Ok, let me get all existential on you. Drumming (especially playing old Stax/Motown music like “Green Onions”) is much much more than keeping time, or chopping, or fills, or whatever. When your playing, and everything’s cooking, and the bass player is laying down a phat groove so wide that you just slide in .. when everything is going and you’re deep in the pocket, you begin to spearate yourself from your personal performance. You begin to experience the music as a complete whole. It’s almost a bizarre out-of-body thing, but you’re playing along and you’re not just enjoying your own playing, but you’re enjoying the music everyone is contributing to making. (more…)

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I got the call to be a judge this year at Guitar Center’s 2004 Drum Off (Memphis Store). I judged tonight and will for the next 3 Tuesdays. Overall, the guys were pretty talented. There seemed to be a lot of drum line influence in many of the players, and that may be a normal thing. I just wasn’t expecting it. (more…)

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I talk to a lot of drummers about sticks. It’s amazing the differences in players and their preferences. Here’s my take.

Ive been a fan of Buddy Rich’s stick way back before Vic Firth even sold them. Ludwig made a model, 15AL (laminated maple) that were identical to the now VF Buddy Rich Sigs. I use the Rich sigs for heavier work. What I like most about these sticks is the fact that due to the long, beadless taper, the majority of the stick’s weight is closer to the fulcrum. This gives a more effortless feel (especially in my traditional hand) with the stick feeling like it’s moving around the fulcrum, not in front of it. So for rock, funk, or louder worship settings, I use the BR sigs. (more…)

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I went to the Symphony today. I saw/heard the Memphis Symphony do an incredible job on Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, and man, I really do miss my orchestral days sometimes. I know I’ve taken a more jazz, fusion, rock direction with my career, but I realized tonight that I would probably never put on my tux and perform in a symphony again. But being in the concert hall, surrounded by the acoustically perfect environment which gave the pristine amount of reverb, and watching the conductor draw the passion from the the instrumentalists … it just made me appreciate it all over again. (more…)

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3 years ago today, Shannon was in class and I was working from home when I heard about the WTC. Stunned, I just watched the footage rolling in. It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since 9/11, but it also seems like a lifetime ago.

In 2001, we had just arrived in Memphis, Shannon was still at VS, and I didn’t even have a fulltime gig. It’s amazing how far we’ve come in the past three years. Shannon’s now the Worship instructor, and I’m now the Percussion instructor at VISIBLE and BBN looks very promising.

We are truly blessed. My prayers go out to those still suffering from the WTC loss. Peace.

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