Another new chapter in our ongoing series of conversations, quotes, commentary, and updates with jazz/funk drumming legend Mike Clark… Mike’s keen observations provide numerous insights into ‘All Things Music’. -- Mike always just tells it like it is.
I haven't hit a home run since I recorded Actual Proof with Herbie Hancock. I have however hit quite a few triples, tons of doubles, got on first a hell of a lot, and yeah… Struck out more than a few times. This being said, I left the more commercial scene years ago and I’m not particularly thinking about a home run. Not a bad average though… In fact, ‘so far so good’ that’s for damn sure.
Do I wanna play Bebop the way they did in the early 1950s? Nope! - Can I? Nope! - Not like the originators did... Do I want to re-imagine it to fit my own sensibilities today…Yep! Can I? -- I think so...Tryin’.
When a student asks me: where does that idea start and stop? - I feel like, how am I going to tell him that’s not how you play jazz. The idea hits you and somehow you know where to put it instinctively then you just do it. So what I do is show them several ways of playing an idea - or a germ of an idea as you don't play licks - it’s like an improvisation. Then I have the student find a million ways to play it starting and stopping in a million different places. However, that is still not the way to approach this music as far as I am concerned.
When I tell them which recordings to listen to - they still seem not to know how to play what they just heard. So around and around we go...You can’t just write it out, it's something else - but not that.
I gotta’ say -- This has elements of Chick Webb for sure, Baby Dodds, Zutty Singleton, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, ‘Big SId’ Catlett and all of the other cats that played solos like this -- which seemed like everyone until I heard Buddy Rich. That being said, his tap dancin’ style has taken ‘sceedle abba doodle abba’ to the level of rocket science. Old Skool, Yes - But this dude is Burnin' -- JEEZUS!!
Bugle Call Rag - The Buddy Rich Big Band
The Headhunters reunited at The Howlin’ Wolf in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday April 10, 2021. They performed in tribute to the late Paul Jackson. The group featured Drummer Mike Clark, Donald Harrison, Bill Summers, Chris Severin, and Kyle A. Roussel
