Modern Drummer Magazine - August 2024

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THE WORLD’S #1 DRUM COMMUNITY SINCE 1977 AUGUST 2024
Getting and Staying

Out of The Way
A Path of His Own

Nick Buda
Groove Reverance
Gerry Brown
Matt Rudin and Charles Ruggiero Discuss:
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CONTENTS
18 DAVE ELITCH
Getting and Staying Out of the Way
By Mark Griffith
Photo by Matthew Brush
34 NICK BUDA 48 GERRY BROWN 60 MATT RUDIN

Created a Path and Kept Going: From Groove Reverence AND CHARLES RUGGERIO
Dolly Parton to Lionel Richie to Taylor By Mark Griffith Talk About the Yamaha EAD10
Swift to Kenny Chesney By Mark Griffith
By Mark Griffith
4 Modern Drummer August 2024

Volume 48 • Number 8
Cover photo : Alex Kluft
LESSONS
Nick Buda, Photo by Jill Trunnell

66 TRANSCRIPTION
Slipknot’s “Sulfur”
Transcription by Marc Atkinson
72 JAZZ DRUMMERS WORKSHOP

Master Studies: Stroke Combination Studies
By Joe Morello
76 BASICS
ETS: Embrace the Suck
By Chris Lesso
78 ROCK PERSPECTIVES
Drumset Duets
Gerry Brown, Photo by Alex Kluft

By Stephane Chamberland
81 ROCK AND JAZZ CLINIC

Sound Quality Essentials: The Mechanics of Hitting a Drum
By Michael Packer
82 TEACHER’S FORUM
Understanding the Language of Music: Chord Voicings
By Ron Spagnardi
EQUIPMENT
12 NEW AND NOTABLE
Morgenstein Tool, Boom CRD Drum Sound Enhancer, New Sabian Cymbals, STX Warm-Up/Work-Out
Pad, New TRX XX Series Cymbals.
16 PRODUCT CLOSE UP
Modern Drummer Reviews the KIT Drums Connor Denis Plug-in
DEPARTMENTS
6 EDITOR’S OVERVIEW 84 INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket 2024 Chicago Drum Show
By Mark Griffith By Bob Campbell
11 KIT OF THE MONTH 90 OUT NOW

Roger Cardillo’s TJS Kit New releases featuring the drumming of:
Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth; Chris
Slade: Carl Allen; Duduka Da Fonseca and
8 JAZZ INSIGHTS Rogerio Boccato; Peter Erskine, Einar Scheving
It Pays to Listen and Siggtryggur Baldursson; Ivanna Cuesta;
By Peter Erskine Michal Miskiewicz, Zak Najor, Mike Clark, and
books by Aubrey Dayle, Ray LeVier, and Joe
88 COLLECTOR’S CORNER Boyd.
1941 WFL Ray Bauduc DeLuxe Marble Capitol Outfit
By Tim Northup
94 EYE CANDY
Al Cleveland III’s Melanie Martinez Touring Kit
Modern Drummer August 2024 5

AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

By Mark Griffith Founder Ronald Spagnardi 1943–2003
Both, Dave Elitch and Nick Co-Founder Isabel Spagnardi
Buda uttered this phrase in their
interviews this month, and it’s Publisher/CEO David Frangioni
an important one. The older COO Carolina Frangioni
readers of Modern Drummer
probably know what this phrase Content Director Mark Griffith
means and have heard it a CTO Jason Mehler
million times. But the younger Art Director Charlie Weinmann
readers might be confused. This
phrase means that someone Marketing and Collaboration Danny “Ziggy” Laverde
should not concentrate all their Photography & Archivist Felipe Laverde
time, efforts, and resources into one place, because if you do, you Contributing Editor & Photographer Alex Kluft
run the risk of losing all your time, efforts, and resources. In modern
terms this is called diversification, and it applies to musicians and our
THE MD PRO PANEL/ADVISORY BOARD: Chris Adler, Carmine Appice, Kenny
careers as much as it does to financial planning and investing. Aronoff, Bill Bachman, Eddie Bayers, Gregg Bissonette, Jason Bittner, Bill
For us drummers, it means not putting all our time into one Bruford, Will Calhoun,Terri Lyne Carrington, Matt Chamberlain, Peter Erskine,
musical project, style, or path. Many of today’s greats have done Dom Famularo, Daniel Glass, Alex González, Danny Gottlieb, Benny Greb, Matt
Halpern, Horacio Hernandez, Gerald Heyward, Taku Hirano, Jonathan Joseph,
this. Look at the careers of Mike Portnoy, Gavin Harrison, Steve Jim Keltner, Paul Leim, Peter Magadini, Pat Mastelotto, Rod Morgenstein, Andy
Smith, Antonio Sanchez, and even Modern Drummer columnist Peter Newmark, Carl Palmer, Stephen Perkins, Dafnis Prieto, Rich Redmond, Brian
Erskine. None of them are strictly: members of one band, sidemen, Reitzell, Jim Riley, Bobby Rondinelli, Antonio Sánchez, Cindy Blackman
Santana, Chad Smith, Steve Smith, Todd Sucherman, Billy Ward, Kenny
session musicians, educators, or bandleaders. They have all blended Washington, Dave Weckl, Paul Wertico, Dennis Wolfe
all or some of the above (and more) to create careers that didn’t
put all their eggs in one basket, and this had led to long and fruitful CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Donn Bennett, Clayton Cameron, Bob Campbell,
Peter Erskine, Dom Famularo, Bob Girouard, Mike Haid, Brian Hill, Daru Jones,
careers. In today’s modern music world, this might be the only way Nic Kubes, Chris Lesso, Peter Magadini, James Petercsak, Tony Verderosa
to create a long career that revolves solely around drumming and-
or playing music. This is a tough business, gigs come, and gigs go. MODERN DRUMMER magazine (ISSN SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE:
0194-4533) is published digitally Modern Drummer, 1279 W. Palmetto
Projects start and fizzle. As quickly as venues and tours pop up, they monthly and print bi-monthly by Park Rd, PO Box 276064, Boca Raton,
can go out of business or get cancelled. There are no sure things. MODERN DRUMMER Publications, FL 33427. Change of address: Allow
However, commitment is as important as everything in drumming. Inc., 1279 W. Palmetto Park Rd PO at least six weeks for a change. Please
Box 276064 Boca Raton, FL 33427. provide both old and new address and
Committing to a single career path, a project, a style, learning a new PERIODICALS MAIL POSTAGE paid at send to [email protected]
sticking, or simply committing to the groove is essential in what we Boca Raton, FL 33427 and at additional
do. But those are all very small and short-term baskets (or goals.) Try mailing offices. Copyright 2024 by POSTMASTER: Send address
MODERN DRUMMER Publications, changes to Modern Drummer, 1279 W.
widening your focus and committing to drumming and-or music first, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction Palmetto Park Rd PO Box 276064 Boca
those are huge baskets that can easily be divided in many smaller without the permission of the publisher Raton, FL 33427.
baskets. Music and drumming are languages, and once you learn a is prohibited.
Canadian Publications Mail Agreement
language it can be applied to anything. Am I suggesting becoming EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ No. 41480017 Return undeliverable
a “jack of all trades, master of none”? NO!!! But I am suggesting ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: Canadian addresses to: PO Box 875, Stn
becoming obsessed with all music and all drumming, not just one MODERN DRUMMER Publications, 1279 A, Windsor ON N9A 6P2
W. Palmetto Park Rd PO Box 276064
part of it, and see where that obsession takes you in your drumming Boca Raton, FL 33427. MEMBER: National Association of Music
and musical quests. More about “obsession” and becoming obsessed Email: [email protected]. Merchants, Percussive Arts Society
(in the best way possible) next month…
MODERN DRUMMER welcomes
manuscripts and photos but cannot
Mark Griffith assume responsibility for them.
Editor-in Chief, Director of Content
Modern Drummer Subscribe today at moderndrummer.com/subscribe
MODERN DRUMMER ONLINE: www.moderndrummer.com
@ModernDrummer modern_drummer @modern_drummer

JAZZ INSIGHTS
It Pays To Listen
By Peter Erskine
“Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand.

T he standard advice is to listen. A common
admonishment is, “You’re not listening.” There are some
Most people listen with the intent to reply.” Here is a good
quote from the actor Alan Alda, “Listening is being able to
good quotes about listening. Malcom Forbes said, “The be changed by the other person.” That seems like it would
art of conversation lies in listening.” Stephen Covey, the be especially useful advice for an actor.
author of Seven Habits of Highly Successful People) said,

My own artistic or musical history includes a lot of Being that young, I don’t understand the concept of
listening, especially to recorded music. As I wrote in my recordings; I think that there are little people inside this
book No Beethoven, “…in my infancy, I’m playing along large speaker cabinet, and that putting a round piece of
to my father’s vinyl LP records on a makeshift drum set plastic into the machine wakes them up and they make
that he has put together for me in front of a large Klipsch music for me — His Majesty the Baby.”
monaural speaker cabinet in our family’s living room. “The music includes LPs by Tito Puente, Art Blakey,
Martin Denny, Specs Powell, Esquivel, and Henry Mancini.
The conga drum comes from Cuba and the small rivet
cymbal from who-knows-where, and this setup functions
not only as a thrown-together kit but also as a sort of
compass. I’m four years old and I already know that I will
be playing the drums for Weather Report. Well, I can’t
actually know that just yet, but I pretty much have already
figured out that this is what I’m going to be doing for the
rest of my life.”
An anecdotal way of saying that the music we play,
whatever the style, is a language. There’s no better way to
learn a language than to listen and to speak (or play) it.
While I’m quoting from my book, here’s another bit
of conversation I had with a journalist whose interview
I included. She asked, “So you decided to become a jazz
musician after Weather Report?” I replied, “Well, I think
I’ve always wanted to be one, but I realized when I was in
Weather Report and I was also doing other session work,
that I was unable to play the way I wanted to, the way my
hope or imagination wished or heard inside my brain. I
had to get out of playing in such a loud band and had
to start working with musicians who were presenting
different challenges, and also more of an invitation to
write music and to make those kinds of mistakes I felt I
couldn’t make onstage with Weather Report. WR was a
very improvised thing but also a big show. And it was
difficult to play this music that had so much flexibility but
also had so much volume; the old Weather Report wasn’t
that loud. So basically, I had to get myself in a situation
where I wasn’t playing with so much muscle. And because
the level of competition is so intense in New York, if you
survive, you have to become a better player. And it was
my good luck getting to work with John Abercrombie;
I felt he really was the gateway for me. Becoming part
of the ECM family for a few years, working with Kenny
Wheeler, Dave Holland, John Taylor, Palle Danielson,
and Marc Johnson, of course — they really became the
essential part of the process for me trying to learn how to
listen.
“I remember one recording session with Manfred
Eicher; Manfred could be a very demanding producer. We
just finished an album with the band Bass Desires, and we
came into the studio after a tour and were playing really
well, we knew all the music — you know, we sounded
quite good. And then I stayed in Oslo to do an album with

turns doing the (sometimes)
“An anecdotal way of saying that the music heavy lifting of producing one
aspect of a track or another.
we play, whatever the style, is a language. Michael played a flawless
take, and then began adding
There’s no better way to learn a language a second part while listening
to his first recorded pass. He
than to listen and to speak (or play) it.” stopped abruptly and requested
that the engineer remove his
Gary Peacock, Jan Garbarek, and Palle Mikkelborg the just-recorded track from the
next day. So, we begin and recorded the first tune, and headphone mix. Michael did NOT want to hear it. He
when we listened to it, the drumming sounded terrible listened to the rhythm track and added the second and
to me! And I couldn’t figure out why, only knowing that then the third parts of the harmony (these lines were all
it sounded like someone doing a really bad imitation of rhythmically active and syncopated.) When he was done,
Jack DeJohnette or Jon Christensen. Manfred saw my we listened back to the combined voices, and they were
reaction and he came over to me, pulled me aside, and PERECT. What kind of magic was this?
said, “It’s going to be okay, just listen. All you have to do
is listen, and you’ll know what to do.” So that was one of Michael explained that he learned this from Barry Gibb
those great lessons: I can’t play what I think I’m supposed of Bee Gees fame. If you’ve ever heard a Bee Gees tune
to play; I should just play what the music tells me to play. (think “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack for starters,)
There’s a big difference. And of course, many drummers you’ll know that the layered voices are a miracle of
play what they think they’re supposed to play. Especially precision and multi-tiered construction. Barry told Mike
at the drum events, I find myself doing it, too. […] take that, if they listened to what they had done, they found
a deep breath: what do I really want to hear if I listen to themselves playing catch-up to the tracks, responding,
this back? This it makes it easy to give good advice to my and TRYING to sing along. Whereas, by NOT listening, they
students: It’s simple: play what you would like to hear. were singing to the track in their memory, and so their
Don’t worry about someone else’s expectation. Some of combined intentions came through in perfect sync and
my colleague professors say: “Play more like this or that harmony. It seemed counterintuitive at first mention, but
drummer!” My approach is quite different from that.” then it made incredible sense. Plus, the proof was in the
performance pudding.
The journalist then asked, “No imitation?” I answered,
“Imitation is an important part of it. And you have to listen This long life of drumming has led me to a path of
to these guys, but I say, “I want to hear you play like you. simplified and (more) direct rhythmic expression and
What vocabulary will you use, and what choices will you choices. My “accent” is clearer and less derivative or
make, what is the song telling you to do?” Now, if you’re imitative than before. However, now I am also surprising
doing repertory, playing a Basie chart or something from myself by some of the rhythmic choices I’m making.
the ’30s, like a Fletcher Henderson chart, then you play it It seems as though, with my turning 70, I’m allowing
in that style and try to use that vocabulary — and you’ll myself to be more free (again!) And this brings me to a
learn a lot by doing that. But listening will bring any performance point where I find myself offering counsel
musician his or her own voice quicker than anything else (that I first heard in the Wizard of Oz) to the other
— listening and playing.” You get the idea. musicians: “Pay no attention to that man behind the
curtain!”
But then I heard myself telling a fellow producer of a
vocal album we’re working on together to NOT allow the This might be a result of the pandemic-inspired and
singer to listen to what I was playing, but for the vocalist technology-driven recording mode where the musicians
to record her tracks to the simple mock-up track that was add or subtract their playing in the absence of others.
originally created as a demo. Why? Because I sensed that NOT listening. Or, more accurately, listening selectively.
the singer would otherwise be unable to resist singing “His Majesty the Baby.” The great circle of life!
along with what I had played … and that would NOT Try it, you might like it.
work. The drums were playing to what the vocal was
(even before she sung the final version), not what it might
be. Huh?
Allow me to take one more spin in the time machine.
Let’s go back to the early-to-mid 1980s when I found
myself in the producer’s chair in a New York recording
studio while Michael Brecker was overdubbing some horn
parts for a Steps Ahead album. The band was functioning Check out Peter’s drummer profile page,
as a cooperative venture at that point, and we all took and get a copy of his Legends book at
moderndrummer.com
KIT OF THE MONTH
Roger Cardillo’s TJS Kit

T his month’s Modern Drummer Kit of the Month comes to
us from Roger Cardillo of New Jersey. Roger’s kit was custom
made by Tom Shulz of TJS Custom Drums. It has six ply Maple
shells in a natural finish with ten coats of hand rubbed clear
lacquer. The sizes of the drums are a 14 x 28 bass drum with
a 10 x 28 bass drum resonator, 8 x 14 snare drum, 6 x 13 rack
tom, 16 x 16 and 16 x 18 floor toms. The drums are augmented
with a 10” roto tom and a 26” Ludwig copper tympani. Roger’s
cymbals are Paiste with two Sabian FX cymbals. The hardware
is Ludwig, the heads are Aquarian, and Roger uses Los Cabos
Drumsticks.

MORGENSTEIN TOOL, BOOM CRD™ DRUM SOUND ENHANCER, NEW SABIAN
CYMBALS, STX WARM-UP/WORK-OUT PAD, NEW TRX XX SERIES CYMBALS
Rod Morgenstein announces the Morgenstein Tool

Morgenstein Tool is thrilled to announce that renowned
drummer Rod Morgenstein will make a special appearance at
the Music City Drum Show. The Prog Rock master, best known
for his work with Winger, Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, Jelly
Jam, Rudess Morgenstein Project, and Jazz is Dead, will be on
hand at the Morgenstein Tool exhibit booth to demonstrate the
“Wing Thing”—an innovative wingnut adjustment technology
pioneered by Rod and the company he co-founded in 2023.
Rod’s appearance offers a unique opportunity for drummers,
percussionists, and music enthusiasts to interact with one of
the entertainment industry’s most revered and admired drum
legends.
Don’t miss this chance to meet Rod Morgenstein in person
and explore the latest innovations in drumming at the Music
City Drum Show. For more information about Morgenstein Tool
and The Wing Thing visit www.morgensteintool.com.
Kickport Inventor Launches Boom CRD Drum

Sound Enhancer
Representing their commitment to developing the next generation of high-efficiency accessories for drums and
other musical instruments, renowned sound engineer Sam Millender and Sonic ReVision have unveiled the latest
advance for acoustic drums: The BOOM CRD.
The Compound Resonance Driver (CRD) is a state-of-the-art device that shapes
and multiplies the resonance of any bass drum— significantly increasing the
amplitude of the fundamental and lower frequencies and providing a louder,
fatter, fuller, more intense sound. Not only will drummers love the improvement
in their bass drum tone, they can now achieve a bigger sound with a smaller
drum. The exclusive design of The BOOM CRD provides several acoustic
upgrades, including:
• Integration of a flexible material that actively reacts and amplifies each note.
• Application of additional mass and dampening to the drum head, lowering
the pitch and focusing the sound.
• Easy installation on any ported
bass drum head due to its innovative
magnetic mounting system.
The BOOM CRD will be on display

at Sonic ReVision at the Music City
Drum Show, and is coming soon
to leading drumshops. The BOOM
CRD is used and endorsed by Brian
Collier, Billy “Shoes” Johnson, Thomas
Pridgen, Kevin Rapillo, Darin James
and many more.

New STX Warm-Up/Work-Out Drum Pad From
CYMPAD
Designed to accelerate the technical, rhythmic and musical
development of today’s drummers, the Cympad STX is a compact
drum pad that is highly-recommended and highly-effective for both
work-outs and warm-ups. The STX features:
• 3 cellular foam playing zones that provide a natural rebound and
a comfortable feel.
• 4 “Sticky” feet that reduce vibration and increase stability for
quiet, secure practice sessions.
• A durable, portable Carry Case is included.
See and try the STX at the Music City Drum Show in Nashville.
Now available wherever Cympad accessories are sold.
TRX Cymbals Releases Interactive Cymbal Guide

and New XX Series Cymbals
The 2025 TRX Cymbal guide is now available. It presents
information on its wide range of pro-quality, handcrafted,
“High Contrast” cymbals, including the all-new “XX” Series,
The release of the guide also marks the introduction of
the new TRX “XX” Series. XX cymbals are extra-thin and made
from a special B20 alloy with micro-lathing and a combination
of standard, deep and extra-deep hammering. Dark, trashy,
and controlled yet extremely versatile, the 20˝, 21˝ and 22˝
Crash-Ride models can effectively be used as Crashes, Rides, Crash-Rides and Effects cymbals in both traditional and
contemporary playing situations. 14˝ and 15˝ Light Hi-Hats are also available in the “XX” Series.
Each Series’ page in the 22-page brochure includes a QR Code that is linked directly to that series’ page on the www.
trxcymbals.com website. In addition, photos of many TRX Artists, including Brian Nolan (Everclear), Elijah Wood
(Shania Twain), Hayley Brownell (Olivia Rodrigo), Josh Baker Dukes (Mariah Carey), Nasrine Rahmani (Diego Guerrero),
Ricardo Cortez (Ha-Ash), Streeter (J Lo) and Tommy The Villain (New Years Day), are featured throughout the catalog.
With more than
a dozen TRX series
and 3 Special Edition
lines, TRX cymbals
cover the entire tonal
spectrum— providing
a virtually limitless
variety of “High
Contrast” cymbal
sounds for traditional
and modern set-ups.
The 2025 catalog is
now available as a
digital download from
the TRX website and
printed copies are
available on request.

Austrian Audio’s OC818, CC8 Microphones on Tour with Jonathan “Ginger” Hamilton
Veteran studio and live sound engineer Jim Ebdon may be fast approaching four decades in the industry but he is
by no means set in his ways, constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest audio tools to help his artists shine.
Relatively recent additions to his touring toolkit are a couple of condenser microphone models from Austrian Audio,
including the OC818 and the CC8, which Ebdon has been using to capture drummer Jonathan “Ginger” Hamilton on
Sam Smith’s ongoing Gloria the Tour.
Ebdon, whose credits include mixing front-of-house on tours with Justin Bieber,
The Weeknd, Aerosmith, Maroon 5, Matchbox Twenty and many, many others,
has had a long relationship with the team behind Austrian Audio, which was
set up in 2017 by about two dozen former employees of another Vienna-based
microphone manufacturer. It was Austrian Audio’s Walter Rührig who first put
the OC818 large-diaphragm condenser mic into Ebdon’s hands. “Walter got me
onboard really early with the 818s,” he says. “I’m so glad to see people using them
on tours, in studios and on TV shows. I’ve been using them since day one so it’s
nice to have been part of spreading the word.”
On Sam Smith’s current tour, Ebdon has been miking Hamilton’s drumkit
with a pair of OC818s positioned as overheads. “We tried different overheads
in different spots, but the 818s just kill it,” he reports. “They’re really open and
natural sounding and don’t need a lot of EQ.” In addition, he captures Hamilton’s
hi-hat and the ride cymbal using Austrian Audio’s CC8 cardioid true condenser
microphones.
The overhead OC818s, which feature switchable polar patterns, are capturing
more than the cymbals, he stresses. “They’re picking up the tom toms and the
snare drum as well. It’s a whole picture of the drums. The mid-range in these
microphones is so nice.”
The fact that Hamilton is such a good musician also helps with the drum sound,

Ebdon observes. “He’s the most consistent drummer I’ve ever worked with. I think I’ve only ever heard him miss a hit on
a drum once. He’s also very consistent with his drum tuning.”
To minimize phase cancellation the two overhead mics ideally need to be positioned equidistant from the snare
drum. Some engineers measure the respective distances between the snare and the two mics. “But I just use my ears,”
says Ebdon, who typically listens at front-of-house and works with an assistant on the stage to position the drum
overheads in exactly the right spots: “With any microphone, you have to find the right spot. Often, I’ll switch the
overheads out of phase and that seems to line everything up nicely. The whole drum sound becomes fatter.” For more
information visit austrian.audio
Sabian Announces HHX Dominator Chinese, HHX Tempest Ride, and AAX 18” Rocktagon
In honor of their friend and partner, Dom Famularo, SABIAN is proud to announce the release of the 20” HHX
Dominator Chinese cymbal. Known as Drumming’s Global Ambassador, Dom Famularo was among the most influential
and beloved drummers, teachers, and motivators in the world. A SABIAN artist since 1985, Dom was synonymous with
the company, sharing their passion for artistry, dedication to craft, and family. Dom passed in September 2023, and to
honor his association and friendship with the company, SABIAN has released the 20” HHX Dominator Chinese in his
honor.
Dom famously played his Chinas by striking the edge from both sides in succession, so much so that he actually
removed tension from the lips of his HHX China cymbals, which gave them a distinctive, wavy appearance. By applying
a special lathing process to the top of the Dominator, SABIAN’s artisans were able to emulate this effect, which along
with a raw bell and HHX hammering, makes for a freer, trashier instrument that opens up fast for a quick, dark attack.
“Dom was part of the SABIAN family, almost from the start of SABIAN’s existence. He was instrumental in spreading
the word about SABIAN throughout the world – he travelled almost constantly, bringing his love of drums, teaching,
and performing to everybody he met,” said Andy Zildjian, SABIAN’s Chairman. Adding further, Andy said, “I am glad that
Dom knew we were creating this cymbal in his honor and that so many other players will now get to experience such
an amazing cymbal.”
Originally released as part of SABIAN’s Vault Drop program, both the 22” HHX Tempest Ride and the AAX 18”
Rocktagon cymbals were only available for a limited time. But due to popular demand, both cymbals have now been
added into the SABIAN catalog on a permanent basis.
The 18” AAX Rocktagon has the same 8-sided shape as its predecessor from the 80’s, but that’s where the similarity
ends. This version is a thin crash weight with a raw un-hammered bell and pinpoint lathing that combine with the
8-sided shape to produce an immediate nasty crash with quick decay. The thicker raw bell also allows for strong bell
accents and added punch. An excellent effects cymbal with an unusual look and sound.
The 22” HHX Tempest is a multi-application cymbal with an incredible dynamic range. A specially modified HHX
hammer peen brings a unique look, feel and sound to this cymbal. Its medium thin weight and aggressive HHX
hammering, creates an instrument with a beautifully controlled swell when played either with stick, or mallets, making
it ideal for both drum set and orchestral applications. The HHX Tempest offers tremendous light ride capabilities,
delivering a warm dark undertone to the wash. It is even possible to see the gentle movement of the bow of this
cymbal when it’s being played.

Product Close-up
KIT Drums – Connor Denis

By Jason Mehler
K it Plugins out of Nashville, TN

has been developing high qual-
ity audio plugins for several years
now. Their Blackbird Studio series
of plugins are regarded as some of
the best available. Last month, they
stepped into the drum sample world
with the release of the KIT Drums –
Connor Denis product. Though the
product is in its infancy, Co-Founder
Matt Kleinman describes the long-
term goal as “bridging the gap” be-
tween the simplicity of a mix-ready
sample library and a robust virtual
instrument platform. For this month’s
Product Close-Up, we will dig into KIT
Drums and the first library release,
Connor Denis Drums.
Platform Installation
The software is available for both Mac
and PC and is compatible with all major DAWs that support VST3, AU, and AAX formats. A minimum of 16gb of ram and
16gb hard drive space is required. A free iLok account and iLok License Manager installation is required. Two activations
are provided per license. I went ahead and installed the software on a Dell laptop with 32gb of ram and 2TB hard drive.
The installer downloaded fast and was about 2.3gb, of which the sample data decompresses to around 2.2gb. The in-
stallation was very easy, and I was able to get started right away.
Who is Connor Denis?
Connor Denis is the hard-hitting, rhythmic backbone of the award-winning Metalcore/Hardcore Punk band, Beartooth.
He is known for his fast, aggressive drumming style.
Connor’s Drums
For the software release, KIT Drums recorded the following instruments:
Snares: Craviotto 6.5x14”, Gretsch 6.5x14”, Keplinger 6.5×14”, Phosphoric Bronze 6.5x14”, Q Aluminum 5.5x14”, Q Copper
5.5x14”
Kicks: Gretsch USA Custom 18x22”, Gretsch USA Custom 16x24”
Toms: Gretsch USA Custom: 9x13”, 16x16”, 16x18”
Cymbals: 15” Zildjian Avedis Hats, 18” Zildjian K Dark Thin Crash, 19” Zildjian K Dark Thin Crash, 20” Zildjian “Mystery”
Crash, 21” Zildjian A Custom Sweet Ride.
Interface and Features – Drum Kit Tab
There are four tabs at the bottom of the application screen with the following options in a large font: “DRUM KIT”,
“MIXER”, “GROOVES”, and “MAPPING”. Once you are on the first tab, you are greeted by a playful rendering of Connor’s
beautiful Yellow Gretsch Custom Drums, centered in what I assume is his drum room, complete with snare shelves, A
Beartooth poster and a sleeping dog. The layout feels very familiar, with clickable drums and cymbals. Across the top
area of the application window, there are a few controls and indicators. From here you can:
• Toggle the perspective of the audio between the drummer and the audience. It basically flips the left and right au-
dio channels.
• Change the preset drum samples. I count over sixty mix-ready presets to experiment with.
• Toggle between 16bit and 24bit rate, which can be handy on slower systems.
• Play the currently selected drum groove (more on that later.)

• Adjust the master volume.
• Open the Help menu. In this menu, you can set some preferences including changing the path to the sample data.
In the bottom left area beside the drum set image is a button labeled “Advanced”. Clicking that button reveals two float-
ing modal popup windows. These allow you to control the characteristics of each drum. From the left-side window, you
can control the volume of each articulation for the selected drum. For example, the snare articulations are “Center Hit”,
“Rimshot”, and “Sidestick.” There is also a pitch control knob at the bottom.
The right-side modal window houses a few more control knobs for level, pan, and reverb. It also has controls with drag-
gable points, to adjust the velocity curve of each articulation, and the attack, decay, sustain, and release. Finally, if you
right-click on each drum, you can cycle through the available samples for that specific drum.
Mixer Tab
The mixer tab is pretty special. According to Matt Kleinman, this is where the KIT Drums app really shines. On the mixer
tab, KIT has incorporated some of their other popular plugins such as Burier (Saturation), Core EQ, and Core Compres-
sor. They take a lot of pride in what they’ve accomplished with these plugins. They’ve optimized the layout of all the
options, combining all three into one very clean-looking effects panel.
When asked about the channel strip quality, Matt replied “We’ve put the same effort into this channel strip as we have
in our Blackbird channel strips. It’s the same code, same method. A lot of analog modeling and heavy-duty code. It’s
not just some stock DSP afterthought. It’s the real deal.” Each drum channel on the mixer features a clickable pad for au-
ditioning the drum. You can even audition the velocity by
clicking the pad in various locations on the vertical axis.
Aside from the standard level slider, mute, solo and pan,
the channel has a “Blend’ button. Clicking Blend reveals a
few sub-channels or sub-groups for each individual mi-
crophone on the selected drum. Here you can control the
bleed between mics, the pitch, and reverb.
Here’s the cool thing about the channels and subs. You
can control the effects (saturation, EQ, Compression) on a
per-microphone basis! Just click the sub-channel and ad-
just the effects. With KIT Drums, you have complete control
over the processing. One of the pain points for engineers
and musicians who use other mix-ready libraries is the lim-
ited control over the individual drum sound when it’s time
to mix a project. These built-in features solve that,
without having to move or recreate the sounds in
other software.
Grooves and Mapping Tabs
On the Grooves tab, you can choose from many dif-
ferent groove presets to play. From here you can also
import or export MIDI simply by dragging to and
from your DAW. There is a “humanize” feature where
you can adjust the accuracy of the timing to achieve
a more human feel.
On the mapping tab, you can select from well-
known mapping presets such as Roland or Yamaha
electronic drums. You can also assign custom keys,
using the 127 key MIDI virtual keyboard on this tab.
Conclusion
KIT Drums has a nice plugin here. According to them, this is just the beginning. There are several new sample libraries
on the horizon, and new features will be introduced over time. As far as the Connor Denis drum sound is concerned, I
think they did a great job of capturing the kit! KIT Drums retails at $69.
Download a trial at: https://kitplugins.com/products/kit-drums-connor-denis

Getting
and Staying
Out of the Way
By Mark Griffith
T alking in-depth to Dave Elitch has been a long time coming. He’s a
successful working drummer with credits like The Mars Volta, M83, Killer
Be Killed, Miley Cyrus, and Weezer. He is a successful teacher as well, and
he takes both sides of his career very seriously. He has two courses that are
available on-line called Getting Out of Your Own Way and Staying Out of Your
Own Way. His band Daughters of Mara is back together and has released
two new singles, (“Happy” and “I Refuse”) and most importantly he is
continuing his mission to help us drummers explore and learn better body
mechanics/ergonomics as well as improving our conceptual/philosophical
approach while playing our instrument.

Photos by Alex Kluft
MD: Take us through how your career as a drummer has We might play some shows if it makes sense, but we’ll see
evolved? what happens. That was the first “real gig” that I had, and
DE: I moved to LA from Northern California when I was although it didn’t go the way we would have liked it to
19 and played in a couple bands around town. The have gone, I met a lot of people through that experience.
first successful band I got into was called Daughters of Then I got the Mars Volta gig in 2009. That was a big deal,
Mara, we got signed to Virgin-Capitol Records as a (sort I was 25 at the time, and that was the gig that put me on
of ) nu-metal band in 2005. We did a record with Garth the map.
Richardson at his studio “The Farm” in Vancouver, Canada I had to come into that gig with very short notice, having
at the very tail end of doing multiple $100,000 major only a few weeks to prepare. I was already familiar with
label records, and it was a super fun experience that just the first record and got together with Juan Alderete (the
doesn’t happen anymore with the way the process has bass player.) We jammed through a few songs (which I’d
since changed. Unfortunately, right when the record was never played, only listened to in the car) and he asked
going to come out, EMI got bought out and the record if I wanted to play with the band. They knew that they
got subsequentially shelved. We all stayed tight but needed to play the songs off the new record, but they
went our separate ways. Since then, we’ve all done stuff were cool enough to form the setlist around me, so we
independently and now we’re getting back together after played a lot of songs from the first record. As a fan of
all these years. We all love each other, and we all love this the band, I wanted to play the parts accurately, that was
music, and heavy music and the 90s is coming back, so extremely important to me. There’s nothing worse than
why not? After all these years, came out with our first legit going to see a band and not hearing the parts from
single release titled “Happy” a few months ago, and we the record. So (especially with the first record) I tried to
just released our second single called “I Refuse” about a get everything as close to what was on the records as
week ago. So, Daughters of Mara is back from the dead. possible. I toured with them for about a year walking
After Mars Volta I didn’t want to get pigeonholed as a “prog

rock” guy, because that does happen. So I went on to play
with M83, it can’t get any more different than that.

the line between laying down big pocket and playing Mars Volta called Antemasque, and Flea played bass on
the more technical passages correctly. I really wanted our record. That was super fun, Flea was just incredible,
to keep the integrity of the music but also stretch a bit he had never heard the songs and he came in and just
since there was so much improvising in that music live. I killed it. It is absurd just how good he is! That music was
think I achieved the aspect of walking the line between really gritty low-fi-garage-punk-rock. For the recordings,
those two realms and that gig certainly raised my profile I was playing on vintage four-piece kits that were
at the time. I was young and it was a crazy experience. tuned down which I love to do, but don’t often get the
It was one of those things where you don’t even realize, opportunity. While I was playing with Antemasque, I was
because you’re so young and inexperienced, how crazy it also simultaneously doing Killer Be Killed which was an
is when you’re when you’re in the middle of it. I met a lot all-star metal band with Greg from Dillinger Escape Plan,
of people through that experience who became friends Troy from Mastodon, and Max from Sepultura. That group
or students of mine later. There’s a drum cam video of me was something that we had been talking about doing
playing the song “Goliath” in Australia on the Big Day Out for years. I’m just glad it came out in the end and I’m
Tour in 2010 and people still bring that video up to me all extremely proud of what we made together. Both of those
the time. After Mars Volta I didn’t want to get pigeonholed records came out at nearly the exact same time which was
as a “prog rock” guy, because that does happen. So I went fun. I’ve always wanted to write and perform an extremely
on to play with M83, it can’t get any more different than wide variety of music because I listen to everything. I
that. I went from playing crazy progressive rock to playing loved putting my stamp on both a punk rock record and
minimalistic, French synth-pop, electronic music. a metal record at the same time. While I was doing those
After that I had a band with Omar and Cedric from the two records, I got the Miley Cyrus gig subbing for Stacy
When the Killer Be Killed thing was happening all these

metal websites were talking about it, then I did Miley’s gig
at the same time and all these metal and punk guys on the
internet forums couldn’t wrap their heads around it.

As far as music education go out every night, because people can’t call you for
something if they don’t know you exist. It’s really that
goes, I just studied with simple. You just must be out and about. Of course, doing
the social media thing is a whole other topic; but if
different people privately people don’t know who you are or haven’t heard of you,
and I read a lot. I work on they can’t call you for a gig.
MD: I tell students all the time that no one has ever
things on my own and (I come knocking on my front door and asked, “Do
think) the biggest thing is you play drums? Can you do my gig?” What kind of
drumming education did you have? What or who did
that I constantly stress test you study with when you were starting out?
new ideas... DE: I studied with a lot of people when I was younger.
I grew up in a tiny little hippie town called Sebastopol
Jones, that was absolutely insane and hilarious to me. which is an hour north of San Francisco. I studied
When the Killer Be Killed thing was happening all these with the few local cats who were great, especially in my
metal websites were talking about it, then I did Miley’s gig formative years. My first teacher was a guy named Eric
at the same time and all these metal and punk guys on Weidenheimer, I was 9 or 10 and he really got me off and
the internet forums couldn’t wrap their heads around it. running in the right direction. Then I found a teacher
named Rob Matteri who really opened me up. He got me
MD: At some point, it’s about making a living, I get it. into the Chaffee stuff and linear playing, as well as Faith
DE: The Miley thing was amazing and super fun, she’s No More and Mr. Bungle. Then I met I met Jason Gianni
great and I can’t say enough good things about her and when I was 15 or 16. Jason lived in San Francisco at the
about Stacy Jones. I got that gig because I was teaching time, and I had a friend that was taking lessons with him.
Stacy at the time, and he told me that he couldn’t do Jason was cool enough to drive up to my mom’s place
the next three months of shows and that Miley wanted every couple weeks and we’d hang out for a few hours
a hard-hitting rock drummer, so I jumped in. The same and do lessons. I studied with him from when I was maybe
kind of thing happened with George from the 1975. I was 15 until I graduated high school. Then I moved down to
teaching him for a long time, he couldn’t make a bunch LA.
of shows, so I came in at the last minute and did that tour As far as music education goes, I just studied with
with The 1975 in 2016. I was a huge fan of the band, so it different people privately and I read a lot. I work on
was an absolute blast to play those songs onstage with things on my own and (I think) the biggest thing is that
them. The last tour I did was the “Hella Mega Tour” with I constantly stress test new ideas – meaning “does this
Weezer back in the summer of 2022. Weezer was one of concept or approach actually work in real life when
the first bands whose records I played along to when I applied correctly in a real-world context?” Someone might
was 10, so being able to come in at the last minute and show me something and I’ll think, “OK, let’s actually apply
play big shows for 80,000 people every night on the Hella this in the real world and see if it actually works.” I think
Mega Tour with Green Day and Fallout Boy was super there’s so many things historically (not just in drumming)
fun. As far as playing goes, I just never wanted to be the that people just pedagogically pass around to each
guy that does only one thing stylistically, I’d get bored! other, and no one ever stops and checks to see “Does
A while back (2016?) I won like the Modern Drummer this even work?” Unfortunately, people don’t question
Readers Poll for Best Alternative Drummer, and I was like the dogmatic things that have been passed down over
“OK, sure! Why not?” the last several decades. The majority of the dominant
MD: How did the Weezer thing come about? approaches have been largely played on a pad in a small
room – not onstage. I feel like I have to come along and
DE: That came about because of my buddy Max Bernstein.
say, ”Um…this approach just doesn’t make any sense!”
He is Weezer’s musical director, and he also plays guitar
I’m deeply concerned for people’s physical and mental
with Taylor Swift. We’ve been in bands together in the
well-being and I want people to work on things that are
past and we’re close friends. Max called me and said,
going to be useful in real life on a gig. For some reason,
“Pat can’t do this summer run, are you around next
drummers end up working on so much stuff that is not
Wednesday?” I said yeah, I learned the songs, and away
only not useful, but maybe even detrimental to their
we went! That’s how this business is, you wake up and you
playing. When you choose to practice something, you’re
have an e-mail or a phone call, and you say, “OK I guess I’m
automatically choosing not to practice anything else you
doing this for a while.”
could potentially be practicing in its place. This means
Whenever I have this conversation with people or you must be extremely careful what you’re choosing
students, I always say if you’re moving to LA, Nashville, to spend time on. For the past few decades, drummers
New York, or whatever big city you’re in… You have to have been sold (largely through contemporary music

schools and universities) this idea that they need to be a
human Swiss Army knife. We have all been told that you
For me it’s about constantly
need to be able to play a guaguanco, polka, or bossa questioning the source, ques-
nova at the drop of a hat but also funk and jazz as well.
Not to mention that when kids go to school to study tioning the validity, question-
drumming you usually have a choice of studying jazz
or classical. If someone wants to study pop drumming,
ing the context, and taking
those other two approaches are not only not going to into consideration how music
be what they need, but they’re gonna be the opposite of
what they need and counterproductive to their goals. and drumming have evolved.
And we haven’t even talked about the cost of school or
debt! I went the other way and only studied privately. I’m going over this postural stuff with David Garibaldi
Whenever I would see or hear amazing drummers, I and Tomas Haake from Meshuggah, and I’m going over
would ask them for a lesson and ask them to let me pick phrasing with Bissonette. If it works for them, it’ll work
their brain, it’s a never-ending process for me. When I for you too. The thing that concerns me moving forward,
first saw Toss Panos play in LA, I was blown away. He was is that younger people don’t seem to either care or know
playing way over my head, and I wondered, “What the the difference between excellence and mediocrity. I look
hell is going on right now?” I knew I needed to take a at it this way— You have this wide spectrum of teachers
lesson with him, so I did. That doesn’t happen as much and/or players. On one side of the spectrum, you have
these days, mainly because I’m a lot busier than I used to players who are unbelievably gifted or even genius
be. For me it’s about constantly questioning the source, musicians and many of them have no idea what they’re
questioning the validity, questioning the context, and doing theoretically or technically which is totally fine
taking into consideration how music and drumming as long as they don’t teach! On the other side, you have
have evolved. So much of what’s been circulating people who have all these degrees who know everything
around, especially with Instagram, TikTok, and they’re doing, but either can’t really play or don’t have a
YouTube, is questionable information from lot of real-world experience or both.
questionable sources that’s not helpful at the
least, and dangerous at the worst. You can
apply that statement to lots of things these
days outside of drumming as well, just
look at politics or fitness!
The service
that I provide is
me saying, “Hey,
I know my way
around a drum kit,
I teach many of the
best drummers in
the world, I’ve played
a bunch of big gigs
and I’ve stress tested
everything. Whatever
we’re gonna do, I know
for a fact that it works
because I’ve used it,
and all the people
that I teach
have used it
as well.

These two extremes are not helpful or even dangerous in we want to begin with should have nothing to do with
my opinion. It’s very tough to find a teacher who has great drums. It’s much larger than that, it’s anatomy and
information that is grounded in musicality. The service physics, we just happen to be playing drums.
I provide is necessary because a lot of what’s been put Many of the people (both teachers and students)
out there in the past 20, 30, or 40 years is from a bunch of in these popular lineages are simply following a
old guys playing a pad in a room for decades who never compartmentalized, detached, and dogmatic approach
played gigs. I mean you can’t even find footage of some blindly and unquestioningly. Human beings love putting
of these people actually playing drums, which is seriously people on pedestals or turning a normal person into
concerning to me. There’s a certain knowledge you a guru, so they don’t have to think anymore, they just
can only gain from being “in the heat of battle”- which follow orders. The problem is that a lot of what has
means playing with other musicians onstage in front of been taught historically by these guru-types is mentally
an audience. That’s why both of my courses Getting Out and physically dangerous because it’s out of sync with
of Your Own Way and Staying Out of Your Own Way are the body and how it functions. I don’t know how these
living documents. I continually update my courses as I teachers/personalities came to the conclusions that they
learn more in my playing career, teaching practice, and did, but at the end of the day when you watch some of
studying and applying other disciplines like Alexander these guys play, either on a pad or a kit, it’s extremely
Technique. This isn’t about being right or wrong, it’s stiff and rigid. How much real-world experience did they
about what’s useful, what’s healthy, and what’s accurate have playing drums in contemporary settings? When
in a universal capacity - which is so much larger than our you approach modern playing through the lens of jazz
chosen instrumental context. If you understand how to drumming in the 50’s, certain things will line up and
use your mind/body together in daily life, you’re much others certainly will not. We’re evolving so you must grow,
more likely to do it well on the instrument. Unfortunately, learn, and adapt with the times. People constantly ask me
a lot of what has been put out there (especially on social about The Moeller Stroke… It’s not complicated, Moeller
media) is completely backwards in regard to how the is essentially throwing a baseball, but it’s been turned it
mind/body unity is designed to function. The approach into some mystical, secretive art you learn on a mountain

top in China somewhere. It’s often explained with: “So he was doing was not “wrong,” he was just pulling a big
back in the Civil War…” I just wonder, why are we still emergency brake on himself. I talk about Larry Mullen Jr.
doing it this way? It has nothing to do with contemporary and Phil Collins who is one of my all-time heroes, those
drumming. If I want to learn how to play football, I’m not guys are so messed up physically they had to retire and
going to start by putting on an antique leather helmet. stop playing completely. And unfortunately, a lot of this
That would be outdated and arcane. I do what I do out of stuff is totally avoidable if you just set the drum kit up
concern for the wellbeing, health, longevity, and creativity in a healthy way and use yourself in a healthy way. But
of my fellow artists. I want everyone to have actionable because Phil is such an unbelievable genius, he was able
and accurate information that helps them and doesn’t to use himself in a horrifically unhealthy way for decades.
hurt them. I see teaching as a serious responsibility and Then you combine that with the cortisone/cortisol shots
hope to guide everyone who entrusts me with the best for his vocal cords and he ended up with osteoporosis
information possible. later in life. It’s tragic! Injury and pain are completely
My mission is to help people avoid injury, get out of pain, avoidable as long as you have the right information to act
to free them up and get all the kinks out of their hoses upon, which is exactly why I have my teaching practice as
and to really get them back to being healthy and feeling well as the online courses.
like a child, to get them back to using themselves as if MD: I’ve heard you talk about the Alexander Technique,
they were three years old. This instrument is crazy! It’s and I spent a good deal of time learning that as well. I
a weird, nutty, insane, instrument to play. We literally was also playing with and studying with pianist Kenny
made it up as we went along! (Contraption kit anyone?) Werner when he was writing his amazing book Effortless
We drummers don’t think about how insane it is to sit Mastery, where he talks about getting back to when
down and pick your feet up in the air. The only situations you were three and you struck the instrument without
I’m aware of when you do that are drums and church pretense, thought, or effort, and it was the easiest and
organ. People don’t realize what goes into that. You’re most beautiful thing in the world. That seems to be where
structurally holding yourself up (or lack thereof ) from you are coming from.
Many of the people (both teachers and students) in these

popular lineages are simply following a compartmentalized,
detached, and dogmatic approach blindly and unquestioningly.
behind and underneath, but very few people understand DE: Yes, I have several Alexander Technique teachers, and
this, and then we start getting into all the postural stuff. it’s a wonderful approach. Kenny Werner and his book
People have turned me into the “posture guy” which is Effortless Mastery are also amazing. That’s in the collection
hilarious because that’s only one small part of what I do. of books that I recommend to students.
But it just goes to show you that apparently no one really
talked about posture previously on drum set? At least not MD: When did you get serious about drumming?
that I’m aware of in the way I understand it. DE: I got serious when I was 14 or 15. That’s when I
MD: Or they have, but they’ve talked about 1950s “good” decided that this is what I wanna do for a living. I was
posture (which today is not seen as “good posture.”) flipping through Modern Drummer, and I said, “If this guy
can do this, why not me?”
DE: People ask me all the time to name drummers that I
like as players that also have good posture. If you define MD: When did you get serious about teaching and
being gifted as “being able to play your instrument at an creating the methods that you teach?
extremely high level in spite of your poor use - not because DE: I started teaching when I was 15. That’s 25 years ago.
of it,” then anyone I’m going to like as a player is going I started teaching kids, and I was lucky enough to have
to likely have suboptimal or even at times horrendous great teachers, I also have teachers in my family and
use by definition, right? That’s what being gifted is. You teaching is something that I am passionate about, that
watch Buddy Rich absolutely burning on the drums, and started at that young age. When I decided that I wanted
he’s got his head buried in his chest, which is horrible for to do this for a living, it wasn’t, “I’m going to play and then
you. But Buddy Rich was able to do that because he was a teach on the side,” I decided that I was going to do both
prodigy who started playing at 18 months old. Could his things, I was going to build these two paths side by side.
quality of life have been better? Would he have been in As you know, there’s a lot of people who are not really
less pain if we were able to hop in the time machine and teachers and they decide, “I’m kind of tired of the road
address his habit of collapsing into himself? Yes. Would he dog life, I guess I’ll just teach some lessons.” I’m very much
have played even better? I certainly think so. Again, what NOT that guy, teaching is something I take very seriously.
I do what I do out of concern for the wellbeing, health, longevity,
and creativity of my fellow artists. I want everyone to have
actionable and accurate information that helps them and
doesn’t hurt them. I see teaching as a serious responsibility
and hope to guide everyone who entrusts me with the best
information possible.
I gradually developed a reputation as someone who was to eye on this stuff. The fact that they don’t know anything
more of a technique-ergonomics-body mechanics-guy, about drumming is what proves it, they don’t come at
and that happened because I learned that I have a unique this with any baggage. That has been really inspiring and
trait of being highly sensitive. There’s a book by Elaine empowering for me because it just constantly reinforces
Aaron called The Highly Sensitive Person, and when I read what I’ve been doing and makes me better at what I do.
the first 10 pages, I instantly I felt that everything clicked For us drummers, drums are the lens of living our life, and
and made sense for the first time. It was like putting on so much of what has transpired with the instrument has
prescription glasses after needing them for your entire happened when people start at the drums, instead of
life. I always felt that while I was working with someone, ending at the drums, they tend to get things backwards.
I was able to feel what was going on in their body, in When most people are standing, they are falling (or
my own body. I couldn’t explain it. I feel a pressure leaning) backwards on their heels. That’s gonna make
in my chest or stomach if someone is really misusing you anxious, and that is gonna make everyone else
themselves. I can also feel what’s going on in the other around you anxious as well. So, I like to start with how
parts of their body. It’s as if I’m mirroring them in a sense. people stand. They need to pay attention to how they are
That is normal for highly sensitive people. For instance, standing even before they sit at the drums.
I had Sandra Dager (one of my Alexander Technique
teachers) here recently because she wanted me to show MD: That’s what you mean by ending at the drums, not
her how to play a simple beat. She sat down on the kit starting at the drums. Teaching really is the power of
and started playing, I told her to relax her toes because observation and the power of communication.
she was scrunching her toes inside her shoes. It was like DE: Absolutely, and that’s not easy, that is why there
she saw a ghost, she asked me how I knew she was doing are so many great players who can’t teach. Having the
that? But I can just feel it. I know it sounds really “woo- light go on in someone’s eyes (while you are teaching
woo” and weird, but that’s my gift and why I’m able to do them,) whether it’s something conceptual, theoretical
things that I don’t see anyone else doing in the history of (what a time signature means), or guiding them to
teaching this instrument. sense something somatically new. That’s so much more
However, if you go and find a certified Alexander rewarding at this point in my life than going out and
Technique teacher, they will be able to do something very playing shows. Not that it’s an either/or situation, but if I’m
similar. I’m not saying I’m the only person in the world going to be on the road, it must be a really good situation
that can do this. But as far as drumming goes, I think so for me to do it because I love teaching and I love helping
much of what I do and what I can offer people is being people.
highly sensitive and highly attuned to what’s going on MD: For those who don’t know, give the readers a
in their body. This is why I love Alexander Technique so thumbnail description of the Alexander Technique.
much. I felt like I was on my own for a very long time
DE: First I must say that I am not a certified Alexander
doing “my thing.” I was doing (pedagogically speaking)
instructor. Alexander is very difficult to explain until you
the exact opposite of what everyone else was doing
experience it, I think that’s why it isn’t more well known. A
in terms of technique, so when I found the Alexander
lot of actors study it, and a lot of classical musicians have
Technique I thought, “This is what I’ve been doing, but
studied it, but it hasn’t made the leap into the pop world
it’s already something that has been around for over 100
yet. The best definition I can give is that you are basically
years? Wow!” At this point I have four different Alexander
trying to get back to being a three year old again before
teachers and every time I work with them, I learn
you’ve learned how to habitually misuse your body. If
something new, or I learn a better way of doing what
you observe a three-year old when they pick something
I was doing previously. Nothing has ever clashed with
up, they squat perfectly. People send me videos of
what I’ve already been doing in my practice, it’s always
toddlers walking to the drum kit and hitting the bass
strengthened and reinforced my approach, so it’s been
drum pedal and their technique is perfect because they
extremely encouraging. Through the Alexander Technique
haven’t learned how to misuse themselves yet. Alexander
I have allies, compatriots, and partners and we all see eye

Technique is basically trying to get back to employing back in 2020. She was in her 70s at the time and it took
a sense of body mind unity. Much of what Alexander a few years for us to put together all the information for
Technique is also about is psychological and philosophical Staying Out of Your Own Way. Unfortunately, she passed
concepts. Alexander Technique gives us a psychophysical away right before we were going to film it at the age of
approach to getting back to using the body and the mind 76. We ended up saving a lot of careers by getting people
how they were designed to be used in a universal manner. the right information and now her work will live on
However, we are not doing this through the lens of any forever and get to help so many more people.
type of physical endeavor (like drumming.) That’s why Staying Out Of Your Own Way exists to get musicians to
(to me) it works and makes so much sense. Alexander start thinking of and treating themselves as athletes
Technique teachers help people use themselves in a way which we need to be doing. Staying Out of Your Own Way
that can apply to anything. is broken up into three main areas which are all equally
I’ve been studying it for the last five or six years, and it’s an important aspect of the bigger picture: myofascial
been life changing. However, I don’t want to become bodywork, strength training, and stretching/mobility.
totally indoctrinated in the Alexander Technique, so I’m There are also segments on warm up/cool down protocol
just a student right now. I want to be careful not to put all as well as breathing. It’s only been out for a few months,
my eggs in one basket (so to speak.) but the response have been phenomenal so far!
Alexander Technique is very difficult to explain until you

experience it, I think that’s why it isn’t more well known.
A lot of actors study it, and a lot of classical musicians have
studied it, but it hasn’t made the leap into the pop world
yet.
MD: What baskets do you put your eggs into? Most drummers load their gear in, they might hit a pad or
DE: What I am focusing on right now is my new online shake their hands around for a few minutes (if anything at
course “Staying Out of Your Own Way.” I made the course all), and then they play. Then they load their gear out right
with one of my mentors Dianna Linden who was a after performing and after all of that, you probably eat a
master body worker/sports massage therapist. I was pizza, drink a six pack, and get smashed in the van just to
very close with her, and I worked with her for about 15 do it all over again. After years of doing this routine, you
years. She worked with a ton of athletes and UFC fighters end up in a lot of pain. Then you go to the doctor, and
like Rickson Gracie and Rhonda Rousey, Olympians, they give you temporary band aids that are not helpful
power lifters, etc. When I was working with her, I was as a long-term solution to address the root cause, and
learning how the body works from a completely different often dangerous. That’s why I created the course, because
perspective to Alexander Technique – mainly how the all musicians need it, whether they know or not. I have
body responds to repetitive movement, overuse, and the same conversations with people over and over again
misuse, in regard to fascial adhesions throughout the daily, so I had to do something about it.
body and that was a big piece of the puzzle for me. So My first course Getting Out of Your Own Way is in its third
many people come to me and say, “My arm hurts or I edition. The way my courses work is that you buy them
have numbness in my fingers and traditional Western once and you have a lifetime membership because I didn’t
medicine is not really helping.” That can be really scary! think it was right to be charging people 30 bucks a month
Especially when you tried everything, and nothing is forever. I continually update the courses as I learn more
working. So many people either just want a quick fix, or myself. That course has certainly changed a lot of things
they get a quick fix by way of a cortisone shot or surgery for me and a lot of other people, which I’m extremely
or whatever. I think everyone could greatly benefit from proud of. Getting Out of Your Own Way is broken up into
a deep tissue sports massage, but they don’t know that four quadrants: hand technique, foot technique, groove/
because the information is not readily available. The time feel, and advanced phrasing. I wanted to have
real issue here is that due to years of playing, your body something that is as much of a catch-all, one stop shop, as
develops fascial adhesions (scar tissue) in your muscles, possible if someone could only have a single resource. It’s
tendons and ligaments. In my experience, sports massage all the fundamental things that are important to me and
is the only thing that works to alleviate the root cause of what I teach people privately. They’re all big aspects of
pain that most people are suffering from. Because of this, I what turned me into the player that I am today.
told Dianna that we had to get her life’s work documented

MD: You have mentioned the Gary Chaffee stuff a few wanted to play jazz and not sound like a rock guy trying
times, what of the Chaffee stuff did you spend time with to play jazz, that’s where I was coming from. Then I found
because there are a few different paths? out about Gary Novak and that completely exploded my
DE: Most people get into the Patterns books; I had a brain. I didn’t know what was happening, but I wanted
teacher that got me into the Linear Time Playing instead. to be able to do that! I was also a massive and still am
That is sort of like the outlier out of that series of books. a massive Terry Bozzio fan. All the Zappa and Missing
That book really cracked my head open when it helped Persons stuff and certainly all the drum solo concerts and
me realize that you don’t have to phrase 16th notes in instructional videos were huge for me. He’s one of my all-
groups of four and you don’t have to phrase triplets in time favorite dudes.
groups of three or six. For me, that sort of cracked the MD: Did you get into the Group 87 stuff and The Lonely
code in terms of getting a certain sort of aesthetic in Bears music?
terms of phrasing. DE: I’m not really familiar with that stuff.
Funny enough in 2004-5 when I started hanging out MD: It’s amazing music, you gotta check that music out!
with all the (for lack of a better term) Gospel Chops cats What did you pick up from listening to Terry?
(before that was even a thing) like Ronald Bruner Jr., Chris
DE: The first thing about Terry is that he’s just ferocious.
Staying Out Of Your Own Way exists to get musicians to

start thinking of and treating themselves as athletes which
we need to be doing. ... its broken up into three main areas
which are all equally an important aspect of the bigger
picture: myofascial bodywork, strength training, and
stretching/mobility.
Coleman, and Tony Royster, I was thinking, “Oh, they’re When you watch Baby Snakes, he’s practically foaming at
just doing the Chaffee stuff!” (To be clear, they were the mouth. He’s a skinny little kid and he’s just ferocious
coming at it from a more fusion based musical approach and on fire. For me, and I don’t really know if I realized it
and less theory based.) It’s all linear in the way that it’s a at that age, but you can see it in the Mars Volta drum cam
constant stream of notes broken up between the hands video of me playing live. When I’m getting into it, I wanna
and feet and phrased across the bar line. It was interesting run through a brick wall, light something on fire, and flip
to me that you had all those guys playing in church and a table over. When I’m listening or watching Bozzio play
being influenced by Vinnie, Dennis, and Weckl. And music live, he just means it.
Vinnie, Dennis, and Weckl were trying to sound like Tony MD: Absolute musical commitment.
and Gadd. While Tony and Gadd grew up trying to sound
DE: Yeah! There is a video from Germany where he’s got
like Max and Elvin. The lineage and how things have
the whole black DW kit, and he just sits down and closes
evolved across cultures and time is and was so fascinating
his eyes and stays still for what seems like an eternity. I
to me.
remember being a kid and thinking, “What is he doing?”
MD: Drum wise, who did you come up listening to, and As I got older, I learned he was centering himself.
who are some of your biggest influences?
MD: Max Roach would do that too, but he would center
DE: I grew up listening to a ton of Buddy Rich, Max himself while he was standing behind the throne, just
Roach, Art Blakey, and Billy Cobham. I also really liked Mel looking down at the set before he reverently placed
Torme’ and Frank Sinatra too, so I grew up listening to himself at the drums.
and playing a ton of jazz. But I was also playing Pantera,
DE: That’s very cool. I don’t know if I realized it until right
Meshuggah, and Deftones. I was this funny combination
now. But I always loved the fact that Terry was both
of two very different ways of playing. In high school I
ferocious on the instrument and an intellectual, and that
wasn’t hip to Vinnie or Tony yet, so everything was really
those two things were not at odds. That was very inspiring
coming through Buddy and Billy Cobham. I would also
to me. I didn’t really put those pieces together until now
listen to Danny Carey, Abe Cunningham, and Tomas
while we’re talking. Another thing was that if anyone else
Haake. I wanted to play powerfully and with impact while
had the biggest drum kit in the world and played solo
having the flow, fluidity, and vocabulary of playing jazz. I
concerts, it could have easily gone off the ramp into being

Just because something is very difficult to play, doesn’t
mean it is worth spending time practicing. Practice things
you’ll use that will make you a better musician!
nerdy for all the wrong reasons. But with Bozzio it is just Eventually, Randy sat me down on his couch, said
so musical. I can’t say enough good things about him. “Lemme show you something” and put on Steve Jordan’s
MD: What did you take away from Billy Cobham? dvd The Groove is Here, and I had a religious experience.
I remember thinking, “I have wasted my whole life
DE: I was talking to someone recently about Billy and we listening to terrible prog rock and thinking that playing
were commenting that obviously with certain drummers in 15/16 was it! That video was like getting hit by a bolt
you can easily draw a lineage. But when you listen to Billy of lightning. I had an epiphany. I had developed a ton of
he seemed to just completely come out of thin air. No facility, but I needed to get my feel to where my facility
one was playing like that before him, he kind of came out was, and at the same time I had to let some of my facility
of nowhere. I listened to Spectrum and the song “Stratus” go. I spent the next few years playing along to every
endlessly. Being a teenager in the 90s and listening to Steve Jordan record I could find. I spent hours copying
that record was sort of like listening to Tool or Pink Floyd. his tuning, getting the same gear, getting different gear,
It was very theatrical. There were all these weird sounds, doing all this in the cracks stuff, just watching as many
it was (at times) like being in outer space. But like Terry, I Jordan things as I could find, and really honing in on
was really blown away by Cobham’s virtuosity. It’s funny, I pocket, feeling, vibe, and making a conscious decision
haven’t thought about this until now, but there actually is to let a lot of stuff go. I had been doing a lot of largely
a lot of carry over aesthetically between Billy and Terry. pointless double bass work, (double strokes with my
MD: What other milestone drummers have there been for feet) but the issue was that I wasn’t playing much (even
you? traditional) double bass professionally, so I let that go
realizing that I don’t have to be the fastest gun in the
DE: When I first moved to LA, I did the Guitar Center
West. It was important for me to realize that we can’t be
Drum Off, and Randy Guss from Toad the Wet Sprocket
everything to everyone, I think that’s one of the main
was a judge and we hit it off, so we started hanging out.
albatrosses that drummers carry around all too often.
At that time, I was working on stuff that may not have
been the best use of my time. I was spending a lot of time MD: That is interesting because Steve Jordan did the same
working on left foot clave’ and various other “systems” thing with his early Steve Gadd fusion influence. He spent
shall we say. I spent so many years doing that stuff, and the early part of his life trying to become Steve Gadd, and
then I realized that no one is gonna call me for a Latin gig, then he realized that he would and could never be Gadd,
I’m never gonna do that. And even if I did do a Latin gig so he turned his back on that aspect of his drumming and
and I played left foot clave’, I was going to get ripped a became (what we all know and love) THE Steve Jordan.
new one because I’d likely be doubling/playing on top of When Randy helped you find Jordan, you (sort of ) did the
the percussionist. Another case of practicing something same thing.
because it’s the “it” thing at the moment and not asking DE: I never knew that. He has that same type of ferocity
why? Lesson learned! too.
I wasted a lot of time working on stupid far out MD: Again, I’ll say complete musical commitment. How
independence shit when I was younger. Another thing else did you work on improving your groove?
I really try to do with teaching, is I try to tap people on
the shoulder and ask them, “Why are you doing that? You DE: I got hip to the D’Angelo record Voodoo around that
don’t have to do that.” Just because something is very same time (2004) which changed a lot of people’s lives
difficult to play, doesn’t mean it is worth spending time and certainly mine. And what’s funny, is because my focus
practicing. Practice things you’ll use that will make you a was previously elsewhere, my ears were dull in terms of
better musician! time feel. I remember hearing that record the first few
For me it’s about (first and foremost) understanding how

little you actually have to do when you just drop the stick
and let it fall down on its own, let it truly rebound, and then
just close your hand when the sticks comes back into it on
it’s own.
times and not really noticing much in terms of
the feel, which is insane to say now, because
now I put it on it’s like getting punched
in the face. So, I played along to Voodoo
literally hundreds of times.
At the time I knew about the New
Orleans stuff like Zig, The Meters, and
Johnny Vidacovich, but I didn’t really
know about it. That was also when I
took the lesson with Toss Panos. We
talked a lot about that because Toss
is one of the only guys who can play
in the cracks and not make it sound
contrived. At that lesson I asked him
how he was doing that, and he said,
“Well, you are what you eat. Whatever
you listen to, you’re gonna sound
kinda like that.” We were talking about
soloing and one of the things he said
is, “People just love big dumb shit. They
can understand it much better.” That was
another huge epiphany for me. I’m sitting there
trying to show everyone everything I know in
my solos, and Steve Jordan plays a drum solo with
accented backbeats moving around on the snare drum
DE:
and everyone loses their minds! People can absorb and
Steve
understand that. But if you’re sitting there blazing, after
Jordan (of
five seconds people just tune out.
course.) But I love Abe
MD: Real commitment to the groove. Not paying it lip- Cunningham, I think the Deftones tune “Digital Bath” is
service but committing to the groove no matter how probably my favorite groove and drum sound ever! It’s
“simple” or “basic” it might be. so funky. It’s very hard to find funky guys in heavy music
DE: Up until that time in my career, my definition of because most of the time people aren’t aware of “feel”
“good time” was placing the notes in relatively the same in that genre. That’s why I really gravitate towards Abe
place geographically every time, so the time becomes Cunningham. He’s funky and his tones are just incredible.
dependable, people can dance, and it feels good. To There are multiple tracks on every Deftones record when
me, that also meant hitting the drums with intention you think, “Oh my God, this sounds amazing.” And it’s not
and going for a sound. Essentially, I was focusing on the same thing every time, he takes so many different
consistency. Then I saw Jordan and Pino every night while chances and there’s always interesting and weird things
opening for them on a John Mayer tour back in 2017 and going on. I really don’t think he gets enough credit for
they were not playing to a click, and there were times that. Gotta give a shout out to my man Morgan Ågren as
where things move, or things get a little weird because well, he always comes up with some crazy wild tones!
they’re human (like everyone else.) But the huge groove MD: Agreed!
never faltered, it always felt amazing. However, that
DE: When I was younger the snare tone from the
didn’t jive with my definition of “good time.” What was
Meshuggah, Tool, and Deftones records, all had that
happening was exactly what you just said, commitment!
cutting bell-brass/bell-bronze sound, that sound
THIS (!!!) is where the time and the groove are!
specifically turned the light on for me. Then I learned that
MD: Commitment is like that modern buzz-phrase of they were all using similar drums. That’s what got me to
“being present,” or “being in the moment,” which everyone go down the gear rabbit hole, and that’s what eventually
says, but no one really does. Commitment is what we see led to me creating the True Cast snare with DW. I wanted
when we see Gadd (or Jordan) play a 2 and 4 backbeat to make my own version of that drum. I wanted to
groove. They BELIEVE in, and are committed to that make a real sand cast drum because there was so many
groove. companies hopping on the bell brass train doing some
DE: There is also a clip of Phil Collins playing “I Shot the schlocky half-assed version of it. I went to DW and said,
Sherriff” with Clapton that has that same commitment. “Please just do exactly what I tell you,” and thank God
they did. They really hit it out of the park and made my
MD: What drum sounds are appealing to you today?
vision in my mind’s eye a beautiful reality. That’s my own working drummers of all time, his playing is so malleable,
contribution to that sound that I love so much. and he is someone that is very difficult to pin down. I have
On the other side of things, I remember when I was 19 spent a good deal of time analyzing his drumming. I’m
and I first heard that Brad Mehldau record Largo with Matt lucky enough to call Matt a close friend and we talk all
Chamberlin on the song “Dusty McNugget.” I didn’t realize the time. This isn’t necessarily about tone, but the three
it at the time, but all the guys that I was listening to had guys that I’ve seen that have completely transcended
cranked-up snares. “Dusty McNugget” was the first time the instrument live are Jay Bellerose, Brian Blade, and Jim
I heard that tuned down fat snare sound. At first, I didn’t Keltner. They all tap into some other thing that’s so much
know if I liked it because it was so weird and different. larger than “just drums.”
Matt is absolutely one of the greatest and most successful MD: When we talk about sound, the next logical subject is
KIT Spotlight:
Remo Drumheads 6.5x14 TrueCast snare drum
Clear Emperors on batter side of toms Remo drumheads
DW PURE KOA KIT (one of a kind) w Clear Ambassadors on reso side of toms Coated Emperor on tom batter side
nickel hardware Coated Emperor on batter of snare Clear Ambassador on tom reso side
8x10,9x12,15x16,16x18,16x22 Clear Ambassador Hazy on reso side of Coated CS on batter of snare
5x14 TrueCast Snare Drum snare Clear Ambassador Hazy on reso side of
Clear PS3 on Kick batter snare
Sabian Cymbals:
Coated dw logo head on kick reso Clear PS3 on Kick batter
15” Prototype Hats
21” Prototype Crash Vic Firth 5B or Rock “Dave Smash” Signa- Coated dw logo head on kick reso
10” Fierce Hats ture model Sabian Cymbals:
10”/7” HHX Evolution Spashes DW Custom up-cycled “Map Kit” with 15” Prototype Hats
22” Prototype Ride Maple 333 shells w gold hardware 21” Prototype Crash
12”/14” Max Stax 22” Prototype Ride
22” Stratus Crash 9x13 tom
22” HHX Complex Thin Ride (as Crash)
19” Prototype Raw China 16x16 floor tom
Re.Wrk Carrier up-cycled stick bag
16x22 kick

Music and drumming is a language more than anything else.
To give the simplest answer, phrasing is space, and space is
lyrical.
“touch.” How do you define “touch,” and how do you work That means actually having a real tangible idea first and
on or teach “touch?” foremost in your mind’s eye or ear shall we say, and then
DE: I have a whole section in Getting Out of Your Own playing that idea accurately with your hands and your
Way which I call “pure rebound” which involves touch. feet. I think so many people don’t have an actual idea,
Many people end up manhandling the sticks no matter they just have a bunch of “get out of jail free” or autopilot
what surface they’re playing on because human beings fills, and they think, “Oh, I need to do play something
don’t like being surprised and they want to control their here,” and they just passively play anything. Instead of
outside environment as much as possible. So many thinking, “I have an idea, and I’m trying to actively get that
people get taught (including me way back in the day) out.” That approach or lack thereof takes you out of the
how to play doubles by snapping up the second stroke moment instead of putting you squarely in the center of
and trying to accent the second note of a double. That’s it. That’s what makes Gadd and Phil Collins and those guys
only applicable when you’re doing it on a surface that so powerful because their playing is lyrical. They’re talking
has little to no rebound, so why are we starting there? through the drums. I’ve done this exercise with people
Why are we learning what kinetic energy and rebound all over the world, I ask drummers that have been playing
are on a surface that has nothing to offer in that regard, for a long time to sing me a one bar fill, and it’s like deer
it makes no sense! For me it’s about (first and foremost) in the headlights, they can’t. Therefore, to me phrasing is
understanding how little you actually have to do when about having a real idea from your heart and mind and
you just drop the stick and let it fall down on its own, let getting it to your hands and your feet.
it truly rebound, and then just close your hand when the MD: In that regard (having a real idea from your heart and
sticks comes back into it on it’s own. Very few people truly mind,) you have been “phrasing” your whole life.
understand that way of interacting with the instrument.
Physics and nature tell us it’s about dropping the stick and Check out Dave’s drummer profile page, at
moderndrummer.com
letting it do its thing. I think that the best way to explore
touch and kinesthetic awareness is being able to just drop
or throw the stick down, truly get out of the way, and let
the stick do its thing, which is terrifying for a lot of people
because they’re relinquishing control.
MD: Let’s go back to teaching, when students come to
you, what is the most common request that they have?
DE: It’s usually some sort of technique/body mechanics/
ergonomics sort of thing. I need help with my posture,
I’m injured… It’s usually some sort of physical use thing.
But after I did that drum clinic tour in Australia years ago
with Chris Coleman, John Riley, and Gregg Bissonette.
Gregg came up to me and said, “Dude I have no idea what
you’re doing, can I take some lessons?” So we did 10 or 15
lessons over the course of a few years just talking about
phrasing. I think a lot of people have hit me up about the
ergonomics stuff in the past because I do something that
really no one else does in drumming. My perspective is
different than anyone else’s. But there’s a ton of other stuff
I can do it with people as well.
MD: You used a word that many people use very
incorrectly today, and it drives me crazy. What is your
definition of the term phrasing?
DE: Music and drumming is a language more than
anything else. To give the simplest answer, phrasing
is space, and space is lyrical. One of the things I do in
Getting Out of Your Own Way is what I call “active playing.”

Photos by Jill Trunnell and Melvin Fults
Created a Path
and Kept Going
From Dolly Parton,

to Lionel Richie,
to Taylor Swift,
to Kenny Chesney...
By Mark Griffith
C oming to Nashville from South Africa is a unique musical path.

Nick Buda’s mom didn’t want their family to have anything to do
with apartheid, and she didn’t want her kid to be drafted into the
South African army. Music was an important part of the family; so
the family, with a 12 year old Nick Buda, came to the United States.

MD: How did the music of South Africa influence you at a We spent a couple of days recording these kids’ songs that
young age? all had underlying African grooves. Again, I already knew
NB: In my earlier years of playing, a couple things exactly how those grooves were supposed to sound. I
happened in my life that made me realize that I innately couldn’t necessarily name them all, but I knew exactly
knew something about playing South African music where they came from because that’s where I came from.
because it was all around me as a kid. When I first got MD: After you arrived in the US, you created a path that
out of college, one of the first guys I started playing many drummers would like to create, it has led to playing
was a Nigerian sax player named OJ Ekemode, he was in Kenny Chesney’s band which is not just another country
absolutely bad ass. His whole band was African, and I gig. So how did your path start, and how has it evolved
was the only white guy. All his tunes were based around over time?
versions of African grooves that were familiar to me
I didn’t think that I wanted to play drums, I knew I

wanted to play drums, I always have. It was never a
career path; it was what I was going to do.
because I had always just heard them. Even though it NB: I didn’t think that I wanted to play drums, I knew I
wasn’t necessarily the music that I was regularly listening wanted to play drums, I always have. It was never a career
to, I just knew it. Many years later, my aunt, who is a path; it was what I was going to do. I didn’t say “I’m gonna
singer-songwriter, and I worked together on a kids record.
be a session player”, or “I’m gonna be a live player”, I
just wanted to play drums. All the guys that I looked
Every turn that my career
up to and were trying to emulate while playing along took, I can look back
to records, were great all-around drummers. Vinnie,
Porcaro, Carlos Vega, they were just phenomenal players and see that I was just
that were both session and live players. They played on
all the music that I loved, so that was the path. Every
following where I wanted
turn that my career took, I can look back and see that to go, and what I thought
I was just following where I wanted to go, and what I
thought I wanted to do. I didn’t know if every choice I I wanted to do.
made was necessarily the best move at the time. I was
just trying to make calculated guesses and ultimately play drums for a living, and I was more of a pop music guy.
following my heart. Thankfully, it has worked out. When I like songs, I wanted to play songs. My first teacher was
I look back and see (or think about) some of the stuff Casey Scheuerell, he’s a great player, but we just didn’t
I’m continually getting to do, I don’t think I could have gel. He kept giving me things to practice that I wasn’t as
planned it. I just continued to want it and tried to keep interested in and therefore I never did my homework.
myself in the right company. I always try to surround Then I met and studied with Rick Considine who was
myself with great players and musicians that I feel are a huge Gadd fanatic. He didn’t give me “homework” as
always pushing me. much as he gave me things to check out whenever I got
to them. He would show me the simplicity of some things
I went to Berklee, but it wasn’t because there was
that sounded so complicated. We talked about where to
some sort of “Berklee beacon.” I just knew I wanted to
sit in the groove, and for years after studying with Rick,
keep playing drums. Right after high school, I had the
I have gone back to his sheets because I would hear
opportunity to go on the road with a pretty big-name
something and try to find the notation so I could figure
songwriter named Mac Gayden (who wrote “Everlasting
it out exactly. I have emulated players my whole life. I
Love.”) But to my mom’s credit, she said, “These
learned how to play drums by copying players I loved
opportunities are gonna continue to come up, go to
listening to. I was playing along with music and copying
Berklee and learn all the things that weren’t available to
my favorite ideas. I was always trying to be as exact as
you in high school.” I followed that advice and it put me in
possible. When it came to certain Gadd and Porcaro type
some wild situations right off the bat. I was at school for
things, I wanted to know exactly what they were doing as
two days and this Swedish jazz guitar player came up to
opposed to making up my own sticking and playing what
me in the dorm and asked, “Hey man, do you play drums?”
sounded correct. Rick was a big help with that.
Suddenly, I’m in a practice room jamming with these
Swedish jazz cats. I didn’t consider myself a jazz drummer John Blackwell and Antonio Sanchez were at Berklee at
at all, and I still don’t. But school made me do the things the same time as me and they both blew my mind. John’s
I would never normally have done which really pushed pocket and awesome showmanship was undeniable.
me. Admittedly, when I got to Berklee I had a chip on my Antonio was the first dude I ever saw doing the left foot
shoulder. I was “the guy” in high school. My band was cowbell stuff and that floored me. We are about the same
popular, I was playing all the time. I walked into Berklee age, but we were not playing the same style of music; but
thinking, “All right, what do you guys have for me?” And I from a playing perspective I surely appreciated that stuff
was immediately humbled by all this incredible talent and and those guys, and there were plenty of them.
faced with things I couldn’t do. I got done with Berklee in 1996 and stayed in Boston for
MD: I always tell students that one of the benefits of a bit because I was working, but then Mac Gayden called
going to music school is the chance to be surrounded me again to play a music festival in Nashville. So I came
by other musicians and surrounded by places to play. Be back to Nashville to do his gig, and I stayed here. I started
they, practice rooms, pubs in town, whatever… playing on some rock records, but I was very green to
the Nashville studio scene and how recording worked.
NB: And hopefully those musicians are better than you
Then I got a call to go play with Col. Bruce Hampton and
are, and you can learn from playing with them.
the Aquarium Rescue Unit (ARU) which changed to The
MD: At Berklee, who were some of your musical and Codetalkers after I started. He was living in Atlanta, so at
drumming peers, and what teachers did you learn the the very beginning of 2000, I moved to Atlanta to work
most from? with him.
NB: When I got there, it took me a minute to figure out MD: For those who might not know, the Col. Bruce
what they had in store for me versus what I wanted to get Hampton ARU gig is a prestigious “musician gig” in the
out of it. Berklee can tend to crank out musicians without south. He was around before the jam band scene, and was
much of an identity. I knew I wasn’t planning to turn into a playing some pretty adventuresome music, I have always
jazz cat, nothing against that, I just knew that I wanted to thought of him as the southern Frank Zappa. Musicians

like Jeff Sipe, “Little” John Roberts, Jimmy Herring, and tunes are very open territory as far as what you wanted to
bassist Oteil Burbridge came out of that band. What a bring to them, but I learned a lot in the process of playing
cool gig for a young drummer. How did you approach his with him. The songs are almost like jazz tunes where
music? there’s a head and a verse/chorus type of thing, then it
NB: I used to play along with his records so when that call goes off to wherever, and at some point, it comes back.
came, I was ready. It was awesome. Bruce was such an When I look back at the whole experience with Bruce, it
interesting character; it took me a while to figure out what was a real-life education after Berklee. Berklee gave me
I was even supposed to play. With Bruce, it’s all about all the tools for the bag, and then with Bruce I learned
being your true self and bringing it, but not too much how to put them into use. But if you used those tools in
and at the right time. At the time I had a lot of chops and the wrong place, Bruce was gonna tell you straight up
something to prove, and his music invited a lot of that. His to play the damn song!!! It wasn’t country, rock, or jazz.
There’s a bigger picture than just trying to make

yourself known before the chorus.

With Bruce it was always open-ended, but don’t screw NB: When we were getting ready to go on stage, we’d
it up! You had to listen, it was 100% about your ears and get pumped because of the crowd, and we knew it was
listening. gonna be awesome. Then Bruce would say something
Today, I have realized that Bruce’s guidance through life, to the effect of, “We’re not here to have fun, we’re going
and the things that he lived by, seemed ridiculous to me to war! We’re here to kill! We’re here to destroy!” Of course,
at 23 or 24 years old. But there isn’t a day that goes by that it’s great to play, and we were doing it because we loved
I don’t think about some of the things he said. A lot of his it. But when you get on stage it is our job as a band (not
stuff has hit me hard later in life. He would go on crazy individually) to slaughter everybody. As a band, it didn’t
rants, but I get it all now. matter who we were opening for, or who was opening for
us… It was our job to go out there and just mow them
MD: Can you give me some examples of his wisdom? down, and that’s what we did. Later, I would get into
plenty of situations and I could tell when other musicians
weren’t as serious as they should be.
Here’s another piece of Bruce wisdom. When we were
driving in the van and we were getting ready to take an
exit, if your foot was on the accelerator, he’d say, “Woah,
slow down, just coast, think about how much gas we’re
saving!” Later in life I see the metaphor for not being
in such a rush and allowing things to work for you and
happen in the moment. Of course, we were all young
and just wanted to get to the damn hotel or gig. But he
saw the big picture, and he was subtly trying to teach us
about life and patience.
MD: That old man, musician wisdom, is priceless, and very
valuable. We must keep that wisdom alive.
NB: You’re right, that generation paid better attention
to savoring the moment. I don’t teach many lessons but
there are a couple of guys who have asked me to teach
them. So we get together and do a lesson, and many
times it’s not so much about the licks, it’s more about how
musical decisions are made, your intention and how you
craft a song. And a lot of those answers come from Bruce’s
kind of wisdom. There’s a bigger picture than just trying
to make yourself known before the chorus.
MD: When you got to Nashville, who were the biggest and
busiest players in town?
NB: When I got to Nashville, I figured out pretty quickly
that there was a pretty solid and inescapable line between
session guys and live guys. I knew I wanted to record, but
right off the bat I needed to work. I quickly got a gig with
an artist named Cyndi Thomson who had just had a #1
hit. She was just great, and so kind; my approach to her
music was in the vein of a James Taylor kind of gig. It was
also the first time I was doing a gig where I was playing
along with loops and tracks. I know I overplayed a fair
amount because I had just come out of Bruce’s band. And
suddenly I’m opening for Alan Jackson in amphitheaters.
It was a bizarre but great experience.
Some of the main session cats who were on all the records
were Shannon Forrest, Chad Cromwell, and Greg Morrow,
and I really liked their approaches on records. When I
started doing sessions and started running into them
in studios, they were very kind to me. Shannon stuck
his neck out for me a couple times when he didn’t need
to. Greg was always pranking me when we were both
The number of hours I paid master scale as opposed to demo scale. Those three
songs led to three more and then three more until it was
spent playing in clubs the first Taylor Swift record. As her success happened, I
started getting called for more sessions and also to help
around town was unreal. put sessions together. I realized I could call the biggest
I was almost living at (the name players in town and they’d actually say yes. A
lightbulb went off in my head and I realized, THIS is the
club) 12th and Porter. work! I am one of the guys! I could call Michael Rhodes
or Dan Dugmore, who are legends that I’d heard on
working in a complex with two tracking rooms. One day I thousands of records, because they were looking at me
came in and all my cymbals were mounted upside down, as another dude doing sessions. Dan Dugmore is such
even the hats were inverted, Greg’s a prankster. Very rarely an incredible steel player who has been on some of my
did I meet a drummer in this town that wasn’t really cool favorite James Taylor records, and here we are having a
to hang out with. I hope I am paying that forward. I try conversation like we’ve been playing sessions together
and make sure when guys reach out to get a coffee that forever. I guess I was able to hold up my end as a player,
I take the time to do it. It’s important to keep that kind of and I wasn’t completely wide eyed, and star struck. I could
community here. hang and I realized, THIS is the game. But I quickly came
to realize just how important the drum position was.
MD: How long were you in Nashville until you felt like you All the money that people are spending on studios and
were a part of the scene? making records, my cartage that brought out my drums,
NB: That’s interesting because it’s two different worlds, the catering; it could all be gone if I didn’t deliver. The
the session side, and the live side. Breaking into the live drums are where everything starts. That’s why it is so hard
side was pretty quick because I made friends fast, being to get in as a drummer. To give a new guy a chance means
out on the road and playing festivals, all the players were that you’re risking the success of an entire session. It took
there— and I played so many gigs around town… One me a while to get past that “bigger picture nervousness”
of the things I tell guys that are starting out is to get out and to have the confidence to say I can do this; I know
there and play gigs. You’re not gonna make much money, how this works.
but get out there and play gigs! You need to be out there MD: Who else were you working with around this time?
playing all the time; both for the experience of playing
and stage time and for just getting out there and being NB: I was doing tons of gigs with different local singer-
seen. songwriters. I did a lot with Randy Houser who is now a
successful country artist. We played a ton around town,
The session side of things took me a minute. The first and I recorded a bunch with him, but I was very rarely
sessions I was doing were with Nathan Chapman. He was playing on the country scene. I was always finding artists
a producer who was doing little basement production around town to work with. The number of hours I spent
demos at the time. He had me do a couple tracks at my playing in clubs around town was unreal. I was almost
little home studio and we just got along. He liked where living at (the club) 12th and Porter. A lot of times there’d be
I was coming from, even though I was still new to Pro three artists playing in a night, and one of them would be
Tools and home recording. Nathan plays pretty much using me. So the other two would ask, “Well since you’re
everything so it was me and a bass player, and Nathan already playing, are you cool if we just pay you a little
would fill out the tracks afterwards. Then he started extra to do our set too?” I’d end up doing 30 tunes a night
booking sessions through a publishing company in town with three different artists.
that was giving him production work. We did that for a
year and that was my first “Nashville” session experience. I wasn’t planning to go on the road much, but I was
We were doing 10 to 15 demo songs a day between 10am working with a female artist named Mindy Smith. She
and 9pm. Then a songwriter named Liz Rose came by.
She was writing with this young writer, and we cut her
demos. That “young writer” was Taylor Swift, who was They love to put you in
already recording a record somewhere else. Taylor told
her label head that she didn’t want to do the country categories down here. I
record they were working on, and that she wanted to
do a record with us. Of course, he said hell no, but she
like to think that I play
was strong headed about it and she put her foot down. for the music that I’m
They gave Nathan enough money to do three songs
with her and see how it would work. He demanded he playing, but that music
use his guys and he obviously knocked it out the park.
It was my first master session, so I was just happy to get
doesn’t define the
drummer that I am.
started out as a Folk-Americana artist, but her first record creating things. I saw the bigger picture. I would never
sold more than 500,000 copies so she immediately take one over the other. I love the live thing, I love the
jumped into the Adult-Contemporary scene. Shannon energy, I love everything about that, but being involved
Forrest played on that record, I played on some of her in the session world meant that the stuff I was doing was
second record, and I also toured with her for about a year always going to be there. Gigs come to an end. All those
and a half doing very cool theater gigs. No clicks, no in- records I’ve played on, that’s why you and I are having this
ears, we were just playing with wedges, being musical, conversation today.
and loving those old theaters. My mom was friends with keyboard player David Sancious
MD: During that time did you ever join a band? up in Woodstock. He has been one of the most in
NB: Not really. On one hand, I love the idea of playing demand keyboard players in the world. He’s played with
like a band because you do so many gigs together Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Sting, everyone. And for a while
and you’re vibing together. I do love that. But from a he was out of work because those guys weren’t touring.
career perspective I didn’t wanna be putting time into He could be just hanging out for a year or so because he
something that could just end up being nothing or had just gone from one tour to another. When I heard
landing me back at square one. So I was always doing the that, I just thought there was a huge lesson there.
freelance thing. If I was in a band, it was never gonna be I don’t know what else I could do that would feed me
a band that would take away from my freelance thing. I the way that music does. I love playing, I’ve been playing
would do a band, but definitely on the side. drums my whole life. I can’t imagine how I would feel if
I’ve always liked the idea of never putting all my eggs in it suddenly just stopped. The pandemic was a great test,
one basket. When an artist decides to take a year off to and it made me wonder what else I would do if I couldn’t
start a family, do a TV thing, or whatever, the musicians play music anymore? Sure, there could be other things,
(sidemen) are out of work. And when the artist comes but I can’t think of anything that would make me feel the
back, they may choose to go with a different player. I’ve same way that music does.
known many guys in those positions. Plenty of friends of MD: OK since you brought it up, how did you get through
mine have gotten fired because the artist decided they those pandemic years, and how did Nashville get through
wanted to just freshen up the band or “go in another those two years?
direction”. And then you’re suddenly looking for another NB: Nashville started out really strong. It was a beautiful
gig. I was freelancing in the session world because I love

The drummers are the ones that steer the band
through the tune. We lead them to the bridge, we
lead them to the last chorus, whatever… Big ears are
your biggest asset from a player’s perspective.
spring here and everybody was being very respectful with NB: When we did the first record, none of us thought
all the uncertainty. My family and I did a lot of walking that it was gonna do anything. But her songwriting was
and had real quality time together. But then I just needed immediately impressive. She was writing songs while we
to play. A songwriter friend named Will Bowen would just were finishing other songs. She’s incredible with that. But
send me songs of his to play on in my studio at home. she was 15 years old, and it was a new label. But when it
That turned into some pretty cool rock stuff that is getting came out and did so well, they called us all back to do the
ready to be released now. His music completely blew next record, which was Fearless. It was the same crew of
me away. And the stuff I was playing was blowing him Nathan producing and playing either keys or guitar, Chad
away. It was this great project that was happening over Carlson engineering, Tim Marks playing bass, and myself.
the phone and e-mail. Towards the end of that year and We recorded the basics and then other people would
a half, I started getting out and doing some radio and layer on afterwards. That was a wonderful experience,
live internet shows. Everyone wore masks. I remember we walked into the studio for the first time knowing that
how great of an experience it was just to play with other what we were about to record was gonna sell millions
people again. We all learned that playing with people is of copies. I’d never done that. None of us had ever done
important and hugging a person is important. When it that before, so it was a neat experience. That second
finally came time to do sessions again, there were cases record was such a great sounding record. It was mixed by
where some people jumped the gun and everybody on Justin Neibank and he made the drums sound amazing.
the session got COVID. Thankfully that didn’t happen to It’s probably one of my favorite records I’ve played on.
me. Thankfully, we also did the next two records Speak Now
MD: After the first Taylor Swift record, did you continue and Red. After that, things didn’t quite go the same way,
playing on some of her tracks? but I enjoyed playing on those first four… And now

she’s today’s princess of pop. But there was (possibly) a MD: Explain the process of recording a track for a
downside to doing those records, because then I became producer when the artist is not there?
“the guy who did the Taylor Swift records.” That’s a big NB: You’re gathering your information from the producer
shadow to try to step out from. They love to put you in sitting in the control room. We all have charts, and most
categories down here. I like to think that I play for the of the time it’s a Nashville number chart. You can look
music that I’m playing, but that music doesn’t define the that up and see what that looks like. It’s a skeleton of the
drummer that I am. song with chords and no real drum information. We’re
MD: What are some of the other big records that you have all looking at the chart and listening to a demo version.
done? The demo might be an acoustic vocal or whatever. The
NB: I was fortunate to do a record with Dolly Parton and I producer will answer any questions and make musical
did a Lionel Richie record. That one was heavy because he suggestions. There might be an idea of a guitar riff and
did it here in town. Working on those tracks was amazing. I’m listening and thinking about what am I going to
He wasn’t in the studio for everything, but there was one do to complement that? I’m trying to create a nice bed
track that he was there for. He came in with his entourage for whatever is going to happen. But very rarely does
and we’re all sitting there, and he was the absolute coolest the producer or the artist turn to the drummer and say,
guy ever. Then he sang, and hearing that voice through “I want this!” Sometimes you might hear, “I’m kind of
my headphones was an awesome experience. thinking this kind of groove from this song.” The truth is
Some guys are super slick, and like things very

neat and tidy all the way through. Other guys allow
the player to be a little more of a player. The hard
thing, particularly from a drummer’s perspective,
is gauging who wants what when you come into a
session.

that 99% of the time, any groove references that are made a big deal about it.
are ridiculous and rarely relevant, but everybody still likes MD: How do you approach it when you don’t have a
to reference other songs. So you listen to their reference. guide vocal part?
Then we go in and do it. Most of the time, take one is
almost “there,” and potentially “the take” if the producer NB: Normally if it’s a big record, they’re gonna make sure
loves the way it feels. There are certain songs that I’ve they have something. But I have done plenty of things
done on big records where it was the first take and that when there is no vocal. In those cases, I’m just a little more
was it. But it’s difficult recording a song without a vocal. cautious because I don’t have anything to go on. I’d rather
The vocal is the flashlight through the dark hallway. You play something a bit vanilla than have something I play
can go down the hall and feel around for the walls, but really get in the way of the vocal phrasing.
it’s so much easier if you can see where you’re going. If MD: This is going to sound like a crazy question. But
there’s no vocal there, it’s kind of hard for me to feel if a fill compare the similarities in how Col. Bruce Hampton
is going to step on something that I can’t hear. Also, I like wouldn’t really tell you what to play, and a Nashville chart
playing around the vocal and doing some little kick drum that doesn’t tell you what to play?
things with the vocal, like Gadd might do. I like to create a
NB: The commonality is “big ears.” You’re rarely told
vibe that moves with the other melodies without making

The art of recording a song starts with the intention
of playing it from beginning to end. Sure, you may
have a fix or something in there somewhere, but the
intention needs to be in the right place.
exactly what to play, you’re not doing a film score when time she wanted to change the set, they would call me
you’re doing sessions. You see the song in numbers in to record the new song that she wanted to add to the
front of you, and you’re listening to what everybody else set. That probably happened five or six times. The best
is playing. That’s why the first take might be the take. The part was that she did a bunch of TV shows and obviously
drummers are the ones that steer the band through the she wanted to have drums on TV, so I got to do all the TV
tune. We lead them to the bridge, we lead them to the last shows with her. The first one we did was Fallon and I had
chorus, whatever… Big ears are your biggest asset from just gotten my deal together with Noble & Cooley. They
a player’s perspective. I tend to play with a little more made me a kit and the first time I saw it was on the Fallon
chops than a lot of session guys here stage playing with Dolly. That was a nice moment. We
do. I like stirring it up a little. I like to did some morning shows, and the call on some of them
have things poking out occasionally, is like 4am. And at 4am, Dolly was always there looking
as long as it’s not off putting to the spectacular, and cheerful as always.
song. With Bruce, I learned how to MD: I always got the impression about her that she knew
navigate the lines and figure out everything that was going on in all of her business and in
where the boundaries are, and then her camp. She wasn’t going to relinquish control, waste
work between them. money, or trust anyone else to do things the way that she
MD: What was working with Dolly wanted them done. Several decades later many other
Parton on Blue Smoke like? people are learning that same rule, have your eyes and
NB: I’d worked with her in the studio hands on everything.
some before that, but I really loved NB: And she wanted to prove to everyone that she could
getting the call to play on her record. do it and do it right! She’s smart, she’s on everything, and
Honestly, I can’t remember a lot nothing is going to get past her.
of the particulars other than how MD: What are the drumming boundaries in country
amazing she was to be around! And music?
she was always a part of what was
going on. If we were recording, she NB: It’s funny, a lot of the time in country music people
was there. We might do four or five don’t really want to hear much personality from the
takes of a song and she would want rhythm section, it’s got to be super subtle. But I like to do
to be in there singing every single little things with the vocals and little parts in the middle
time. Even though that may not be of verses, and if it’s not a “groove-buster” they can be
the final take, she just loved being colorful and cool. Of course, it depends on the producer,
in there singing, which I love. She that’s everything. Some guys are super slick, and like
was amazing. A couple years after things very neat and tidy all the way through. Other
I’d worked for her, she fired her guys allow the player to be a little more of a player. The
longtime touring drummer, and to hard thing, particularly from a drummer’s perspective, is
make a point, she did her next tour gauging who wants what when you come into a session.
without a drummer at all and just You don’t want to be too sterile because you were afraid
used tracks. I was hired to come in that something would stick out. I was always thinking,
and record all the drum tracks for all I’m just going to be me, and I’ll pull it in as need be.
the songs in the show. It was kind Sometimes that meant that I wasn’t called for certain
of cool because they wanted me to things because I was not driving down the middle of the
keep the original vibe of the songs road, but I gotta be me first.
but use their live arrangements. MD: How has the Nashville scene changed since you have
Those original tracks like “Two Doors been there?
Down” and “9 to 5” were always
NB: When I first came into it, there were a handful of big
slamming, so it was fun having that
producers that did a large chunk of the records, and there
kind of session and knowing these
was a circle of session players four or five deep in each
would be the drums on her live show.
instrument chair that were playing on all the big stuff. It
I recorded her whole show, but every
was a tight club, and it was really hard to get in, especially But the art of recording a song starts with the intention
as a drummer. But once you were in, you were in. Those of playing it from beginning to end. Sure, you may have
producers were loyal to the musicians they used, which a fix or something in there somewhere, but the intention
isn’t always a great thing because the guy that’s good needs to be in the right place.
on one record isn’t necessarily the right call for another One of the things I talk about when I occasionally teach
type of record. But today we have “track guys” working is about seeing the curve of the music as you’re playing
with young writers that are having success. Once they through it. Is the intro rocking or not? If it’s really rocking,
have success as a writer, they start getting into “track guy” you’re probably going to have to come down to the verse.
producing. Now you have young producers who don’t You must see the slope going down from the level that
even know what you started. A song
it’s like to track doesn’t usually
with a real band, just stop and drop,
or how to build a and then begin
track themselves. again. It’s nice
Sometimes the to have a curve
first time they are into that verse; or
working with other alternatively, how
musicians is on are you getting
the record when into the chorus?
everything is at How do you get
stake for a young the intensity back
artist. That artist’s up? All those little
whole career is things matter.
depending on When you play
what this track fills, you want to
guy (producer) is keep it exciting and
doing. The art of entertaining but
creating a song or not jarring. I don’t
creating a record like any jarring
has gotten lost stuff. I like things
because the guys to be comfortable
that are making the and intentional,
decisions on these even if it’s big, loud,
tracks aren’t even heavy, and rocking.
thinking about
the whole song or Nashville has
the whole record. changed. When I
They just make was coming up, I
sure they have all was thinking that
the information I’d work my way up
they need because the studio ladder
they don’t yet and eventually play
know what they’re on big records. I’ll
going to want in be in the circle, and
the chorus. They it’ll be a creative
just say, “Give me boom. It will all
five different ways revolve around
of playing the chorus and we’ll work it out.” Sure, I know itself and that will be my career. Now that I have gotten
we’re work for hire like anybody else, but I still believe up the ladder, I see that the business doesn’t look like
there’s an art to playing a song. A song starts and it ends, that anymore, certainly not in this town, and there’s more
and all the stuff that gets you from one place to the next recording happening here than anywhere. So if it’s not
is important. It just can’t be scooped out. There’s also happening here, it’s not happening anywhere. At least
an art to making a record, so every song doesn’t sound that’s not the process that is making all the big release
like you did the same thing. I know things have changed records. Obviously, you’ll find artists all over the place that
because of how we consume music and it’s not a matter want to make a natural organic sounding record with a
of right or wrong, it’s just not the way that I like making band. Anytime I get to be a part of that, it’s beautiful, I
music. I like playing on records and I produce records. love it. Even if they’re not huge number one hits, just to

You can’t plan this stuff. But if you make educated
choices and keep the love of what you’re doing in the
middle of those choices, things tend to work out.
be a part of making good music is where it’s at for me. sessions, and I also get to go and play what is essentially a
MD: How did the Kenny Chesney gig come about and big stadium rock gig. I feel like I’ve won the musical lottery
how long have you been in Kenny’s band? with a gig that I wasn’t even sure I wanted. This band is
just on another level. Kenny is a great artist, the band
NB: I started in 2022. He was not on my radar at all when I is amazing, everyone gets along really well, the music
got the call. I wasn’t necessarily looking for a touring gig, is really fun to play, and the gig keeps pushing me to
but the rat race around town can be a lot and the scene expand the boundaries. I have complete musical freedom.
has changed over the years. It’s certainly not what it was
when I was getting into it, and it’s also not what I was The Kenny Chesney band is doing what Col. Bruce
hoping it was going to be as I moved up the ladder. So Hampton taught me to do in his band years ago. Be
when I got the call that Kenny Chesney was looking for a intentional and be great. The energy and love is like
drummer, I wasn’t sure, but I was interested. I knew he was nothing else I’ve been a part of. You can’t plan this stuff.
a big country star, but I didn’t want to be playing in the But if you make educated choices and keep the love of
middle of America somewhere on some big stage with what you’re doing in the middle of those choices, things
an artist that I didn’t really care about, while not being tend to work out.
at home with my family. So I tiptoed in, only to be blown
away by the whole thing, and I honestly still am. And now Check out Nick’s drummer profile page, at
I’m also working with him in the studio, which has been moderndrummer.com
really great. I played on this new record called Born as well
as some other things he’s been working on. He is such an
intuitive artist and I really enjoy how we work together.
He’s very open and very real.
This gig came around at the perfect time, I still get to play

Gerry Brown:
Groove
Reverence
By Mark Griffith
I
n this business NOTHING beats longevity,
a big gig or two doesn’t hurt either.
Drummer Gerry Brown has had all of
that plus a whole lot more. Gerry had
early aspirations to become a classical
percussionist, but after seeing the
Delfonics playing live, those goals changed.
Recordings and longtime touring gigs with
Chick Corea and Return to Forever, Larry
Coryell and the Eleventh House, George
Benson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, and
Diana Ross would tell us that Gerry made
the right choice. In the 70s Gerry even co-
led one of the more popular fusion bands
with bassist John Lee, and together their
band released seven records on Blue Note
and Columbia records. You can see him
today grooving and touring with living
legend Diana Ross. Gerry came up in the
fertile Philadelphia music scene, so that’s
where we started our talk.

Photos by Alex Kluft

MD: What was it like coming up on the Philadelphia music were always listening to Miles, Coltrane, and R&B records
scene? together. I would also go to the Uptown Theater to hear
GB: There was a program in the Philadelphia schools the Temptations, The Marvelettes, and a young Diana
called the All-City Band and Orchestra, they would meet Ross. Tiki Fulwood was the house drummer at the Uptown
and rehearse on Saturday mornings, I got involved in that Theatre, he was badass! The studio where they filmed
program starting in elementary school. The conductor American Bandstand was close to my house too, and
was named G. Roy Mann, and we played classical music sometimes I would walk by and see all the people lined
and sometimes some Samuel Barber and more modern up for the show, so that show was a major influence. There
stuff. Through those orchestras you would be meeting was music happening everywhere in Philly.
people from all over the city, it was a great experience. At Overbrook High School we had a fantastic music
As a kid I remember watching Arthur Godfrey show teacher named Bill Munich. When I was 16, Stanley
on TV, and I was enthralled with his band. I would play introduced me to bassist Charles Fambrough (who had a
along with that show banging on pots and pans. My long career and played bass with Art Blakey and Wynton
parents thought I might have a little musical talent, so Marsalis for a long time) and we started playing together.
they took me to this place The West Philadelphia Music Lee Smith (father of Christian McBride) was another
Center. Jake Hoffman was teaching there, but he was the great bassist who was also a student at Overbrook, and
traveling percussionist with the Ballet Russe, therefore we were playing together too. In my last year, a bassist
he didn’t have time to teach me. So he set me up to moved to town from New York named John Lee who was
take lessons with his daughter who graduated from the also playing bass at his father’s church in Philadelphia.
Curtis Institute. I studied with Elaine Hoffman Watts, and I Philadelphia was a great city for music, I was hearing
continued in the Philadelphia All-City music program and everything, and I had an opportunity to study and learn
the junior high school orchestra. That’s where I met bassist about it all and play with some amazing bassists. But it
Stanley Clarke. I also became friends with John Soroka wasn’t just bassists, saxophonist Grover Washington was
(who is now retired but was the principal percussionist in around town playing, and so was organist Charles Earland,
the Pittsburgh Symphony.) John and I were both studying I played my first professional gig with singer Dakota
with Alan Abel at the Settlement Music School. Staton at The Aqua Lounge with Stanley Clarke and Jimmy
While I was playing all that classical music and doing Golden on piano.
Stanley Clarke and I would talk about jazz all the time,
and we would listen to the great jazz bass and drum
combinations of the time, and we would try to emulate
what we were hearing.
lessons, my dad was bringing home jazz records and MD: There were a lot of great drummers around Philly
I heard Art Blakey and Cozy Cole. Stanley and I would back then; what other drummers did you hear growing
talk about jazz all the time, and we would listen to the up? Specs Wright? Mickey Roker? Philly Joe Jones?
great jazz bass and drum combinations of the time, GB: I never heard Specs, I did hear the great Mickey Roker,
and we would try to emulate what we were hearing. he was amazing. Philly Joe was around, and I was aware of
I lived in West Philadelphia and everyone that I knew his playing, but there were so many great drummers and
listened to Tony Williams. Stanley came from Roxbury and music around, I didn’t really focus on Philly Joe much. In
Germantown, and they listened to Art Blakey and Elvin retrospect, I probably should have.
Jones. It was a beautiful situation to grow up in because
I was hearing all the different drummers. We were also MD: Did you ever interact with Philadelphia drumming
hearing the famous Gamble and Huff pop music on the legend Edgar Bateman; I know Chick liked his playing?
radio. GB: Yes, I knew Mr. Bateman, he was formidable, he could
Drummer Sherman Ferguson was in Philly too. I thought really stir it up, some of his own snap crackle and pop!
I was gonna be a hot shot until I heard him, he brought MD: Did you know Eric Gravatt in Philly?
me right back to earth, that was a good thing. He moved
GB: I didn’t know Eric, but I certainly knew of him.
to California and had success playing with jazz guitarist
Pat Martino, Sherman was really good. Stanley and I MD: When I first heard the live recording of you with

Stevie Wonder, you reminded me of Earl Young, was he When Herbie Hancock would come to town with his
someone that you saw around town? Mwandishi band with Billy Hart, we would ask him what
GB: I didn’t see him much around town, but he had such was happening in Europe. Herbie told us to get in touch
a distinctive feel, if you heard a pop record from Philly with a flautist named Chris Hinze. John got in contact
around then, it was probably Earl playing drums. His with Chris, who asked John to make a tape of his playing,
domain was Sigma Sound Studios doing all the sessions. I played on the tape, Chris told John he loved his playing
I’m honored that you hear some Earl Young in my playing. and said, “Ask the drummer if he’s interested to move to
Holland and start playing with me.” At that time, it was
Philadelphia was a great city for music, I was hearing

everything, and I had an opportunity to study and
learn about it all and play with some amazing bassists.
MD: After all that priceless musical training, playing with obvious that I wasn’t going to get a classical orchestra
some of the greatest bassists ever, and growing up in gig, and Stanley had started playing with Horace Silver,
one of the greatest music cities in America, how did your and I was loving all the other stuff John and I were doing
professional career start? together, so in 1971 John and I moved to Europe and
GB: Stanley and I were beginning to play some cabaret spent a couple years there playing with everybody. We
shows at local clubs, and it just kept going from there. moved back in October 1974.
MD: How did you and John Lee put your fusion band John was playing with Larry Coryell and Alphonse
together? Mouzon in The Eleventh House soon after returning
and I had started working with (another) great bassist
GB: John and I and Stanley had both attended a school
Anthony Jackson in violinist Michel Urbaniak’s band.
called the Philadelphia Music Academy run by Evan Solot.

Eventually Alphonse went with Weather Report, and I The Fourth Way with drummer
took his place in Eleventh House and did the record Eddie Marshall, The Count’s
Aspects in 1976. Then John and I got connected Rock Band and The Free Spirits,
with Blue Note Records and started leading our and the early Gary Burton
own fusion band. I think we were probably a little bands with Bob Moses; That
ahead of our time, and that’s because we had was an interesting time in
the advantage of living in Europe, and we were music. I guess Stanley Clarke
hearing what was happening over there first. Back was the conduit for you
in the States, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul were joining Chick Corea in Return
already putting together Weather Report to Forever, right?
with Alphonse and then Gravatt, and GB: Yes, but before that,
the Tony Williams Lifetime had Stanley called me in
done Emergency! So we were 1976 to play three
somewhere in that first wave tracks on his
of jazz-rock fusion. I wish School
someone would do a
documentary on that
whole period about
the birth of fusion.
MD: I couldn’t
agree more,
bands like
Days record. Chick had decided that he wanted to do
a larger Return to Forever band that would feature Joe John and I got connected
Farrell, and he called me for that. We did Musicmagic in
1977, and then the band expanded a little more and we with Blue Note Records
did the four record-set RTF Live.
and started leading our
own band. I think we
MD: After Chick how did your career progress?
GB: I was touring and recording with Stanley through
1979, and in ’79 I hooked up with The Brothers Johnson. were probably a little
I played a few tracks on their record Winners, which was
the first record that that they did without Quincy Jones. I ahead of our time,
was playing with them some and doing some other R&B
gigs but nothing of note. My wife and I had our two-
and that’s because we
year-old son, but my wife and I separated, so I went back had the advantage of
to Europe. I met guitarist Philipe Catherine and then
I got connected in Germany with the NDR Radio, and living in Europe, and
George Gruntz in Switzerland. In the summer of 1983,
I came back to the US for the summer to visit family.
we were hearing what
Teddy Pendergrass has just had a devastating car crash was happening over
and was paralyzed, meanwhile Lionel Richie decided on
going solo after great success with The Commodores. XLIVI½VWX7S[I[IVI
At that time Teddy was on top of the world, but with
Teddy’s condition Lionel likely decided this was his
WSQI[LIVIMRXLEX½VWX
chance. So with Lionel recording his solo album with wave of jazz-rock fusion.
JR Robinson on drums, Lionel would soon put a band
together.
got back to the US, Benson, Garfield, and I played a jazz
Wilbert Terrell, who was The Brothers Johnson as the
festival in Seattle, and I got the gig. I was with Benson
tour manager called and left a message with my mom
from ‘88 to the end of ‘91.
to have Gerry call him asap. I called Wilbert and he asked
how soon could I fly from Philadelphia to LA, I flew out In 1991, I met bassist Nate Watts who was Stevie’s MD,
the following morning on a one way ticket. After a few and Stevie’s half-brother, Milton Hardaway arranged
auditions I got Lionel’s gig. He had a string of huge an audition at Stevie’s studio that would take place in
hits, and we played the closing ceremony of the 1984 a month, and we would be playing at midnight. I had
Olympics. I was in Lionel’s band until 1986, when Lionel already listened to Stevie’s music for my whole life, but I
made a change and Ricky Lawson took my place. In 1988 spent a month really learning it. Stevie got to the studio
I was doing a South American tour with Stanley Clarke, at 3am with Nate Watts. After we met, Stevie just started
(with bassist Jimmy Earl, and keyboardist Steve Hunt) and playing, but it wasn’t one of his tunes. Nate jumped in,
Larry Graham was a guest. There was a lot of low-end on and I jumped in. Stevie just wanted to know how well I
that tour. could listen, because that would put Stevie in his comfort
zone. That was how he auditioned drummers. Of all the
MD: You have played with some great bassists, and some
gigs that I have done, that was the hippest jazz-pop-
very busy bassists, when you are playing with a busier
rock gig of them all. We would have set lists, but if Stevie
bassist, how do you find your place in the music?
wanted to play something else, he would, and you would
GB: When there is limited space, you must know when just have to be listening. He would create arrangements
to get in, and when to get out. You choose your spots instantly on the spot, improvised segues, breakdowns
carefully. again and again, working his way into the next tune, he
MD: How did the Stevie Wonder gig come to you? was amazing. The audience loved it, but you had to be on
your toes and listening. He would play a four-bar intro,
GB: Before Benson I was playing many Stanley Clarke
and you had to know what song he was playing in those
gigs, I happened to be in South America when I got a call
first four bars.
to go to Japan to fill in on an Allan Holdsworth tour for
two weeks with Jimmy Johnson on bass, and Steve Hunt MD: I interviewed Chris Johnson (another drummer who
on keyboards. Then I got a call from monster keyboardist played later with Stevie, and he told me that Stevie did
David Garfield who was playing with George Benson. I the same thing with him. He learned all of Stevie’s music
don’t remember who was playing with George Benson for an audition, and Stevie came in and they played “Giant
before me, but it wasn’t working out. David Garfield Steps,” and Chris had very little jazz playing experience.
gave me a list of music that George was playing. When I GB: Sometimes Stevie would walk on stage and just start

After we met, Stevie just started playing, but it wasn’t
one of his tunes. Nate jumped in, and I jumped in.
Stevie just wanted to know how well I could listen...
That was how he auditioned drummers.
playing “Giant Steps” as an intro song, and he would play with Diana and Nate Watts called to see if I could do some
it fast. short notice Stevie gigs and I couldn’t make them because
MD: I have had the Stevie Wonder live record Natural I had committed to Diana’s gigs, so that was the end of
Wonder, with you playing drums, since the day it came the Stevie gig.
out, and you are tearing it up on that! The groove is deep MD: How long did you do his gig?
and the arrangements are slick. It’s a great record. But GB: From 1992 until 2004. I did some sessions for the
that was done with an orchestra, with (I would imagine) record Conversation Peace, but I’m not sure if I’m on the
no click. Back then I think Stevie did a lot of gigs with record, which is fine.
orchestras, how comfortable were you with playing with
orchestras in that setting? MD: Did you ever talk with Stevie about drumming
because he is a fantastic drummer?
GB: There was no click except for “Overjoyed” and the
click was the sound of a waterfall. I was very comfortable GB: He had a way of explaining what he wanted from a
playing with the orchestra on the Stevie gig! drum part. He would talk to you and kind of narrow the
lane of what he wanted you to play. He would say, “When
MD: With all that training behind you, did you ever try to we are doing this song, I don’t need you to go beyond a
break into the LA session scene? certain point. I already know what you can do, but I need
GB: Kind of… you to stay in in the context of this groove. Sometimes he
MD: Was there a conscious effort not to get into sessions? would kid around with me and say, “Hey Gerry Brown, do
you know what job security is?”
GB: No, I think I may have played just a little too much
for session work, I think I was better suited for live work. MD: Did he ever play drums around or for you to
There seemed to be a thought that, “Yeah, Gerry sounds demonstrate something?
really great playing all these live touring gigs, but I don’t GB: Yes, we would be at sound check, and I would see
know if we can reel him in enough to have him play a him coming towards the drums with his assistant, they
little less on sessions.” I found my niche. But then Stevie would bring him to the drums, and I’d stand up and step
stopped working as much. In 2000, a guitarist friend back. Then he would sit down and hold his hands out for
named Kevin Chokan called me in to see if I could play the sticks. I would put the drumsticks in his hands, and
a rehearsal for Diana Ross, because the drummer Lance I would ask him if he knew where everything was. He
Lee couldn’t make the rehearsal. They asked me to do a would tell me that (of course) he knew where everything
second rehearsal, and then a third… I knew something was and start playing.
was up, so I asked what was going on. They said that MD: What was it like trying to emulate some of the parts
Lance was probably going to take the Kenny G gig, and that he played, because he had a bit of an unconventional
the Diana Ross gig would be open, would I want to do it? I approach. His hi-hat playing was very deliberate.
did 10 or 15 gigs on the ill-fated reunion of The Supremes.
After that fizzled, I was planning to go back to Stevie, GB: That was big part of his playing, but he couldn’t really
but Diana insisted that I stay on her gig. For the next four explain it to a drummer because he’s not a drummer.
years, because Stevie wasn’t working that much, I was Sometimes I would try to put a slight swing on a tune,
able to double-dip and do both gigs at the same time, all but not thick. If you think about “Superstition” that is
the scheduling just worked out. In 2004, I was in Europe his comfort zone. But like you said, the hi-hat is very
deliberate.
... I was planning to go back to Stevie, but Diana

insisted that I stay on her gig. For the next four years,
because Stevie wasn’t working that much, I was able to
double-dip and do both gigs at the same time...
MD: I just wondered how you would try to cop his feel, he GB: Maybe it’s because of some of the other gigs I’ve
also double-tracked a lot of that stuff right? done, but she has never asked me about a drum part.
GB: Yes, he did. But it’s tough to play someone else’s feel. I came to this gig with a complete sense of reverence.
Maybe some of my fills are a little different, but it’s all
MD: Which Stevie tunes were the toughest to play, and about that feeling, as it was with Stevie. Sometimes
why? people ask me about my profession and what I do. I tell
GB: Sometimes the song “As” because it’s got this Brazilian them my job is to put booty’s and smiles in the aisles!!!
thing. I won’t say it’s difficult, but I tried to get to the When I see people moving and smiling my job is being
essence of that tune and work it out, it’s gotta flow. Some done. I have asked her a few times, “Ms. Ross how does
of his ballads like “Looking for Another Love” were tricky, everything feel?” She says, “You see me dancing, don’t
when we played “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” on the you?”
live recording, you can hear him go into something with MD: On that gig there is a lot of shifting gears between
the audience and you had to watch him, because he the different music of her career, is there ever any problem
would cut things off quickly sometimes. You had to always going from an old Motown Benny Benjamin groove to a
keep your eyes and ears on him. Chic Tony Thompson groove, to maybe a swingy thing
MD: Would you watch his feet, his hands, or his head? from Stolen Moments as played by Grady Tate?
GB: From my vantage point I could see his left hand, his GB: I’m very aware of all those shifts in feel and sound,
head, and his foot. I had a nice line of vision where I could and because I’m aware of them, that’s why I’m still here.
see Nate, and Stevie at the same time. Eye contact was All those guys have been part of my training since I was
everything because he couldn’t see you, so you had to young. When you are playing “Don’t Explain” the Billie
watch him. Holliday music in bigger venues, you better be able to
play brushes and feather a bass drum, and there is no
MD: Now you have been playing Diana Ross’s music for 24
time to switch beaters. For Benny Benjamin stuff, you
years, what can you tell us about her gig, playing all those
better know his fills. If I’m playing one of the Chic-Tony
classic Motown grooves, the Nile Rogers produced stuff
Thompson tunes, you better lay into the drums like Tony
(with Chic,) and her music?
Thompson. You are constantly putting on different hats, thing. He was one of the most gregarious guys you
and every hat is a different texture, you know. would ever know, and his time never moved! Thankfully,
When I was doing the Lionel Richie gig, I had to do that eventually he found out about his value. When I got the
too. There were ballads that JR played on and there were Lionel Richie gig he told me,“Set your price and stay there,
tunes that Jeff Porcaro did. I had to be aware of both you gotta hold out, whatever money that they offer, and
approaches, Jeff was a mentor of mine, I met him through whatever figure you think you are worth, you gotta stay
our mutual drum tech Paul Jamieson. I saw Jeff in those there, they’ll come to your price,” and he was right. He was
early days of Toto. I got to know him after the Sonny and he was a real mentor to me, and I owe him a lot.
Cher gig, and he really didn’t know how good he was, I was hanging out at a Toto rehearsal once, and Hal Blaine
or know his own value to the music, it was the strangest came by to say hello and see how everyone was. To see
Sometimes people ask me about my profession and

what I do. I tell them my job is to put booty’s and smiles
in the aisles!!! When I see people moving and smiling my
job is being done.

Be careful to never revert to ego. Your ego can get you
in a lot of trouble. This is a marathon not a sprint.
Jeff’s reverence for Hal was amazing. Jeff just stopped play them every once in a while, but it worked in his favor.
playing and gave the sticks to Hal, Jeff knew God had just I always liked the playing that Earl Palmer did with Little
walked in the room. When I did The Brothers Johnson Richard, it had that New Orleans thing. I always dug Stix
record Winners, Jeff was on it too, and there were a couple Hooper; his playing had a real Texas vibe. I have always
times where Jeff and I were in the studio at the same time. loved Jack DeJohnette’s playing with Miles, and I really
One time it was Louis Johnson, Jeff and me just groovin’ dig Jeff Watts and Yogi Horton. I don’t know where Yogi’s
and trading fours. I thought Jamieson had a recording of pocket and groove came from. I love everybody from Tony
that, but he can’t find it… By the way, did you know that Thompson to Clint DeGanon to Michael Jochum (great
the 20th Century Fox drum roll-off thing is Joe Porcaro? TV session player!) and Cubby O’Brien… there’s cats with
Joe was so revered, and he was still making a lot of money groove everywhere!
from that snare drum roll-off every year until he died. MD: No one ever talks about Stix, he would groove
MD: I never knew that. What other mentors did you have you to death in The Crusaders. What are some of the
throughout the years, and what did you learn from them? most influential records that you listened to in your
GB: I always loved hearing Ricky Lawson; he had a real development?
simplicity in his playing but a strong groove. Earl Young GB: The first Dreams record, and Mahavishnu’s The Inner
and Harvey Mason always inspired me. I always got a kick Mounting Flame both with Billy Cobham. Anything that
out of Hal Blaine and those concert toms. He would only Trane did with Elvin. I really liked the young Tony, and
then finding out about Alan Dawson’s influence on Tony
and listening to Alan Dawson. Drummer-percussionist The music world and the
drum community are a
Warren Smith (who played with Tony and was in
M’Boom) told me that when he saw Tony at 15 years old,
Warren (who was 26 at the time) almost quit playing
drums.
really small community,
One of the greatest compliments that I ever got was and there’s 10,000 guys
when Stanley Clarke told me that Tony dug my playing,
and he always appreciated what I was doing. But I’ll be
out there waiting and
real here, as much as I appreciated that comment, I have chomping at the bit for
never been able to determine what my sound or my
style is. I was always just trying to play.
you to mess up. I’m a
MD: Maybe what he appreciated that you didn’t try lifer and I’ve been out
to sound anything like him, and never really seemed
to show any obvious Tony influence. I’m sure he could
here doing it for a long
really appreciate that. time, I speak from that
GB: That makes sense. experience.
MD: I always tell people that getting the gig is the easy
part, but keeping the gig is the tough part. You have had
some amazing gigs throughout your career but talk to that I had to check out the new Paiste stuff, and he was
drummers about how you have kept all those gigs! right. Paiste is making some great cymbals. I’m playing a
Dark Ride with a few rivets, 17, 18, 19, Dark Crashes, and
GB: You just said it all right there! Be careful
602 14” hats.
to never revert to ego. Your ego can get
you in a lot of trouble. This is a marathon MD: I know you just became a Mapex drum endorser,
not a sprint. You must leave your ego talk to me about Mapex drums. And what size drums
outside; you cannot be confrontational does someone use to cover a gig like Diana’s with all that
with your boss or anyone because you can different music?
be replaced. We are in the communications GB: I’m playing a 10, 12, 14, 16, with a deeper 20” bass
business so not only do we play music, drum. That’s the most versatile bass drum size. I’m really
but we must be nice and communicate looking forward to building the relationship with Mapex,
well. When you are out there playing and they make great drums. But as well as making great
touring, you’re representing yourself, you’re drums, they recognize everything that you and I have just
representing your country, you’re doing a talked about longevity. They don’t care that you can play a
lot of representing— act like you’ve been paradiddle in all kinds of different ways and tempos. They
there, and treat people with respect, be recognize that if you are coming from a point of ego, you
a people person. Even if someone says need to leave that out. If you want a roof over your head,
something that rubs you the wrong way, you make things happen. I’ve got a great GEWA setup
don’t say anything, don’t shake your head, too, they make incredible equipment, and their sound
don’t take it personally, and just keep on library is jaw dropping. In these days you need to have
going. There are a lot of great drummers awareness of what’s happening around you!!
out there, but maybe those great
drummers play too much, or maybe they The music world and the drum community are a really
have bad people skills. If you gotta check small community, and there’s 10,000 guys out there
out and be on a bus at 2:00 you need to be waiting and chomping at the bit for you to mess up. I’m a
downstairs in the hotel lobby at 1:45. lifer and I’ve been out here doing it for a long time, I speak
from that experience. Let’s hope that the younger people
MD: As drummers, if you’re on time, you’re get that message because it’s not really talked about
late! enough, it’s a conversation that needs to happen. I know
GB: Exactly! There are people who may you get it, but other younger guys need to hear that too.
have chops, but if they don’t know how
to act, they ain’t gonna be around long.
Longevity is the goal, what else is there?
MD: What cymbals are you playing these
days. Check out Gerry’s drummer profile page,
at moderndrummer.com
GB: A few years ago, Karl Latham told me
Yamaha’s Matt Rudin and Drummer
Charles Ruggiero Talk About the EAD10
By Mark Griffith
T here hasn’t been a product that is as intriguing and

as mystical as the Yamaha EAD10 in quite a while. The
EAD10 came out at NAMM 2018 and the product had
worked on the product’s development. In his time using
it, he has discovered several new uses for the EAD10 that
will be interesting to all of us drummers.
been building awareness prior to the Covid lockdown. MD: Matt, what was the inspiration and the inception of
The EAD’s release seemed to be very timely, because of the EAD10?
it’s ability to record drums easily for streaming on-line.
But in the years since its release, audiences have been
discovering many other uses for this wonderful little tool:
Teaching, long distance musical collaboration, content
creating for social media, recording, live monitoring, and
live miking in clubs. Modern Drummer wanted to get to
the bottom of this mysterious little tool and see what
exactly it was initially intended to do, and what else
people are using it for.
We sat down with Yamaha product manager and
drummer Matt Rudin and drummer Charles Ruggiero to
talk about the EAD10. Charles is an LA based drummer,
and the son of famed jazz drumming educator Vinnie
Ruggiero. Charles was the force behind the release of his
dad’s book Vinnie’s Book which compiled all his father’s
legendary teaching materials into one place. Charles is a
busy drummer involved in rock, fusion, and jazz playing
Matt Rudin
and recording. We spoke after recent appearances at New

York’s Birdland, and Los Angeles’ Baked Potato. Charles
has been using the EAD10 since its release, and he also

MR: EAD stands for electronic acoustic drums, the this little package. But now that it’s been out for a while,
inspiration for the EAD comes from that idea, bringing we’ve seen it grow into many different things. When any
electronic capabilities to acoustic drums. One of the first-generation product hits the market, it’s exciting to
unique things about Yamaha is that even though our see how the drummers like Charles Ruggiero are using
first instrument designed was a piano and music is in it in different applications.. It’s really eye opening to see
the DNA of the company, the brand has expanded to all these great applications and what people are coming
include many other divisions. As a result, we have all these up with, for example we’ve seen videos of percussionists
great other divisions, like pro audio and even motors, using it on a cajon or vibraphone.
to share ideas with. We do a lot of “vertical integration” As you said, once COVID hit there was some excitement
where we are learning from different teams and taking around the EAD for its streaming possibilities with
inspiration from different divisions within the company. influencers and people miking their drums at home.
It developed a reputation for being a great tool for
EAD stands for electronic recording drums to share on social media. Now that
acoustic drums, the COVID lockdowns are behind us, we are seeing it on all
sorts of drum sets and we are seeing that there are so
inspiration for the EAD comes many other ways the EAD10 can be used.
from that idea, bringing It’s a useful tool for gigging drummers too. One of the
big markets that are using it are church drummers.
electronic capabilities to Many churches don’t need complicated equipment for
acoustic drums. miking their drummers, and the EAD is a simple solution
for getting a balanced drum sound in smaller venues,
For example, the motors and marine division teaches churches, or at outside gigs.
us their plating techniques for drum hardware. Through MD: For people that haven’t used one yet, what do you
this vertical integration process and brainstorming with need to accomplish all of this?
other divisions, we came to the realization that drummers
want to record and stream but the trouble point that
many face is miking. It’s not always easy, and we have all
been through it. Whether it’s for streaming, playing live,
recording, or educational purposes; miking a drumset
requires a lot of inputs, and most drummers (like myself )
just want a simple solution. Therefore, Yamaha started to
develop an easy to use and install, inexpensive miking
system that was efficient and sounded good. That’s what
is at the core of the EAD10.
During its development, there was collaboration between
our electronic drums division, the guitars division, the pro
audio division, and the recording specialists at Yamaha.
The drum division talked to and learned from everybody
here during the EAD’s development. We took all these
things and mixed them in a pot and came up with the
EAD10. Along the way we realized the EAD could do
much more than just mic drums. The EAD10 started out
as a specialized mic and a module, then we thought that
while you’re miking the drums and the module is pulling
in the sound, we could add some great effects to tweak
the sounds. That made the EAD an effects unit. Then we
integrated the Yamaha DTX and digital drum sounds, and
we saw that the EAD could actually convert your drum set
into an electronic acoustic drum set by triggering samples
to reinforce (or replace) your acoustic sounds, and effects
to augment all of your drum sounds.
Charles Ruggiero
As the product hit the market it became clear that it was

perfect for mixing and recording your drums, while not
spending a lot of money, and not worrying about all the
additional gear and cables, because it’s all right here in

MR: All of this is done with two (easy to set up) We knew we wanted to create an easier
components The EAD10 comes with a single mic unit that
picks up the entire set, a module, and a few cables. The way to mic the drums, at the core, that
mic also has a trigger built in for the bass drum. You can was the initial idea. But when all the
also use external triggers or pads to trigger other sounds
from the module. The interface-module is made to be a other features and uses were stirred
very simple way to add effects to your digital and acoustic into the pot, it became what we have
drum sounds. It has an internal click for live or educational
use, and it even has a talkback mic that you can activate been discussing, A tool for content
with a footswitch to talk in a streaming, recording, or live creation, drum miking, education,
situation.
MD: How many additional pads can you use with the
and more.
EAD? worth talking about because it’s a huge component of the
EAD.
MR: The EAD is capable of adding six pad or trigger
inputs, and there are low volume settings that you can MD: Before we get to the app, what other applications did
use if you are using mesh heads or low volume cymbals in you discover?
a practice situation. CR: I found some applications for the EAD in live playing,
MD: It sounds like a wonderful tool, and all tools aren’t using the EAD as a drum monitor system. I was touring
meant for all situations. But as in any other great tool, you Europe in 2018 with a very loud rock band, we were
create it, and then you let people figure out everything it doing a club tour with a few other bands. All the bands
can be used for. (including my band) were really loud and sometimes the
monitor systems in some of the European clubs are just
MR: Exactly!
garbage. I took my in-ear monitors directly out of the
MD: Charles, how did you come to the EAD, what did you EAD, because the EAD is basically one microphone, so it’s
contribute to the design, and what are you using it for? picking up the guitar amps, the bass amps, and the vocals
CR: I live in Los Angeles, so I have the good fortune to from the stage. But because the drums are closer, they
live near Yamaha Artist Services, so I have a little bit more are louder in the mix, so I didn’t need more of anything in
access than even some of the other Yamaha artists who my in-ear monitors except the EAD. The best thing about
don’t live in town. Greg Crane will often ask me to come it was because the EAD has got a bass drum trigger and
down to the showroom and test new stuff. I’m in that digital bass drum sounds, I could add a digital bass drum
group of people who get asked to do a little bit of R&D sound to my in-ear mix. Suddenly, I’m getting a great bass
which is such a wonderful thing. I’m very lucky. Greg told drum in my in-ear mix that I could never get from a floor
me about this new EAD thing that he thought I would monitor or a miked acoustic bass drum, and I didn’t have
enjoy, and he gave me one to use. He presented it to to play too loud to hear myself. The band could play as
me as being built for social media content creating. You loud as they wanted, and I could just groove and not have
can record yourself; you can play along, you can practice to overplay which is always the natural tendency. I let the
with it… At that point I was using my iPhone to create sound guy have control of everything and I took care of
content— you know, camera up and here it is! Because my own monitoring system through the EAD.
the iPhone doesn’t sound terrible— I started using the The EAD will feed high quality audio. When you put
EAD and right away it occurred to me that there were the EAD in the center of the kit, it really balances the
many more applications than what it was designed to kit. In a way, it’s almost like the old Glyn Johns miking
do. It’s designed as a quick and easy content creation method where you’re not you’re not miking everything
tool along with the Yamaha Rec’n’Share app which is also individually, you’re centralizing the microphone on the kit
to create a balanced sound. I have even used it in bigger
clubs to mic my whole set just using the mic and sending
When you put the EAD in the center the front of house a single drum send with reverb, and
of the kit, it really balances the kit. it sounds great. It actually sends a mix that is every
engineer’s dream of having less cymbals and more drums.
In a way, it’s almost like the old Glyn
MR: The first time I brought this on a gig with my
Johns miking method where you’re band, the band basically said, “Drummers don’t bring
not you’re not miking everything electronics, let the guitarist and the keyboard player deal
with electronics.” But then I used it for a set, and they
individually, you’re centralizing the noticed that it sounded really good, and they asked me to
microphone on the kit to create a bring it to every gig.
balanced sound. CR: But here’s the funny thing, and one of the many

hidden talents of the EAD. You and I know how to balance But I used to play too loud because I was trying to match
a kit, we’re professional drummers, that’s what we do. We the volume that was in my headphones. I was naturally
know how not to play the hi-hat too loud or if the bass overplaying because there was a buffer between what I
drum isn’t loud enough. was hearing and my drums because I was using closed
MD: Right. I call that the “internal balance of the drum set.” back headphones. This still happens today. With the
EAD you can do the same thing but create a nice mix of
CR: Yup, but a lot of younger, less experienced drummers yourself and the music. Then you can add reverb with the
don’t know anything about that, and that’s why they effects unit, and you’re not forcing yourself to overplay
close mike everything. If you record yourself and you hear because you’re hearing a true mix of drums and music.
yourself from the centralized miking of the EAD you’re The educational aspect is that you can record yourself
going to hear if you’re top heavy or bottom heavy. You’re with the iPhone or Android and listen back and use the
going hear that (for example) you need more bass drum app to help analyze your playing and your balance with
and less hi-hat to round out your sound and create a the music. The educational aspect of it is amazing, you
stronger groove using dynamics and self-balancing the can even add a click to an existing track.
sound of the kit. You will hear how it affects the groove if
(for example) the snare drum is too loud. The EAD-10 lets With the Rec’n’Share app you can you remove the drums
you hear all that on playback from the app. Of course, for from a song to play along, or just isolate a bass part from
live use, the beefing up of the bass drum sound through a tune and just jam with that. Then after the fact (in post-
triggering is just helpful sonically because you’re not production within the app) you can pull the drums up or
getting the front of the drum through the EAD mic. It was down to hear more drums and less track or more track
smart on Yamaha’s end to add that feature to round out and less drums. You can even loop sections of a song to
the bass drum sound. help you learn the parts. I made a video of me playing
“Oakland Stroke” doing just that. Load in the song, loop
MD: Charles, how do you use the EAD for social media a few bars, slow it down, and then record myself with the
and content creation? loop and later - go back and check it out and see what I
CR: If you look at all the early videos that I have done for could do better!
YouTube, they were all done with the EAD. The Rec’n’Share That was my introduction into using the EAD for its
app is vital for the content creation part of it because intended and original purpose. It’s a great learning tool,
you can create videos inside the app with music from and I just went from there. I can’t overstate the ease of
your library and your playing. When I was a kid, my main everything that the EAD-10 does. The fact that there is
source of practice was to play along with records. That just three big lit up knobs that work everything is more
way I could play “with” Miles Davis or Eddie Van Halen. than just a “corporate bullet point” too, it makes it really

easy to use on stage and beyond. too. It picked up that second floor tom well, and because
MD: How many sounds are in the module, and where did it’s farther away it is a little less present. But because it’s a
the sounds come from? louder drum, it did (kind of ) self-regulate and self-balance
that bigger second floor tom a little bit. In fact, it balances
MR: Over 750 sounds and effects are already baked in the the sound in a way that I did not expect it to. At every turn
module, they are the DTX sounds plus more, and you can I thought this is going to be where the EAD10 falls short,
add your own wav files as well. There are also effects like and it always defied my expectations and never fell short.
reverb, gating, and compression that you can apply to the
sounds or the sound of your acoustic drums. MD: Matt, which came first the mic or the module?
MD: Charles, have you used it for any of your jazz playing? MR: It really came from both and the vertical integration
that I mentioned. It all came from the drummer’s point
CR: Yes, I did some jazz stuff with the Slide Hampton Octet of view. We knew we wanted to create an easier way to
that you can see online. It worked out great because I mic the drums, at the core, that was the initial idea. But
put the EAD mic on a boom mic stand in the center of when all the other features and uses were stirred into the
the kit next to my small tom and below my ride cymbals, pot, it became what we have been
discussing, A tool for content creation,
Instead of miking up my drums, opening Logic, drum miking, education, and more.
importing, and exporting tracks. I pulled the riff CR: Check this out! I am recording
from dropbox on my phone and recorded along scratch tracks with a guitarist on the
East Coast for a project, and we are
with the existing riff and immediately sent it back doing everything on dropbox. He
to him, all without leaving my drum throne. writes a riff and sends it to me asking,
“What would you play on this?” Instead
because in jazz you don’t need as much bass drum of miking up my drums, opening Logic, importing, and
presence because you are feathering, jazz music is not exporting tracks. I pulled the riff from dropbox on my
bass drum centric, and you want more cymbals and less phone and recorded along with the existing riff and
drums. It miked a jazz kit perfectly. immediately sent it back to him, all without leaving my
drum throne. I didn’t even have to get up and send it
MD: That’s how Rudy Van Gelder used to mic stuff. because I downloaded the riff to my phone and through
CR: Yes, that’s exactly what I did. I even tried it on a bigger the Rec’n’Share app, recorded, and sent him my drum idea
kit because I wasn’t sure if it would pick up a second floor with the riff. We were able to collaborate on the whole
tom that was set up so far away. It worked well in that use thing in real time, which is just crazy!

MR: I am even using the EAD10 The way I think of it is like this - the EAD is as a pickup
and a looping pedal to create
some loops that I can play along for an entire drumset. It’s like putting a pickup in the
to. I am also experimenting with f-hole of an acoustic guitar, but then you have this
different guitar effects like a wah
pedal. module that brings a whole lot more to the table.
CR: I didn’t even think of that, mic mount is a great idea for the next generation, to make
how cool is that! The way I think of it is like this - the EAD the next generation EAD even more useful.
is as a pickup for an entire drumset. It’s like putting a We haven’t seen any copycat products yet, but I’m sure
pickup in the f-hole of an acoustic guitar, but then you some companies are working on something. But we
have this module that brings a whole lot more to the can’t always be looking in our rear-view mirror, so we are
table. looking forward to new uses and new versions. We are
MD: Matt, where does the EAD10 go from here? addressing some new ideas-uses that we have read on-
line too.
MR: It isn’t designed to do “everything,” we are never
sacrificing quality for ease, but we are constantly hearing CR: I can’t wait to see where the EAD10 goes from here!
of new uses that people are creating. Truthfully, the MD: Me too.
EAD10 probably does “too much,” and it isn’t always an
easy product to explain. We haven’t talked about the
digital drumming and the MIDI aspect much, but all those
sounds and capabilities are in there too. We are in the
process of developing different versions of the EAD, like
Charles said, maybe we should put a mic stand mount on
the newer versions. That is something that Yamaha always
does when developing products, we talk to the artists and
see what’s missing and what could be better…maybe a

TRANSCRIPTION
Slipknot’s “Sulfur,” drummer, Joey Jordison

Transcription by Marc Atkinson
T his month, we dive into the world of Slipknot with their high-energy track, “Sulfur.” Get ready to move fast because
this one is a real foot burner! “Sulfur” comes from their album All Hope Is Gone. Written by guitarist Jim Root and
drummer Joey Jordison in Jim’s kitchen. Pay close attention to the tempo changes in the transcription: when it shifts
to double time, the original eighth note becomes the new quarter
note, and it reverses to go back. This is a great tune, and Joey’s
playing is just ridiculous. The song and the drumming is summed up
best by Corey Taylor, “It makes me feel like I’ve got the pedal down in
my ‘72 Charger and I don’t give a @$*% if I hit a brick wall.”





Marc Atkinson, a dedicated musician, honed his craft under the guidance of the renowned Gary Chaffee. Now calling
Las Vegas home, Marc is on the brink of unveiling his labor of love—a comprehensive transcription book that promis-
es to captivate music enthusiasts worldwide.
Check out Marc’s Modern Drummer profile page at moderndrummer.com

The
Legends Collection
Not just another drum book or magazine, it’s Modern Drummer Legends!
Extensive and New In-Depth Interviews • Artist Approved Content
New Song Transcriptions with Artist Insights
Never-Before-Seen Photos • Digital Download Components
Legends Coming Soon:

Billy Cobham • Carmine Appice • Gavin Harrison • Giovanni Hidalgo • Carl Palmer
Cindy Blackman Santana • Dave Weckl • Charlie Watts • Eric Singer • Alex González
Buy from your favorite music retailer Check out more at moderndrummer.com/legends
JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP
Master Studies: Stroke Combination Studies

By Joe Morello
G oing from single strokes, to double strokes, to

buzz (multiple rebound) strokes, involves different
pressures on the sticks. You must be able to change the
will be going only half as fast on the bounce notes. The
idea is to get as many rebounds as possible. Some people
try to move their hands too fast
pressure your fingers are putting on the sticks without because they’re not getting enough
tension developing in the wrists. rebounds. Practice slowly at first
When going between single strokes and double strokes, so you can concentrate on making
the idea is to get the same sound, even though your the sticks rebound, even though
hands are only moving half as fast when playing the at a slow tempo, the roll will not
doubles. sound smooth. After you develop
the ability to get a good rebound
When moving between doubles and buzz strokes, the from the stick, you can increase the
important thing is not to tighten up during the buzz tempo and close the roll.
strokes. Your hands will be moving at the same speed; the
difference is the pressure you apply with your fingers.
When going from singles to buzz strokes, again, the hands

Check out Joe’s Modern Drummer profile page and get
your copy of Master Studies at moderndrummer.com
BASICS
ETS: Embrace The Suck

By Chris Lesso
A re you one of the sheep, or the sheepdog who leads

the pack? Sheep wander in a crowd semi-aimlessly,
going where the majority go without much thought.
fear, and confusion (DFC) become our friends on the path.
If you’re feeling these, you’re growing! Frustration is good
because you’re getting close to the prize, otherwise, you
They’re easily led, and easy to pick off by wolves. The wouldn’t be feeling it. It’s a signal that you’re growing.
sheepdog is the one that leads the herd, doing the harder Learn to love frustration! Say GOOD next time you feel it.
work of standing up against danger to protect the group. Invite these feelings in, get to know them. Walk towards
If it weren’t for the sheepdogs, the sheep would be lost. them, never losing your smile as you go. Your living
The leader takes on the harder task without looking for breathing vision lies on the other side.
the comfort of safety. By being a seeker for purposeful
adversity, we resist the seductive lull of a safe comfortable “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”
life that robs us of all potential. That blanket of security
is more insidious than the risk of failure. It’s biggest lie
Franklin D. Roosevelt
is when it appears to have our best interests at heart.
Like the sheepdog, we can step up to lead by willingly
embracing the challenge. We walk into the jaws of the A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Add stress
dragon, towards the sound of gunfire. By doing what and pressure by pulling on it, and where does it snap?
others won’t, we can become what few can. The rusty and brittle links give way first. When we work
the weaker side, our entire game gets stronger. Do you
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, invite moments of discomfort? I hunt for these every day,
‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your making a game out of looking for micro-opportunities
to keep my edge. Using my weak side to open doors, stir
life as a champion.’” - Muhammad Ali coffee, brush my teeth, even eating sushi with chopsticks,
all keeps my weaker side sharp. Once your brain accepts
Embrace the suck is a phrase stemming from Navy the harder thing, it adapts. Being anti-fragile not only
SEALS to embrace the grittier moments that come with makes me a better drummer, but it also gives me
the burden of command. It is an attitude where we face resilience for anything I take on. Seeking out pockets of
obstacles and use them as fuel. That is when , discomfort, DFC (discomfort, fear, and confusion) fortifies us for the
bigger moments when life
tries to knock us down. The
path of most resistance
leads to the most amount
of growth every time.
Drumming is an inner
journey where you’ll face
yourself every day. The
biggest battle you’ll ever
fight is the one between
your own ears.
What have you been
putting off that you really
want to come alive in
your life? Those so-called
reasons running in your
mind on repeat are what
is preventing you. Let’s see
that for what it really is:
fear. Fear masked as safety
stops us from taking that
first step into the unknown.
Walking towards our fears
sparks a series of events

that we never could have imagined. With that walk, we “When meeting calamities or difficult
will learn, and we will grow. I remember when I signed up situations, it is not enough to simply say that
to go skydiving. You don’t try skydiving. You either do it
or don’t! What’s the worst that could happen, other than
one is not at all flustered.
plummeting to your death 10,000 feet from the sky like When meeting difficult situations, one should
a falling meteor?!? What’s worse to me, is if I died never dash forward bravely and with joy.
having tried.
It is the crossing of a single barrier and is
When faced with two choices, choose the path
that’s most memorable. It’s the one with the richest
like the saying ‘the more water, the higher
experiences, carrying the wisdom we’ll treasure on our the boat’.” Hagakure, from The Book of the
deathbeds, looking back on a life well lived. The choice Samurai.
we’ll remember most is usually the harder option, but in
the end there’s no downside. Maybe you failed, maybe
you lost a bit of money and a bit of time. Things didn’t
work out how you thought. When we learn and grow,
there’s no downside. (And in drumming, you won’t need
a parachute!) Fear is God whispering to you, inviting you
to your next level of growth. Will you listen and take that
next step? Anyone that says, ‘I’m fearless,’ is lying. The ones
that embrace courage, feel the fear, and do it anyway! We
ALL feel fear, but it’s what we do with that feeling, that
creates our destiny.
TRANSFORM through DRUMMING today!

Connect with Chris to start your Life Through Rhythm journey with your free training:
chrislesso.net/LTRDRUMMING
Check out Chris’s Modern Drummer profile page at moderndrummer.com

ROCK PERSPECTIVES
Drumset Duets
By Stephane Chamberland
T he concept of using two drummers on stage has a

long and celebrated history. Artists like the Joshua
Redman Double Trio in jazz and John Mayer in his live per-
The digital version is now available on the updated Hud-
son Music App.
formance in Los Angeles (“Where the Light Is”) have uti-

lized this approach to add fun and variety. Bands such as Practical Application
Genesis, The Allman Brothers, King Crimson, The Doobie Imagine two drummers each playing a groove that,
Brothers, The Grateful Dead, and Stuff have also enjoyed together, creates a more complex sound. We explored
the unique possibilities two drummers can create. Much different styles, such as rock and funk grooves, and added
like two guitars, where one can play background chords more ghost notes as we progressed through the book.
while the other comps, two drummers can explore a sim- Dom also suggested using different hi-hat patterns to
ilar dynamic. One drummer can maintain a steady groove challenge advanced students’ independence. I now use
while the other solos, or they can use a variety of sound this book as soon as my students learn their first drum
sources and textures to enhance the music. groove and begin playing with them. I always emphasize
listening to their part, then my part, and finally the
combined groove. This approach turns exercises into
Educational Benefits music, similar to playing in a band with other instruments.
Playing with other musicians is the ultimate goal of
studying drumming. A few years ago, I was searching for a
method to help my students improve their listening skills Let’s Try It
while learning new drum beats. With two drum sets in my Let’s start with a warm-up exercise. We’ll designate the
studio, I felt it was essential to use this setup as much as first drummer as Drummer A and the second as Drummer
possible for the students’ benefit. This arrangement allows B. Before playing the snare and bass drum notes, practice
me to play alongside the student not only for demonstra- syncing your hi-hats. If you don’t have a student or a
tions but also to help them develop their listening skills. friend with another drum set, click on each groove and
In a band setting, drummers must listen to themselves you’ll hear it, and play the other part like if you were two
and the other musicians to fully serve the music. This is a drummers. You can play as Drummer A or B, depending
crucial skill for all musicians. Drummers, in particular, must on your mood. Ensure all notes align evenly with your
focus on many different sounds simultaneously, even partner, whether they’re on the audio tracks or in person.
when performing the simplest beats. Remember to listen to your part, then the other part, and
During my studies with my mentor, Dom Famularo, most importantly, the final groove.
in New York, he introduced me to an incredible book, Groove:
Drumset Duets. Although it was an old version no longer
distributed, Dom con-
tinued using it with his
students because of its
effectiveness. I am hon-
ored to have collaborat-
ed with him on various
educational projects and
books over the years
and writing the new
edition of Drumset Duets
was a thrill. Whenever
we create a new book,
we ensure it fits into a
special curriculum we
use with our students
and then promote it to
drummers worldwide.
The impact of this con-
cept has been profound.

In the next example, we’ll include some ghost notes.
Ghost notes are played softly near the drumhead, creating
a groovy feel and adding lightness to your playing,
making it more engaging for other musicians.
Ghost Note Grooves
Groove A:
Groove B:

Exploring Odd Times blues form of 12 bars or explore a standard AABA form
with a solo section (C). The possibilities are endless.
Odd time signatures are popular in many styles.
Notable drummers like Neil Peart (Rush), Mike Portnoy I hope this article inspires you to explore Drumset Duets
(Liquid Tension Experiment), Virgil Donati, and Massimo for your evolution, your students, and perhaps your own
Russo have excelled in this area. In these examples, we’ll band. Think outside the box and challenge yourself daily.
add one more beat to create a 5/4 time signature. Count Music is an international language that connects us.
to five before returning to the one. A great exercise is to Record a video of you and a friend playing the exercises
count aloud while playing the grooves for the first time from Drumset Duets and share it on YouTube.
and maintain eye contact with the other drummer. Good luck on your journey! For more information about
Drumset Duets, visit Wizdom Media and Hudson. For more
about Steph, visit Stephane Chamberland.
Odd Time Grooves
Groove A:
Groove B
Creating Forms
For an even more fun and challenging experience,
create forms or rules. Start with four bars of groove
together, then Drummer A takes a four-bar solo while
Drummer B continues the groove. Return to the groove Check out Stephane’s Modern Drummer
together and repeat, switching roles. You can also use a profile pages and get your copy of Drumset
Duets at moderndrummer.com

ROCK AND JAZZ CLINIC
Sound Quality Essentials:

The Mechanics of Hitting a Drum
By Michael Packer
Y ears ago, I was sitting alongside my teacher, Ralph

Humphrey, in a private lesson. We were at the
drums, and he was demonstrating a stroke. When he
strokes to build muscle memory for a relaxed and consis-
tent playing style.
played it, it sounded as big as the wall. When I played it, it

was puny. I couldn’t figure out how we could make the ex- Legato vs. Staccato in Practice
act same motions and achieve two totally different sound While legato should be your default approach, there
qualities. After more study with him and a deep dive into are scenarios where staccato is more appropriate. Tight,
Freddie Gruber’s concepts, I could finally achieve the precise staccato notes can be crucial in certain musical
same sound qualities as Ralph and understand what was genres or sections where clarity and sharpness are essen-
preventing me from executing it in the first place: tension. tial. Here are some tips for practicing both sound qualities.
To begin, let’s first understand the two primary sound Legato Exercises: Focus on playing slow, open strokes
qualities: legato and staccato. Legato produces a long, on the snare drum and toms. Allow each stroke to reso-
open sound that allows the entire spectrum of the drum’s nate fully before striking the drum again. Pay attention to
fundamentals to resonate (highs, mids, and lows). Stacca- the fullness of the sound and adjust your grip and motion
to is the opposite—short and tight—emphasizing only to maximize resonance.
the high frequencies. I strive to play with a legato sound
quality on each instrument of the drum set 99.9% of the Staccato Exercises: Practice tight, controlled strokes
time, reserving staccato for specific and limited situations. that emphasize the attack and minimize resonance. These
can be performed at faster tempos and with more wrist
motion to maintain precision.
Understanding Tension and Sound Quality
The key to transitioning from a puny sound to a full, Bringing It All Together
resonant one lies in managing tension. Initially, my grip
was too tight, and my motions were forced, restricting the Achieving mastery over drum sound quality, whether
drum’s natural resonance and resulting in a sharp, narrow legato or staccato, revolves around understanding the
sound. Ralph, on the other hand, played with a relaxed, mechanics of hitting a drum without unnecessary tension.
fluid motion, allowing the sticks to bounce naturally and My journey from a puny sound to a rich, wall-filling tone
enabling the drums to resonate fully. To develop a legato required patience, practice, and mindful awareness of
sound, it’s crucial to focus on relaxation and fluidity. Here how my body interacts with the drumsticks and the
are some tips. drums.
Grip and Stroke Technique: Hold the sticks with a re- Years after my lessons with Ralph Humphrey, the prin-
laxed grip. Your fingers and wrists should be loose enough ciples of relaxation and fluidity he imparted continue to
to allow the sticks to bounce naturally. This reduces ten- guide my technique. By focusing on these fundamentals,
sion and enables the drum to resonate fully. Think of it like you too can unlock the full sonic potential of your drum
striking a baseball with a bat—if you swing relaxed and set, ensuring every performance resonates with depth,
let the bat carry its own weight, the vibrations resonate clarity, and power. Keep refining your technique, stay
through the bat, a bit painful but indicating good reso- mindful of tension, and let your drums sing with their full
nance. spectrum of voice.
Use of Rebounding Stroke: When striking a drum, Remember, the mechanics of hitting a drum go beyond
imagine hitting the bottom head. This visualization helps mere motions. It’s about connecting with the instrument,
maintain a relaxed grip and allows the stick to vibrate. allowing it to breathe and resonate naturally. Embrace
Let the stick rebound off the drumhead naturally. This the journey of mastering these sound qualities, and your
rebounding motion facilitates a more open sound, as the drumming will never be the same.
drumhead and stick vibrate freely. Apply the least amount
of tension necessary to control the stick. Check out Michael’s Modern Drummer profile page
and get your copy of The Bass Drum Owners Manual at
Consistency in Motion: Ensure your strokes are smooth
moderndrummer.com
and consistent. Jerky or forced motions create unwant-
ed tension, choking the sound. Practice slow, deliberate

TEACHER’S FORUM
Understanding the Language of Music:

Chord Voicings
By Ron Spagnardi
M odern Drummer founder Ron Spagnardi wrote an excellent book called Understanding the Language of Music, a
Drummer’s Guide to Theory and Harmony. This book spells out the basics of theory and harmony in a very easy to
ƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚǁĂǇ͘/ƚŝƐĂĨĂŶƚĂƐƟĐďŽŽŬĨŽƌĚƌƵŵŵĞƌƐůŽŽŬŝŶŐƚŽůĞĂƌŶĂďŽƵƚƚŚĞůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞŽĨŵƵƐŝĐďĞǇŽŶĚĚƌƵŵŵŝŶŐ͘tĞ
are honored to reprint the parts of Ron’s book here in Modern Drummer for everyone to read and learn.
dŚŝƐŵŽŶƚŚǁĞǁŝůůďĞĞǆƉĂŶĚŝŶŐŽŶƚŚĞƐƵďũĞĐƚŽĨŝĂƚŽŶŝĐ,ĂƌŵŽŶǇ;ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐĞĚůĂƐƚƟŵĞͿǁŝƚŚƚŚĞƐƵďũĞĐƚŽĨŚŽƌĚ
sŽŝĐŝŶŐƐ͘^ŝŵƉůǇƉƵƚ͕ŚŽƌĚsŽŝĐŝŶŐƐĂƌĞĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚǁĂǇƐƚŽƉůĂǇŽƌƐƉĞůůĂĐŚŽƌĚďǇƌĞĂƌƌĂŶŐŝŶŐƚŚĞŽƌĚĞƌ;ŽƌŽŵŝƫŶŐƐŽŵĞͿ
ŽĨƚŚĞŶŽƚĞƐ͘ŝīĞƌĞŶƚŚŽƌĚsŽŝĐŝŶŐƐŽīĞƌĂŶĞĂƐŝĞƌĂŶĚƐŵŽŽƚŚĞƌǁĂǇƚŽŐĞƚĨƌŽŵŽŶĞĐŚŽƌĚƚŽĂŶŽƚŚĞƌǁŝƚŚŝŶĂĐŚŽƌĚ
progression.
Chord Voicings

Check out Ron’s Modern Drummer profile page and get your copy of
Understanding the Language of Music at moderndrummer.com

Industry Happenings
2024 Chicago Drum Show

Story and photos by Bob Campbell
T he Chicago Drum Show, one of the largest and

longest continuous running events of its kind, just
completed its 34th year thanks to the tireless efforts of Rob
2022 and arrived on the scene with some cool percussive
offerings (e.g., a huge 10” bell on a cymbal, B20 bronze
triangle, and multi-bell cymbal). At their booth, the un-
Cook and his crew. Over 1400 attendees from around the trimmed, irregular shaped Nebula and Odyssey series
world flocked to the Kane County Fairgrounds on May cymbals were visually intriguing with complex sonic tex-
18th and 19th to see the best in vintage, custom, and new tures. GMD also introduced their curved cymbals, such as
drums, as well as percussion gear. Nicknamed “The drum- the flexible and trashy-sounding “Curved Stack” cymbals
mers’ family reunion,” this event lived up to its reputation and Hi-Hats. Definitely worth checking out!
as the ultimate gathering for drummers. It was the perfect Hayden Custom Cymbals – Ryan Hayden, an indepen-
chance to connect with fellow enthusiasts, catch up with dent cymbal smith hailing from Denver, Colorado made
old friends, and share a love for all things drum-related. an impressive first impression as a first-time exhibitor with
The venue consisted of two main exhibition halls con- his lines of hand-hammered cymbals: Traditional (brilliant
nected by a central entry hall. There were just under 200 finish), Vintage (natural or chemical patina to give an
booths with many returning exhibitors (e.g., Craviotto, “aged” sound), and Sol (can function as a main ride, but
Drugan’s Drums & Guitars, Humes
& Berg, Ludwig, Joe Luoma, Randy
Rainwater & Bun E Carlos, Chuck
Scalia, Gretsch Drums, Guitar Cen-
ter, Independent Drum Lab, Sonor,
Steve Maxwell Drum Shop, WFLIII
Drums, etc.). There were also many
first-time exhibitors, including: Bang
Percussion, Freddy Charles Music, 5
Core Inc., JLockeshop Drum Merch,
Junk Rock Drums, Kings Custom
Drums, Motion Pro Drum Thrones,
Power Tray, S&T Percussion, Svelte
Instruments, Domene Cymbals, and
Shelledy Sounds.
New and Noteworthy

Craviotto – introduced the new 4.5
x 14” Buddy Rich commemorative
snare drum in white marine pearl or
chrome wrap with Slingerland style
“stick saver” hoops and Craviotto
Private Reserve badge. In addition,
Steve Maxwell announced the open-
ing of the Craviotto Museum at his
drum shop in Glendale Heights, IL,
and the release of a fabulous 20th
anniversary documentary honoring
Johnny Craviotto.
Sonor – displayed the new Teak
semi-gloss veneer exclusively of-
fered for the Vintage series only;
truly elegant!
GMD Cymbals – “where tradition
meets design”; a relatively new
cymbal company established in

Vintage and Notable
Drugan’s Drums & Guitars – displayed Mick
Fleetwood’s 1975 Ludwig Silver Sparkle Rumours
5-piece tour kit.
Joe Luoma – one of the world’s leading drum col-
lectors exhibited several truly extraordinary drums.
In a play on words, Joe had a “9-ways” display, with
three snare drums produced over several decades
with 3-way tuning: a 1913 A.M. Hoskins 5 x 15”
mahogany with wood hoops (the earliest known
example of 3-way tuning), 1939 Gretsch-Gladstone
6.5 x 14” in white marine pearl, and a 1959 Bill
Gladstone black lacquer 7 x 14”. Joe also showed
two extremely rare Top Hat wrapped snares: a 1954
Leedy & Ludwig 5 x 14” (perhaps the only Top Hat
snare known to exist with this badge!) and a 1942
Ludwig 6.5 x 14”. Incredible drums!
Olympic Drums & Percussion – first time exhib-
iting at the Chicago Drum Show but not new to
the vintage collector community; Bill Wanser and
Scott Colner are renowned vintage drum experts and
have performed superb drum restorations. They made
quite a splash displaying some incredibly rare drums:
a unique and stunning 1893 silver and gold engraved
C.G. Conn World’s Fair 4.5 x 15.5” presentation snare
drum, 1939 Gretsch-Gladstone 6.5 x 14” White Oriental
Pearl snare drum, 1937 Abalone Pearl Super-Ludwig
outfit, and a circa 1930-35 Ludwig Streaked Opal drum
kit.
Clinics
A number of terrific educational and entertaining
clinics were conducted throughout the two day event,
with Gary Astridge, Michael Vosbein, Adam Nussbaum,
Wayne Salzman II, and Bernie Dresel. The iconic and
ageless Les DeMerle gave 1:1 drum lessons and shared
were designed to be a bright and clear compliment to a decades of stories from his days touring with Harry
larger, main cymbal). James, Wayne Newton, Manhattan Transfer, and many
others.
Seifried Cymbals – another newcomer to the show, Steve
Seifried of Cincinnati, OH makes two ranges of cymbals to Gary Astridge, Ringo Starr’s esteemed gear archivist
address specific needs: 1) high-end custom cymbals from turned author, dazzled the audience with insights from
Turkish blanks for professionals with discerning ears and his captivating new book, “Beats and Threads,” co-created
2) transforming entry-level cymbals into something that with the legendary Beatle himself. This literary gem not
professionals would be thrilled to recommend to their only chronicles the iconic drum kits that shaped musical
students or play themselves, all at a price point those stu- history but also delves into the unforgettable fashion
dents and their families can afford. statements that became synonymous with an era.
The TripleKick – made by Joe Partridge especially for During his presentation, Gary shared the fascinating
Rob Cook and the Chicago Drum Show, the TripleKick was journey of forging a unique bond with Ringo Starr, re-
essentially three beautiful gloss maple bass drums fused counting moments that solidified their partnership in
together in a Y-shaped pattern. Several attendees com- preserving his musical legacy. Gary’s genuine passion and
mented that this unorthodox instrument was, without a meticulous attention to detail shone through, illustrat-
doubt, one of the loudest bass drums they’d ever heard. ing why Ringo entrusted him with such intimate access.
Not sure about lugging that to gigs, but it certainly at- Despite his privileged position within Ringo’s inner circle,
tracted a lot of attention! Gary’s humility and grounded nature left a lasting im-
pression. His reverence for the artistry and craftsmanship

behind Ringo’s instruments and attire spoke volumes, res-
onating deeply with aficionados and casual fans alike.
Michael Vosbein, the charismatic host of “Drummer
Nation” and a revered authority on cymbals, shared pro-
found insights during his interview with Rob Cook on the
evolution of cymbal construction and the competitive
cymbal industry. His wisdom resonated deeply when he
articulated, “It’s not about the formula. It’s the process,”
highlighting the essence of true artisanship in crafting
exceptional cymbals.
Rob Cook, the show’s host, unveiled his plans for The Re-
beats Cymbal Book. Rob aimed for a book release in 2025,
coinciding with the next Chicago Drum Show. This forth-
coming book promises an immersive journey into the
rich history and evolution of cymbals, showcasing pivotal
players and artisans that shaped the industry.
Adam Nussbaum, the venerable jazz drumming legend,
treated attendees to a clinic steeped in wisdom drawn
from his storied career. With heartfelt gratitude, he reflect-
ed on the myriad of experiences that shaped him, sharing,
“Any situation I’ve been in has been a chance for me to
learn.” This sentiment set the tone for an enlightening
discussion on what it takes for a drummer to succeed in
the competitive world of music. He began by speaking
about the audition process, asking the audience, “Now,
why does a drummer get the gig? At the end of the day, it
will be many factors (being on time, knowing the material, drum solos. You have to be smart enough to play what’s
getting along with other band members, etc.), but it will appropriate for the situation. You also have got to have a
ultimately be that you make the band leader feel good. balance between being confident and assertive and pos-
You also have to get the trust of the other people on the sess the humility to serve what the music tells you to do.”
bandstand. You’re part of a T.E.A.M.; Together Everyone It was a valuable hour of pragmatic advice from a master
Achieves More. Also, I work because I try to get inside of his craft.
the time. Ninety percent of our job is playing time, not Wayne Salzmann II, a noteworthy drummer, educator,
author, and composer, spoke about his
perspective on creative drumming and im-
provisation, including an example from a
recent recording session. “When I’m creating
a drum part,” Wayne shared thoughtfully, “I’m
not fixated on rudiments or dynamics. I’m
thinking globally about shaping the music—
building up, coming down, and seamlessly
transitioning to the next section.” His focus
on transitions underscored their pivotal role
in musical continuity, whether through well-
placed fills or subtle shifts in sonic texture,
such as moving to a different cymbal to in-
troduce a new dimension.
Wayne also spoke about “dynamic bal-
ance”, where you think of “each component
of the kit as having their own mixer that you
can bring up or down.” By controlling the
dynamic balance, you can dramatically alter
the sound and feel. Throughout his session,
Wayne Salzman II illustrated these principles
with clear examples, demonstrating how

thoughtful transitions, strategic use of textures, and pre-
cise dynamic control can elevate drumming from techni-
cal proficiency to artistic mastery.
Bernie Dresel, a Grammy Award-winning drummer with
extensive recording and touring experience, generously
shared his treasure trove of insights on mastering the art
of drumming for success. He gave examples of playing
laid back without dragging, “feathering” the bass drum,
playing quietly with accents, practicing great stick tech-
nique without being loud, and the need to mostly just
play “simple swing” with big bands and not be too busy.
Highlighting the drummer’s pivotal role in swing bands, this will be Rob Cook’s last show as producer. Rob said,
Bernie likened them to being ‘the President’, entrusted “I have been working with Brian and Johnny Drugan
with guiding the ensemble’s pulse and tempo. He dubbed (Drugan’s Drums & Guitars) for about a year now on a
the bass player as the “Vice President,” emphasizing the transition, and 2024 was the last show that I will totally
cooperative relationship that underpins a seamless per- produce. I will continue to advise and to exhibit at future
formance. Bernie’s sage advice? Make the bass player your shows. The show website and social media will not be
closest ally for a tight and harmonious rhythm section. affected by this transition, and the 2025 show planning
All in all, the show was a resounding success. Notably, has begun. The Drugan’s have made it clear to me since
our first discussions that they want the show
to continue running with very few changes.”
In response to this news, many of the show at-
tendees wore “Thanks Rob!” buttons as a show
of appreciation for Rob’s decades of work.
As parting words, Rob reflected on some
of his fondest show memories, “There are a
thousand stories about artists, sponsors, staff,
AR people, vendors, exhibitors, and friends.
To mention some of my favorites: Watching
my son grow a concession business from a
box of candy bars at age 10 to a kitchen
with staff when he was in high school. Playing
“Hail to The Chief” every time William F Ludwig
II, “The Chief” entered the show, and introduc-
ing the dozens of great clinician guests over the
years.”
The 35th Chicago Drum Show is already being
planned for May 17-18, 2025. It will return once
again to the Kane County Fairgrounds in St.
Charles, Illinois.

Collector’s Corner
1941 WFL Ray Bauduc De Luxe Marble Capitol Outfit

By Timothy Northup
D ixieland jazz, also re-

ferred to as traditional
jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dix-
ieland originated in the early
1900’s in New Orleans. The
stock market crash of 1929
started the Great Depression
and lasted for next decade.
During that time a revival of
this lively music was becom-
ing popular again in Amer-
ica, big band jazz or “swing”
was sweeping the land,
helping people deal with
the economic effects of the
depression. This month we’ll
talk about a drummer and a
set that was very influential
in the development of Dixie-
land Jazz drumming.
Ray Bauduc was born in
New Orleans on June 18,
1906. He was an American
jazz drummer who started
his early career in vaudeville
and on riverboats, but he is
best known for his work with swing drummers of the time. Bauduc was influenced
Bob Crosby and the Bobcats. In 1938, he co-wrote and mostly by Warren “Baby” Dodds, as well as Dave Tough
recorded the Bob Crosby hit “Big Noise from Winnetka.” and Gene Krupa. But Ray had a unique style that was dif-
Bauduc’s use of woodblocks, cowbells, China cymbals, ferent from his peers. Bauduc’s playing drew on his New
and fiery tom-tom solos distinguished him from other Orleans background playing Dixieland music.

had a different configuration than today’s modern drum
sets. These sets had two tom-toms mounted apart on
each side of the bass drum with cowbells and a wood-
block in between. This contrasts modern day toms that
are mounted side by side or with one mounted tom and a
floor tom.
This WFL De Luxe Marble Capitol Outfit features a
painted marble finish that looks like real marble! The fin-
ish on this set is near mint and even the WFL decals are
still partially intact on the toms! This 1941 set features a
14”x 26” bass drum with original WFL calf skin heads, a
7”x14” Paramount snare drum, 7”x10” single headed tom,
and a 9”x10” single headed tom. All the drums have the
pre-war Zephyr Lugs. In 1942-44 the drums constructed
wartime were under a 10% metal rule. This meant that no
more than 10% of the drum could use metal parts. This
rule forced drum manufacturers to get creative and make
most of the drums and hardware out of wood. This set’s
accessories consist of a 11” crash cymbal, 12” crash cym-
bal, 10” hi-hat and sock pedal, woodblock, two cowbells,
WFL drumsticks, and brushes.
The story of how I acquired this drum set is very special.
I was contacted by a fellow drum collector in the Albany,
NY area who told me that he purchased this set from an
old music store in my hometown of Oneonta, NY many
years ago. The music store was selling it for the original
owner, who played this set professionally around the area
In 1938, Ray Bauduc became a WFL endorser and was and at resorts in the Catskills. When I heard this story, I
featured on the cover of the WFL drum catalog in 1939, was happy to purchase it and bring it back home to One-
40, and 41. Each WFL drum set sold in those years came onta. If you would like to see this set in person and even
with a Ray Bauduc Dixieland Drumming Instruction book play it, visit the Northup Drums Museum!
(printed in 1937.)
Call for an appointment 607-434-4769, and visit
Northup Drums Museum is proud to present a near
mint WFL drum kit in a rare finish that was only offered in www.northupdrums.com
1941 in this configuration. Interestingly, a standard drum
set from the
late 1930’s-40’s

OUT NOW!
M odern Drummer enjoys spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound.
These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming
and musical performances from the drummer and/or musicians in the band. This column is not restricted
to any genre or only recordings, we will also be spotlighting new books and DVD’s that are being released.
We encourage our readers to listen to the recordings that inspire them and keep looking for new musical
avenues to explore. You’ll never know what new music you might find inspiring! Listen and learn.
Ghost-Note Heep, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Firm, and AC/
Mustard ‘n Onions DC. He has also toured and recorded with Tom Jones,
Robert “Sput” Searight drums David Gilmour, Gary Numan, Michael Schenker, and
Nate Werth percussion Gary Moore. In 2012, he put together the band Timeline
Mack Avenue Records which performs his original music and covers of music
Since leaving Snarky he has played in the past, that what this two CD release
Puppy and Toto, drummer called Timescape represents. The first CD is original music
Robert “Sput” Searight written and co-written by Slade coming out of a strong
and percussionist Nate 70s and 80s hard rock approach. Some of the melodic
Werth have been leading tunes like “Joybringer” have a touch of prog, and some like
the band Ghost-Note, and “Sundance” are just flat-out rockers! The pocket on “Living
the outstanding Mustard the Dream” is strong, and the song “Time Flies” is catchy.
‘n Onions is their third The second CD includes versions of several AC/DC songs
release. Their music is including “Thunderstruck,” “Hell’s Bells,” and “High Voltage,”
James Brown on steroids Asia’s driving “Free,” and Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by
meets Tower of Power the Light.” The Chris Slade Timeline and their new CD
mixed with an entire menu of contemporary influences represents and documents Chris Slade’s 50 plus career in
from J Dilla to Fred Hammond to DC Go-Go to D’ Angelo. rock drumming which is an accomplishment well worth
Yup, it’s that good! This is fun, good time, funky music. The documenting, and Timescape does that very well.
horn section is tight, the tunes are smokin’, the rhythm
section is on fire, and the pocket is deep! There is even a Wayne Escoffery
string section and nice string arrangements to set a nice Alone
70s CTI vibe on several tracks. I can’t say enough about Carl Allen drums
this new record, it is by far their best yet! Trombonist Smoke Sessions
Danny Wytanis and guest saxophonist Casey Benjamin A record of ballads may not
play some wonderful solos, as does special guest be an automatic listen by
Bernard Wright. Then there is the always percolating drummers, but it should be.
and infectious groove of “Sput” and Nate. These two can Nowhere can you hear the
weave a groove like no other, check out “Poundcake,” space between the notes
“Phatbacc,” and “JB’s Out.” It must be mentioned that than on a beautiful ballad,
“Sput” Searight also wrote or co-wrote all the tunes on the and Alone has many such
record. Get Mustard ‘n Onions and try not to dance and songs. Adding to the interest
smile, I dare ya! is the fact that NOBODY
plays looong whole notes
The Chris Slade Timeline like bassist Ron Carter, and
Timescape drummer Carl Allen does a very good job of connecting
Chris Slade drums the dots of time as well. There are many ways to play
BWR Music drums on a ballad, and Allen shows us many of them
There are certain drummers here: Brushes, mallets, sticks, walking slowly in time
who have been in many with a pulse, playing loosely and out of time, or playing
big bands, and have had freely and impressionistically. Carl Allen gives every
long careers of being note it’s full due on this record and give us an important
dependable, consistent, yet unrecognized lesson in playing slowly the process.
groove monsters, Chris Check out Carl’s drumming on “Blues for D.P.” for one
Slade is one such drummer. music’s toughest “in the cracks” tempos to play. Escoffery
His drumming has been is obviously dealing with some loss and solitude on this
called upon by iconic record, as we all have recently. But his saxophone brings
bands like Asia, Uriah us through it all with a sigh and (ultimately) a smile.

infectious. It feels “too easy” to make a Weather Report
Bruna Black and John Finbury comparison, but the music shares some flavors, textures,
Va Revelacao and playfulness with the legendary band.
Duduka Da Fonseca Garrison and Erskine along with Einar Scheving and
Rogerio Boccato percussion Siggtryggur Baldursson (who you might have seen in
Greenflash Music Modern Drummer recently) create some amazingly elastic
This is an amazing record and futuristic grooves together. I have not heard of Phil
of Brazilian music that is Doyle, but based on this recording, I would like to hear
perfect for a hot summer’s much more from him. Kudos to Jack Magnet for putting
day (and at the time of this together such a willing and compatible cast of musicians
writing, it is 101 degrees and allowing them to create in the studio. And speaking
outside.) Singer Bruna of the studio, this is a wonderful sounding recording as
Black has the perfect tone well, equal congrats to the engineers at Iceland’s Floki
and approach for Brazilian studios and mastering engineer Scott Kinsey. As far as
music, and composer John musical highlights, the compositions and the music are
Finbury has composed some woven together in such a way that the entire record just
gorgeous music for the floats by, makes you smile, and before you know it, it’s
ensemble, and what an ensemble it is. No drummer plays over and you are looking for the repeat button Aside
Brazilian music like Duduka da Fonseca. His feel is breezy, from it being a little “short,” at 31 minutes, this is an
light, and airy, but with a strong pulse. That is a difficult extraordinary record.
combination to master, but Duduka does it to perfection.
However, the rest of the rhythm section (bassist John Ivanna Cuesta
Patitucci, pianist Vitor Goncalves, and guitarist Chico A Letter to The Earth
Pinheiro) also have a great deal to do with the stunning Ivanna Cuesta drums and electronics
groove of this record. The fact that this strong groove Orenda Records
sits inside Finbury’s exquisite music whose charming
melodies are sung to perfection by the beautiful voice of Domincan born drummer
Bruna Black, make it a perfect musical package of original Ivanna Cuesta is what
and authentic Brazilian music. Terri Lynne Carrington
calls a “triple threat.” And
on her debut A Letter to
Jack Magnet Science The Earth, Ivanna proves
Future Forecast it. She combines mature
Peter Erskine drums compositions, bombastic
Einar Scheving and Siggtryggur Baldursson percussion and sensitive drumming,
and drums and wonderful production
Floki Studios into a winning musical
If you have been reading package. With compatriot’s pianist Kris Davis, bassist Max
Peter Erskine’s Modern Ridley, and tenor saxophonist Ben Solomon, this quartet
Drummer Jazz Insights crafts a rhythmic and deeply emotional message in hopes
column recently, you to bring further attention to the crisis of climate change.
already know about this Cuesta’s drumming guides us through the music and
recording that we have her compositions lay out a beautiful through-composed
all been waiting for. For template for the band to create within. The quartet
the uninitiated… What presents itself as four equal pieces to the musical puzzle,
happens when you combine blending at every turn, and their collective passion
American musician’s comes through loud and clear. Cuesta’s evolving solo
drummer Peter Erskine, plus group composition on “Duality” is mesmerizing,
bassist Matthew Garrison, and saxophonist Phil Doyle and the electronic soundscape she creates for vocalist
with a host of creative Icelandic musicians? When you Pauli Camou on the final track “Este Lugar” is hauntingly
put them under the baton of musician Jack Magnet exquisite.
(also known as Jakob Magnusson,) the answer is the
beautiful and otherworldly music that is contained on
Future Forecast. Magnusson released some LA fusion in
the 80’s (including a favorite of mine, entitled Timezone.)
But this music takes a different approach. The sounds
are often ethereal, and the grooves are bouncy and

Tomasz Stanko Quartet
September Night
Michal Miskiewicz drums
ECM
A few months ago, Modern
Drummer did an extensive
feature interview with
drummer Michal Miskiewicz.
In that interview Michal
talked about playing the
explorative music of Tomasz
Stanko. This recording Michael Wolff, Mike Clark, Leon Lee Dorsey
was done at a symposium A Letter to Bill Evans
of improvised music in Mike Clark drums
2004, and captures the late Jazz Avenue Records
trumpeter at his creative peak. The trio of pianist Marcin Inside the cover to this
Wasilewski, bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and drummer record is a valuable quote
Miskiewicz support Stanko impeccably with a sonic and from Bill Evans, it reads,
rhythmic ebb and flow that is unmatched. The groove on “Keep searching for that
“Euforila” evolves from quietly strong to a raucous rumble sound you hear in your
climaxing with a tumultuous and impressionistic solo head until it becomes a
from Miskiewicz. Stanko was a genius, and the Trio is one reality.” Oftentimes it helps
of the best piano trios working today. Together they were to place yourself inside the
a marvel to behold, this record offers even further proof of music of a musical legend
their magical union. to help you find that sound
you hear in your head, and
that’s what this trio has done with the music of Bill Evans.
There will never be another Bill Evans Trio, but if you
The Rare Sounds can use his music to move yourself closer to being and
Introducing: The Rare Sounds finding yourself then everyone is happy. For those used
Zak Najor drums to hearing Mike Clark’s interactive and funky drumming,
Color Red Records or his bombastic post-bop drumming along the lines of
Tony Williams, this record isn’t what you are expecting.
Falling somewhere between This is the thoroughly swinging bebop version of Mike
The Meters, Jack McDuff, Clark, and what forms the foundation of everything he
Booker T and the MG’s, does. Think more Philly Joe Jones and Jimmy Cobb than
and Medeski, Martin, and Tony and Zigaboo. Mike Clark can do it all, listen to his
Wood— Along come The brush sound and ride cymbal just tippin’ on “Peri’s Scope”
Rare Sounds to continue and “Interplay.” The relaxed feel of “Waltz for Debby” is an
the tradition of funky elusive feel for many drummers, not Mike. The trio drives
groups playing good time the finale of “You and the Night and the Music” home with
music and making us smile. strength and assurance.
Comprised of members of
The Greyboy All-Stars and
The New Mastersounds,
The Rare Sounds carry the tradition of those two well-
known bands forward. Drummer Zak Najor composes
three of the tunes and brings a long musical resume’. The
band reaches its peak on “One Hand” and also includes
a version of Devo’s “Through Being Cool” as a closer. The
Rare Sounds aren’t about cool musical flash, they are
about the relentless and stripped-down groove, and
there’s nothing uncool about that.

Drummer Ray LeVier has combined his inspirational and
Narada Michael Walden: Drumming, Spirit, and Music philosophical outlook on drumming and life to help us
By Aubrey Dayle all become better drummers and people. He brings with
Hudson Music him a well-studied drumming and musical background
There might be some and a lifetime of performances to back everything up.
drummers that don’t Ray’s life includes a painful early chapter, but his resilience
recognize the name Narada and dedication shines through to inspire us all. His
Michael Walden. He is a book Drumming in Flow, and his outlook of mindfulness
legendary drummer that is in music and life, is a breath of fresh air. Ray inspires
best known for his work with everyone (musicians and non-musicians alike.) I’m glad
Jeff Beck, the Mahavishnu that he finally wrote it all down.
Orchestra, and Allan
Holdsworth. He is also a
bandleader, songwriter, and
producer of hit record by And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey through
Whitney Houston and Aretha Global Music
Franklin. By Joe Boyd
Ze Books
Aubrey’s Dayle’s new book on the legendary Narada
Michael Walden is an amazing book that will inform and Joe Boyd is a legendary record
teach us all about the drumming, spirit, and music of the producer of records by Pink
great Narada Michael Walden. Complete with a foreward Floyd, Nick Drake, REM, Taj
by Billy Cobham, and a preface by Kenny Aronoff, Mahal, Fairport Convention,
Walden’s life, career, and influence are deeply discussed. Richard and Linda Thompson,
Within the 240-page book there is set-up information, and 10,000 Maniacs. He was
transcriptions, a discography, interviews with other also the Director of Music
musicians (including Steve Smith and John McLaughlin) Services for Warner Brothers
about Narada, quotes from other drummers, and much, Films, and as a film producer he
much, more. Narada Michael Walden: Drumming, Spirit, has produced films on Aretha
and Music is a high quality and worthwhile read (and Franklin and Jimi Hendrix.
study) about a legendary human being, musician, and The mere title of his new book
drummer. grabbed me instantly. And the
Roots of Rhythm Remain comes with high praise from
two of the most influential musicians of our time. Brian
Eno says,” What an amazing book! Joe Boyd has distilled
Drumming in Flow: Concentration, Creativity, and decades of experience and observation of how musical ideas
Breathing in Drumming interbreed and how culture is formed, into a tumultuous,
By Ray LeVier gripping, and dramatic story. I doubt I’ll ever read a better
Hudson Music account of the history and sociology of popular music than
If you are looking for a this one.” T Bone Burnett says, “Joe Boyd has an acute ear for
new book of strictly cool music and an astute eye for talent that has led him around
drum licks and technique, the world, recording and returning with music that has been
this isn’t it. Drumming in and will be an indelible and fascinating part of our culture.
Flow is MUCH more than Here he reveals the searching intellect the generous spirit
just that. Just take a look and the deep heart beneath his extraordinary life’s work.”
at the table of contents: This book is an outstanding telling of how the far-flung
The Science of Meditation, musical traditions of the world have influenced the
Breathing Modalities for popular music through the decades and across the
Drummers, Introducing continents. He documents how of Indian music, Tango,
Breathing Elements Into Latin dance music, Reggae, Bossa-Nova, and Gypsy music
your Drumming, and The have influenced everything we hear today. Boyd was one
Pages of Positivity. WOW! of the people that chose the term “World Music” in the
However, there are some cool Gary Chaffee, Tony Williams, 80s with his Hannibal Records and produced music from
and Vinnie Colaiuta licks in the second part of the book Cuba, Brazil, Bulgaria, Mali, Hungary, Spain, and India. The
under the chapters, The Power of Permutations and Filling interviews and research in this book with reshape how
in the Gaps with Syncopation. you think about and listen to modern popular music.

EYE CANDY
Al Cleveland III’s Melanie Martinez Touring Kit
Photos by Jason Mehler

Drums: Pearl Masters Maple - Matte
Olive Burst (color) - 7x10 rack tom,
8x12 rack, 16x16 floor, 16x22 kick.
Snares: 6.5x14 Pearl UltraCast,

6.5x14 Pearl Ian Paice signature, Pearl
M1060 6x10 Maple.
Heads: Remo – 14-inch snare

drums: Controlled Sound Coated,
10-inch snare: Ambassador Smooth
White, Toms: Clear Pinstripe, Kick:
Powersonic Clear.
Cymbals: Zildjian - 15” New Beat
Hi-hat (main), 19” Ultra Hammered
China, 18” Cluster Crash with an
inverted 8” K Splash on top, 20”
Cluster Crash, 14” Sweet Hi-hat
(fixed), 10” Air splash, 18” Paper Thin Hardware: Pearl: P3000D (Demon Electronics: Roland SPD SX, Roland
Crash, 18” Special Dark Crash stacked Direct Drive single kick pedal), H2050 PD8 pads x2, Mackie 1202 analog
on a K Custom Dark China. HH stand, S1030 snare stand x2, mixer.
B1030 boom x 6. In-Ear Monitors: JH Audio Sharona
Sticks: Vic Firth – American Classic IEM’s.
Metal. Throne: Porter and Davies.


RUNDOWN

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Product Close-Up: KIT Drums – Intuitive, Cutting Edge Plugins

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“Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand.

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Roger Cardillo’s TJS Kit

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Rod Morgenstein announces the Morgenstein Tool

Kickport Inventor Launches Boom CRD Drum

The BOOM CRD will be on display

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TRX Cymbals Releases Interactive Cymbal Guide

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KIT Drums – Connor Denis

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After Mars Volta I didn’t want to get pigeonholed as a “prog

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Many of the people (both teachers and students) in these

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Alexander Technique is very difficult to explain until you

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Staying Out Of Your Own Way exists to get musicians to

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For me it’s about (ﬁrst and foremost) understanding how

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From Dolly Parton,

C oming to Nashville from South Africa is a unique musical path.

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I didn’t think that I wanted to play drums, I knew I

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There’s a bigger picture than just trying to make