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**ReneCM** · 11-05-2005, 03:06 AM

Wow... well, where to start? I don't know... how about Billy Higgins:

"A drummer must be kind."

I like that quote... it really illustrates a lot of what I think the spirit of being a drummer is about. A kind person will be a kind and giving musician, somebody easy to converse with, somebody supportive and with whom you share rapport and camraderie. It's very important to never play the drums with a negative attitude, no matter what the music. There's no other instrument that can be so two faced as the drums. Play them with joy and love and care and gratitude, and they can sound as melifluous and sweet as a violin. Play them with a chip on your shoulder or some hate in your heart, and you won't be able to hide anywhere. You look at these pictures of Higgins grinning from ear to ear, and tell me you can't hear that on his records?

Who was the first drummer I really listened to? Buddy Rich. I never really appreciated Buddy for his musicality until I was much older, but when I was about 14... my grandfather bought me "Krupa and Rich". I loved Gene too. All that style, and I marveled at the fact that Gene could sound so great next to a giant like Buddy. I mean, Gene always sounded hip and swinging, and came up with his own little things that made up for musically what he didn't have in the technique department that Buddy did have.

However, the first drummer where the lightbulbs went off... the one who made me feel right away that jazz was special music was Art Blakey. The record was !Impulse!Art Blakey!Jazz Messengers!... the first track "Alamode"... Art comes out like a locomotive.... huge crash followed by this propulsive swing that is totally relentless and overpowering. I got that record when I was 14 too... I still think it's one of the most amazing things ever recorded. Art doesn't solo on the record... not four bars. It would take me another couple of years before I discovered "Caravan" and "Free For All" and some of the stuff where he really stretches and does his soloing thing. I was just mesmerized by the TIME that Art was playing. Art really made me understand what playing time was about.

Drummers have this whole unique vocabulary that is not shared with the other instruments... so when 2 drummers get together, you might not understand what they're talking about, but they sure do.

oops... gotta run... more later... if any of this was pretty much blabbering and nonsensical, I apologize.

11-05-2005, 03:06 AM	#2
ReneCM Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 453 Senior Member	Wow... well, where to start? I don't know... how about Billy Higgins: "A drummer must be kind." I like that quote... it really illustrates a lot of what I think the spirit of being a drummer is about. A kind person will be a kind and giving musician, somebody easy to converse with, somebody supportive and with whom you share rapport and camraderie. It's very important to never play the drums with a negative attitude, no matter what the music. There's no other instrument that can be so two faced as the drums. Play them with joy and love and care and gratitude, and they can sound as melifluous and sweet as a violin. Play them with a chip on your shoulder or some hate in your heart, and you won't be able to hide anywhere. You look at these pictures of Higgins grinning from ear to ear, and tell me you can't hear that on his records? Who was the first drummer I really listened to? Buddy Rich. I never really appreciated Buddy for his musicality until I was much older, but when I was about 14... my grandfather bought me "Krupa and Rich". I loved Gene too. All that style, and I marveled at the fact that Gene could sound so great next to a giant like Buddy. I mean, Gene always sounded hip and swinging, and came up with his own little things that made up for musically what he didn't have in the technique department that Buddy did have. However, the first drummer where the lightbulbs went off... the one who made me feel right away that jazz was special music was Art Blakey. The record was !Impulse!Art Blakey!Jazz Messengers!... the first track "Alamode"... Art comes out like a locomotive.... huge crash followed by this propulsive swing that is totally relentless and overpowering. I got that record when I was 14 too... I still think it's one of the most amazing things ever recorded. Art doesn't solo on the record... not four bars. It would take me another couple of years before I discovered "Caravan" and "Free For All" and some of the stuff where he really stretches and does his soloing thing. I was just mesmerized by the TIME that Art was playing. Art really made me understand what playing time was about. Drummers have this whole unique vocabulary that is not shared with the other instruments... so when 2 drummers get together, you might not understand what they're talking about, but they sure do. oops... gotta run... more later... if any of this was pretty much blabbering and nonsensical, I apologize.
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