Lenny White: I am Painting with Notes

A wonderful interview with the great Lenny White and a couple short clips of the Master in action, demonstrating some very serious and very hip independence solo ideas!

Collective Thoughts from Ed Soph and Adam Nussbaum

A follow-up to my blog post from last month featuring Ed Soph's wisdom Fifty Years of Random Thoughts About Practicing, Playing and Improvising on the Drum Set here's a panel discussion featuring Ed Soph and Adam Nussbaum, hosted by Michael Vosbein of Drummer Nation.

As always, when the Masters speak...we listen!

Ted Warren - Drum Stories!

Please consider contributing to my friend Ted Warren's Go Fund Me campaign to help fund the release of his latest solo drumming recording project: Drum Stories

 https://gofund.me/4a0373b6 

 

Ted is a fellow Canadian jazz drumming blogger, a helluva musician and a good friend. He is also one of the most creative and hard working drummers that I know. His musical curiosity, rhythmic imagination and hard work ethic (this guy really knows how to practice!) have always impressed and inspired me, even going back to when I was just getting into jazz drums back in the early 90s. When I was coming up Ted was already making a name for himself in Toronto as an in-demand sideman, playing with Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass and saxophonist Mike Murley's quartet (among many others). Even back then Ted played with a unique and dynamic voice on the drum set. Nobody else plays like Ted and I've always appreciated his clever and creative approaches to making music on the drums.

And I've always really dug Ted's original compositions and imaginative approach to music, in particular the music he's composed for his band Ted's Warren Commission. Now I'm very excited about his upcoming solo drum project and looking forward to hearing what he's come up with this time.

Quincy Davis!

I usually make a point of sharing Quincy Davis' videos from his ongoing Q Tips series on YouTube but I ran out of space/time during my last blog post (!)

Anyways, I always share Q's videos because his content is spot on and his explanations are concise, clear and very well done (and of course he plays his a*s off too!) I always learn something when I check out Quincy's newest videos. So bookmark his YouTube channel, check them out and get to work.

Make sure to visit Quincy's website too www.quincydavisjazz.com and check out his excellent jazz drumming vocabulary e-books and excellent play-a-longs.

The Monday Morning Paradiddle - March 2024

And...we're back.

Thanks for checking in and here is the March 2024 edition of the Monday Morning Paradiddle for your perusal, my more-or-less monthly jazz drumming variety column, just in time (depending on where you are anyways) for the upcoming Spring school break.

The Monday Morning Paradiddle - March 2024

1. The Drummer's Pathway podcast with Michael Scott interviews Ted Warren on the topics of creative explorations in jazz and overcoming self doubt

2. A wonderful three-part series on Max Roach from Vinnie Sperrazza in his Substack series Chronicles:

Max Roach at 100: Part I  Part II  Part III

Also check out Vinnie's great piece on the underrated Connie Kay as well.

I think I read somewhere that Connie Kay was affectionately known as The Sheriff back in day (presumably because his sense of time was so strong?)

3. A couple of great pieces from Ethan Iverson:

Elvin Jones on John Coltrane's India

Max Roach in 1958/59

4. A great piece by Bill Milkowski on The Story of the Legendary Buddy Rich Bus Tapes

5. And one more on Max the Invincible Roach from Bret Primack

Vinnie, Ethan, Bill and Bret are all offering really great regular and informed content on their Substacks. Consider subscribing and supporting their excellent ongoing work.

6. An interview with Jeff Williams from London Jazz News on his new album In Duo with saxophonist Dave Liebman

7. Monk Rowe interviews Ed Soph 

*sorry the embedding was disabled on YouTube for this one!*

8. The Working Drummer Podcast features Obed Calvaire

9. Allison Miller's Top Five Influential Records from Big Fat Five and The Drum Click 

10. Marc Myers with this piece from Jazz Wax on a previously unreleased recording of Philly Joe Jones and his quintet, recorded at Birdland in 1961

11. Aldo Mazza interviews Terry Clarke in his on-going series Shaping Your Journey:

 

12. Dr. Jazz Samo Salamon interviews Mareike Wiening:

13. Drum Factory Direct with 10 Reasons to Love Billy Higgins:

 

A complete interview with Kenny Washington: 

 

...and a two-part interview with Gregory Hutchinson: 

14. Joe Farnsworth and Kenny Washington offer their birthday greetings to the great Roy Haynes on the occasion of his 99th birthday!

 

...a ripping Farnsworth solo from a 2013 hit in Vancouver, Canada:

 

...and a more recent solo over Old Devil Moon:

15. Beautiful piano trio drumming from Carl Allen with Mike LeDonne and Ron Carter:

16. Gerry Hemingway's solo performance Invitation from an Afternoon: 

17. Steve Gadd demonstrates his rudimental snare drum technique in conversation with Rick Beato:

18. A great solo from Jeff Ballard:

19. What am I listening to these days?

Herlin Riley "New Direction" - Herlin Riley (drums)

Don Cherry "Art Deco" - Billy Higgins (drums)

Larry Young "Unity" - Elvin Jones (drums)

Max Roach "Solos" - Max Roach (drums)

Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk "Miles and Monk at Newport" - Jimmy Cobb, Frankie Dunlop (drums)

Tommy Banks Big Band "Jazz Canada Montreux 1978" - Tom Doran (drums)

20. And today's Final Word goes to John Riley:

(thanks to Tyshawn Sorey for reminding us of this one via Instagram earlier this month)

As always, when the Masters speak, we listen.