Things are busy and on the go here as usual over here at Four on the Floor world headquarters, but thank you all for your kind messages and continued support. I'm thrilled that so many of you are still interested in my various thoughts about Jazz drumming, Jazz music and other random pieces that I come across on the internet.
So here's what's shakin' this week:
-Thank you to everyone who came out to support guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer's CD release over the weekend at the Beatniq Jazz & Social Club. Everyone, including Ralf on guitar, Jim Brenan on tenor saxophone, Doug Organ on B3 Hammond Organ and myself on drums, had a great time playing Ralf's challenging and fun music. Ralf is really an exceptional, world-class musician and we are very lucky to have him in Calgary.
-Check out this great piece on New Orleans drummer Shannon Powell courtesy of NPR's A Blog Supreme:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2012/02/25/147369865/shannon-powell-new-orleans-rhythm-straight-from-the-source
I first heard Powell drumming with Harry Connick Jr. about 20 years ago on a televised New Year's Eve special (Live in London I think?) In particular Shannon's great drumming with Connick's trio (including Ben Wolfe on bass) left a real impression on me. His drum solo on Connick's trio arrangement of "Stompin' at the Savoy" from that concert still has a special place for me in terms of influential drum solos.
Powell has pretty much stayed in New Orleans and is, as far as I understand, quite a fixture there (including regular gigs at Preservation Hall). I believe he's got a new album coming up soon featuring Jason Marsalis on vibraphone, so I look forward to checking that out.
-My good friend and Montreal drummer Rich Irwin (drummer with Nikki Yanofsky) posted this nice one of drummer Greg Hutchinson with Joshua Redman and bassist Matt Penman on the Facebook the other day:
-Here's a couple of clips with some legendary drummers explaing some of their classic drum beats.
In this one Vinnie Colaiuta demonstrates and talks about his drum beat to Sting's hit tune in 5/4, "Seven Days":
And here is the man, Levon Helm of the "The Band", breaking down his drum part to the classic tune "Life is a Carnival":
This one is also pretty incredible: an isolated clip of John Bonham playing a half-time shuffle (thank you Andrew Dyrda who hipped me to this awhile ago!):
-Can anybody make me a copy of this? I'm really curious to hear it!
Actually, I believe there might be two volumes of this (on LP) and think they may have come with a booklet as well. Does anybody own this???
-What am I listening to these days?
Roy Haynes "Out of the Afternoon" - Roy Haynes (drums)
Eric Harland "Voyager: Live by Night" - Eric Harland (drums)
Ralf Buschmeyer "Jazz Speak" - John Riley, Jesse Cahill, Jom Anderson (drums)
Paul Read Jazz Orchestra "Arc-En-Ciel" - Kevin Dempsey (drums)
Christian McBride Big Band "The Good Feeling" - Ulysses Owen's Jr. (drums)
Kenny Wheeler "A Long Time Ago"
Hanks Jones "The Trio" - Kenny Clarke (drums)
Jeff "Tain" Watts "Family" - Jeff Watts (drums)
Kenny Drew "The Kenny Drew Trio" - Philly Joe Jones (drums)
Here's a fun photo of myself with Calgary's finest crew of drummers and percussionists from a rehearsal last night. We are very lucky to have the likes of Malcolm Lim, Raul Gomez Tabera, Luis Tovar, Robin Tufts, Rob Maciak, Bob Fenske, Brent Van Dusen, Jonathan May and Jim Johnston in this town. Like somebody said last night: "If somebody dropped a bomb in that room that evening, there would be no more rhythm left in Calgary!"
Have a great week everybody...