Previously, Terry has made several solo albums featuring himself in various musical styles and settings... Including ensembles, duets, songwriter collaborations with guest instrumentalists and vocalists. He's had the opportunity to perform and record with some of the world's most outstanding musicians... Including, Vic Juris - Eric Kloss, Phil Woods - Barry Miles, The Manhattan Jazz Orchestra - Billy Ocean - George Benson -Laura Nyro - Natalie Merchant - Freddie Jackson and Jeffrey Osborne...To name a few.
Read moreTim Smith: Remembering Tony Williams
Tony performed with such energy you could feel it propel the rest of the band. Miles himself said that Tony was “the center that the group's sound revolved around.”
Read moreAl Dimeola In Concert Featuring Richie Morales Review
Less was definitely more as Al and Richie burned through sixteen tunes with only a brief intermission. Both complimented each other with amazing displays of virtuosity throughout the show. On numerous occasions Al would smile at Richie giving him a nod of approval at some complex patterns they had just played. Sometimes it seemed to border on telepathy when they each unleashed something totally unexpected, yet it was somehow perfectly synchronized.
Read moreRay LeVier: Remembering Tony Williams
I only got to see Tony play on two occasions. Once at The Blue Note and again at Birdland. Both nights, I received the drum lesson of my life and learned firsthand about control, finesse, and confidence. He played that massive canary yellow drum kit with the three floor toms and used every drum melodically and musically. His flams and single stroke rolls knocked me out on the spot. Looking back now, I wish I would’ve checked him out live more, but am grateful for the two times I did.
Read moreSung and Unsung Heroes - Anton Fig
As well as being a much sought-after session drummer, as of this writing, Anton is also the touring drummer with Joe Bonamassa.
Read moreR.I.P. Ronnie Tutt
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of drumming legend Ron Tutt. He had an over 60 year career as an “in demand” session and touring drummer. I’m sure you’ve seen the numerous comments and tributes made by various musician luminaries such as Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Michael McDonald and also from Ron’s former band mates in the TCB Band and Neil Diamond’s band. However, on a personal note , I felt compelled to comment from a different perspective.
Read moreGoing Back In Time - Buddy Rich - 1932
In 1919 at the age of two, Bernard 'Buddy' Rich was already traveling the country with his parents' vaudeville act. By 1932, Buddy had already been performing for 13 years as 'Traps The Drum Wonder'. At 15, he was already headlining with his own group earning up to a thousand dollars a week. That same year he also received a Slingerland endorsement deal. The accolades began rolling in... The year 1932 was an early indicator of all the great things to come for drummer Buddy Rich.
Read moreDom Famularo: Remembering Tony Williams
Several months before he passed in October of 1996, we played The Florida Drum Festival to 2,000 drummers. Tony was at the top of his game... Expressive, powerful, creative and you always expected the unexpected. We had the chance to talk for a while before his performance. He had an album coming out, 'Young At Heart' which he was excited about. He talked about wanting to be known as a composer and an individual artist. I told him, you are already there! Tony really appreciated that. He was, and still is such a powerful force in drumming and music.
Read moreMike Clark: Words of Wisdom - Chapter 26
"I love the hi-hat…Since childhood it’s had me in its clutches!"
Homage to Charlie
I never met Charlie or any other of the Rolling Stones but I feel fortunate as I was able to indirectly help put a rare WFL drum Charlie owned back to original shape. Charlie acquired a late 30’s WFL twin snare drum that had off-set lugs and the type of strainers that often broke at the tip. Charlie’s drum had one broken strainer and his tech, Don McAulay was looking to find a replacement strainer
Read moreRichie Morales: Remembering Tony Williams
…the tricky syncopation and meter change in the seventh bar, the minor blues form and the improvisation of the piece still blow my mind to this day and served to open my young ears to form and melody in Jazz. Tony’s cymbal sound of the period is so organic it doesn’t even sound like stick on metal to me. His orchestration of phrases across the whole set, the use of the bass drum as an extra tom voice, the shift of the primary time keeping to stepped 1/8th notes on the hi hat, splashes of colorful cymbal work, all new to my ears, and everybody else’s too. Like so many other musicians I fell under the influence of Anthony Tillman Williams.
Read moreCharles Connor, architect of the rock and roll drum beat, passed July 31, 2021
Charles Connor explains how he and Little Richard created the straight eighth rock and and roll beat.
…Connor then joined Little Richard in the studio to record the classics “Ooh! My Soul,” “She’s Got It,” and “Keep-A-Knockin.'” His iconic drum intro to the latter song was recreated by John Bonham on the Led Zeppelin classic “Rock & Roll.”
Read moreGene Krupa: A Tribute
And he had chops. Bellson says, "I would say that Gene was a great influence on every drummer. He brought drums to the foreground. Before his time, it was, 'Oh well, we've got 17 musicians and a drummer.' When he came into the picture, drums became a solo instrument. He added that great integrity to the drum section. When you see a drum soloist, even today, Gene is responsible for that."
Read moreCharlie Watts :-(
When I received my first snare drum in the sixth grade I played along to the 45 rpm single record of “Satisfaction” incessantly. I still, to this day, think it is the best rock and roll drum track ever recorded…and it’s nothing but quarter notes on the snare drum and bass drum! Unrelenting, pile driving, perfect timing, tempo like a metronome, simple quarter notes. It’s so simple that you wait in anticipation of a little variation -expecting him to break face. But NO.
Read moreSung and Unsung Heroes - Jen Ledger
Band members from Skillet discovered Ledger when they attended church services in the United States, where she was living at the time, and asked Ledger to audition for an open drummer spot in the band. She has been Skillet's drummer and female vocalist since 2008, beginning with their promotional tour for the album “Comatose”.
Read moreAaron Kennedy: Remembering Tony Williams
“I first became aware of Tony Williams from my drum teacher John Wadham. He had me listen to Tony playing with Miles Davis. “I want you to listen to this drummer and then tell me what you hear “. After what seemed to be a long while as the record turned – the hiss was silenced by the sound of a furious trumpet, drums, and upright bass. It sounded so raw - like the musicians were right there in the room with me.
Read moreDrummer Mike Clark releases another brilliant CD: MIKE DROP
Legendary drummer Mike Clark’s latest CD titled ‘MIKE DROP’ is another powerful example of just how incredible a player he is. Featuring Michael Zilber on saxophones, Matt Clark on piano, with Peter Barshay on bass…It was recorded at Oakland, California’s 25th Street Studio where the sound and clarity is amazing… According to Mike, most of the tunes were first takes - just the way he likes it.
Read moreIn Memoriam: Morris “Arnie” Lang (Feb. 2, 1931 – July 5, 2021)
Morris Arnold Lang, known to his friends as “Arnie”, passed away recently following an unfortunate accident. Arnie was a talented musician, educator, prolific writer, and craftsman (Lang Percussion), devoted husband and father. In his nine decades on this planet, he gifted us with the legacy of his music, educational books/videos, many students, family, friendship, and amazingly crafted drums in the spirit of Billy Gladstone. While one always wishes for more time with such wonderful people, we are reminded how blessed we are to have lived in his presence.
Read moreJim Kersey: Remembering Tony Williams
Later in 2006, I would start drum lessons with legendary drummer Joe Porcaro in Thousand Oaks CA. Joe had many of Tony Williams’s transcriptions, and even had a story about his son Jeff and Tony recording together at Capital Records studio, saying, “Tony hurried in at the last minute, did the session and left soon after to catch a flight.” On Les Dudek’s ‘Zorro Rides Again’ , Tony’s sound is unique and identifiable - K Zildjian cymbals, Gretsch drums in 24" bass drum, 18' 16" 14" floor toms 14" 13" mounted toms, and 14" snare drum with Remo Black dots on all the toms and snare. His new signature sticks had dimensions similar to a 2B.
Read moreClassic Drummer & Vintage Drummer Magazine back issues at DrumSellers.com
The collection of all the Classic Drummer/Vintage Drummer Magazines still in print is available through Not So Modern Drummer at DrumSellers.com. All 17 of the print issues still in stock are available from former editor/owner Billy Jeansonne for a very low price $34.95 - plus $5.95 shipping. That’s about $2.40 an issue!
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