing trio with John Coltrane and Paul Chambers circa. 1958:
19. What am I listening to these days?
Duke Ellington "Money Jungle" - Max Roach (drums)
Nate Smith "Pocket Change" - Nate Smith (drums)
Dexter Gordon "Our Man in Paris" - Kenny Clarke (drums)
Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band "Rumba Buhaina" - Steve Berrios (drums)
Peter Erskine Trio "As It Was: ECM Old and New Masters Series" - Peter Erskine (drums)
20. And today's Final Word comes from the great Victor Lewis:
“You just got to be cool. And if you’re not cool, then you should be cool. Because THAT’S COOL!”
- Victor Lewis
(via Vancouver's Bruce Nielsen)
As always, when the Masters speak, we listen.
Thank you for all your continued support and hope to see you all in the year ahead 2024 (which will incidentally also be the 15th anniversary of this blog!)
This is a blog about jazz, jazz drumming and all things unrelated. Thanks for stopping by!
A Bit About Me...
Jonathan McCaslin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. Jonathan began playing the drums at the age of nine. He progressed through the Regina Lions Junior Band and the music program at his high school, Campbell Collegiate, soon developing a passion for playing the drums and jazz. Ultimately, Jon's interest in music led him to enroll in the Jazz Studies program at McGill University, graduating with distinction in 1999.
While at McGill Jon had the opportunity to study with some of the finest jazz educators in the country including Gordon Foote, Kevin Dean, Jan Jarcyzk, Chris McCann, Andre White, Michel Lambert and Dave Laing. He also attended the prestigious summer jazz workshop presented by the Banff Centre for the Arts in 1997, where he performed with Canadian jazz greats Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson and Kenny Wheeler.
Jon has also been fortunate to have performed with many of Canada's jazz elite including Charlie Biddle, Brian Hurley, Louise Rose, Alaister Kay, Mart Kinny, Gary Guthman, Mike Rud, Hadley Caliman, Greg Clayton, Chase Sanborn, Andre White, Tilden Webb, John LaBelle, Kevin Dean, Dave Turner, Ralph Bowen, Don Thompson, Dionne Taylor, Jim Vivian, Kelly Jefferson, Ian McDougall, Brad Turner, Jim Brenan, The McGill Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Johnston, Lorraine Desmerais, Steve Amirault, Hugh Fraser, Chucho Valdes, Kieran Overs, The Altsys Jazz Orchestra, Pat LaBarbera, The Regina Symphony Orchestra and The Montreal Jazz Big Band.
In the spring of 2002 McCaslin completed his Master's in Jazz Studies at McGill University where he studied jazz drumming, improvisation and composition.
In January 2003 Jon released his debut CD, “McCallum’s Island”. Featuring his quintet, the CD contains an exciting collection of McCaslin’s original compositions, featuring himself and his band. The release of this CD was followed by a twenty-day tour of Western Canada, performing to enthusiastic, capacity audiences. During March of 2003 Jonathan was the recipient of a fellowship from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and attended the “Betty Carter Jazz Ahead” residency in Washington, D.C. Along with twenty other distinguished young jazz artists, McCaslin was featured with such jazz icons as Terence Blanchard, Carmen Lundy, Winard Harper, Curtis Fuller and John Clayton.
McCaslin’s quintet performed at the 2003 edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival and was nominated for the General Motors Grand Prix du Festival (awarded to the most outstanding Canadian group). From 2004 until 2006, Jon toured North America, Asia and Europe with the high-energy, critically acclaimed music production troupe “Barrage”. Featuring a cast of seven world-class fiddlers and a four-piece band, this dynamic show featured high-energy music and fiddle traditions from around the world set to upbeat choreography and movement.
In 2015, Dr. McCaslin received his Doctorate through the University of Toronto and completed his dissertation on the conceptualization of contemporary melodic jazz drumming. He is currently based in Calgary, Alberta where he maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule across Canada.
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