A recent Facebook exchange with drummers Brooke Sofferman and Eric McKinley Thompson regarding the recent release of certain Miles Davis recordings from his performances in France 1963-64 prompted me to revisit another track that caught my attention some time ago.
I look forward to checking out these new discoveries, however it seems some of them might have appeared on an earlier collection that Columbia re-released around 2007-2008 as well.
I remember this as I was studying with Terry Clarke in Toronto at the time and he played me this particularly interesting and previously unreleased version of Bye Bye (the theme) recorded in Antibes circa. 1963 (originally part of the concert released as Miles in Europe).
Check out this extended version of their set closer which features a brilliant solo from Tony Williams, including moments of him improvising over Ron Carter's walking bass line:
I thought that was pretty hip when I first heard it and it still blows my mind today!
Anyways, here's a few more great Tony Williams solos for some inspiration:
Hey does anyone know how I can watch this documentary Tony Williams in Africa (1973) ???
A few days late here with this blog post as I've been preoccupied lately, finishing up an impending grant application due imminently (fun times...)
The great Roy Haynes passed away last week at the age of 99 and I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the legacy of this great musician.
Roy Haynes was a prolific jazz drummer who's career spanned decades, playing with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Sarah Vaughn, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Pat Metheny and so many, many more.
Haynes, affectionately know as "Snap Crackle", was an icon who lifted the bandstand with his uncompromising and unique style and personality, on and off the drums.
Lenny White has often referred to the Magnificent Seven, a distinguished club of the greatest of the greats that includes Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and, of course, Roy Haynes. Haynes was the last of these Titans among us and now he's gone. I feel a great sense of duty to up hold the high level of musical integrity that these artists set for the rest of us.
I was fortunate to see Haynes perform on numerous occasions, notably with his Fountain of Youth and Birds of a Feather bands. Probably my most memorable memory of hearing Roy play was a mind-blowing duet with Kenny Garrett on Charlie Parker's My Little Suede Shoes at the Blue Note in New York City circa. November 2001 (sitting in the front row, in front of Haynes' glittering Yamaha drums of course, with my friend and bassist Solon McDade).
I also shared a brief 60 second elevator ride with Roy Haynes at an IAJE convention when I was 18 years old. I knew he was going to be at the conference so I kept my CD liner notes to Now He Sings, Now He Sobs in my back pocket in case I had the opportunity for an autograph. The liner notes were well worn, crumpled and bent out of shape by the time I stepped in that elevator but Mr. Haynes kindly obliged and I got my autograph.
I distinctly remember when and where I was when I first heard Roy Haynes on record. After I heard his intro to Solar from Question & Answer with Pat Metheny and Dave Holland, played over loud speakers in my high school band room, I was hooked. I've never heard or played the drums the same since then.
Thank you Mr. Haynes for your lifetime of music.
Here's a few articles that have been making the rounds lately:
Thanks for checking in and there's lots of interesting and compelling things to check out in this instalment of The Monday Morning Paradiddle, my more-or-less monthly jazz drumming variety column.
But first I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to a few amazing drummers I heard in Calgary last week during the JazzYYC Canadian Jazz Festival including Fabio Ragnelli with guitarist Jocelyn Gould, Louis-Vincent Hamel with the No Codes quartet and local Andy Ericson with Chris Tauchner's piano trio.
4. Colleen Clark interviews Gregory Hutchinson and Peter Erksine for the Percussive Arts Society in advance of their upcoming clinics at this year's annual PASIC convention in Indianapolis.
5. John Riley's offers these fantastic lessons, part of JP Bouvet's amazing new on-line lesson platform The JP Bouvet Method:
6. Stanton Moore sits down with legendary New Orleans rhythm Master (aka The King of Treme) Shannon Powell:
7. Questlove interviews Cindy Blackman Santana:
8. Jason Tiemann offers yet other great lesson, this one on how to develop a concept of soloing on the drums that is informed and guided by melody, rather than relying exclusively on playing licks:
9. Quincy Davis continues with his wonderful and always informative YouTube series Q-Tips (in particular, check out his incredible brush lesson):
10. Jazz at Lincoln Center's Obed Calvaire featured by SFJazz:
11. The 80/20 Drummer interviews Clarence Penn:
12. Antonio Sanchez and his Yamaha Drums:
13. Thanks to Loren Schoenberg who took the time to put together these fantastic pieces featuring:
Shadow Wilson
Art Blakey
Art Blakey and Percy Heath
Max Roach
14. An interview with Kyle Poole:
15. Cymbalholic founder and visionary Chad Anderson interviewed by cymbal wizard Timothy Roberts:
16. A couple of episodes of Trading Fours from Drummer Nation with Brian Nation, Adam Nussbaum, Ed Soph, Billy Drummond and Harold Jones:
17. Billy Drummond shares his beautiful Gretsch Ridgeland snare drum:
18. Johnathan Blake with Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau and John Patitucci:
19. What am I listening to these days?
Miles Davis "Miles Smiles" - Tony Williams (drums)
Donald Byrd "Mustang" - Freddie Waits (drums)
The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra "The Definitive Thad Jones, Vol.2" - Mel Lewis (drums)
William Parker & Hamid Drake "Piercing the Veil" - Hamid Drake (drums and percussion)
Alan Jones "Spirits" - Alan Jones (drums)
Jim Hall "Live!" - Terry Clarke (drums)
Pat Metheny "Bright Size Life" - Bob Moses (drums)
20. And today's Final Word goes to Al Pacino (via Bobby Sanabria):
"Well, because somehow I felt as though my life was saved by acting. Because I knew that I could do something. Look at Buddy Rich, the drummer. My god. Three years old he was on those drums. I was at Carnegie Hall listening to him at a Frank Sinatra concert. He went on before Frank. I said, “I don’t want to hear a drummer, I want to hear Frank,” you know? A drum solo? And it was one of those great moments in my life! Because when he was finished and he took his two sticks — he just left you with the silence. And everyone in that house, I mean everyone, stood up and started screaming! I found myself screaming! So Sinatra comes out afterward, and he looks at the crowd and he says, “See what happens when you stay at a thing?”
I was recently listening to the latest album from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring the exceptional drumming of Obed Calvaire and, in particular, his composition Between Max and Ti-Roro caught my attention.
Apparently the Haitian drummer known as Ti Roro (or Tiroro) was a formative influence on the drumming of Max Roach, when Roach first heard him around 1939.
Here's a couple of interesting pieces to check out to that effect:
"Baillargau Raymond, known as Ti Roro, was a Haitian drummer known for bringing the artistry of Haitian Vodou ritual drumming and other traditional Afro-Haitian drumming styles to the stage and to recording studios. He was an international performer who influenced jazz musicians, in particular, Max Roach. His year of birth is estimated to be 1915. It is widely believed that he died in 1980, probably in Port-au-Prince. Ti Roro's performances and collaborations can be found on solo recordings and in work for such artists as orchestra leader Issa El Saieh, singer Guy Durosier, and dancer Jean-Léon Destiné."
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.
