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The Funk

Lady Marmalade Drum Lesson

I am finding myself doing video lessons and bunging them up on Youtube for students in various contexts. Here is a lesson on the famous groove for Lady Marmalade by Labelle, played originally by drummer Herman “Roscoe” Ernest III. First, let’s watch him explain the groove’s provenance. The clip is off a DVD called New Orleans Drumming which has Herlin Riley, Johnny Vidacovich, Earl Palmer and Mr Ernest all holding forth on drumming. It’s one of the best drumming videos… Read More »Lady Marmalade Drum Lesson

Chaffee Linear Patterns Lesson Video

I found this video demonstrating numerous ways to apply the linear sticking patterns from Gary Chaffee’s Time Functioning Patterns. The ideas are explained really well and the lesson gives a basis for much exploration. It’s a good idea with this material to work on one pattern comprehensively until you internalise the principles embodied in the variations. This will make it easier to hear the music in the other patterns and will make application flow more easily. Then again, you might… Read More »Chaffee Linear Patterns Lesson Video

Great Drum Educator, Chuck Silverman, Sadly Died

I am deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss on May the 1st of Chuck Silverman, a great drummer and drum teacher notable for his amazing knowledge and love for Afro-Caribbean music (or Latin as we lesser mortals would call it) and expertise about the drummers of James Brown. I didn’t know Chuck, although I had been trying to arrange a Skype lesson with him (West Coast USA and London are temporally mismatched for this sort of thing) but… Read More »Great Drum Educator, Chuck Silverman, Sadly Died

Snarky Puppy – Quite The Musos

A student of mine mentioned Snarky Puppy to me, a modern fusion outfit playing sell-out shows all over the place. “Fusion” is not normally a term that excites me seeing as I can’t afford the cuisine and in a musical context, I don’t need to be reminded of traumatic experiences listening to Jaco’s solos or Garibaldi’s mullet, not to mention Brecker and his EWI. But… Watch this, it’s amazing! Apparently, they do all their records live with no overdubs and,… Read More »Snarky Puppy – Quite The Musos

Clyde Stubblefield and John Jabo Starks, the Funkmasters Interview

Here is a great interview, produced by Meinl, with the incredibly funky and hugely influential duo – Stubblefield and Starks, the most famous of James Brown’s drummers. Clyde and Jabo talk about how they got started, how they came to play with JB and share stories about their life as touring musicians and some of the hazards of being in the music business. Very entertaining and highly recommended.

That Steve Gadd Bloke is Pretty Good

Been trawling YouTube for recordings of songs I need to learn for a new project wot I’m working on and happened upon this version of Billy Strayhorn’s Take The A-Train. I’ve seen the late Michel Petrucciani a couple of times in the past but not with this particular combo. Steve Gadd is just wonderful here, his light touch a marvel to behold. Drummers, you don’t need gear or seven-way coordination. You just need a thimblefull of this good stuff. Listen… Read More »That Steve Gadd Bloke is Pretty Good

Collision! Youth Know Something About Music

Check out this brilliant show on Reprezent 107.3 FM, The Voice Of Young London. I’m slightly biased because one of the presenters is a student of mine but these guys are playing a brilliant selection of music from rock classics to funk masterpieces. It’s a perfect playlist for a fuddyduddy like me and inspires some hope that all is not lost for the youth, some of whom seem aware of the pre-Autotune generation of proper music. No untz-untz stuff here.… Read More »Collision! Youth Know Something About Music

Great Lesson on The Famous Drum Part For 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

I’ve just discovered Terry Keating, a guy with unlimited energy when it comes to giving drum lessons or talking about drums and cymbals. His Youtube channel, www.youtube.com/user/bonzoleum, with Led Zeppelin related lessons is an amazing resource for people wanting to learn about John Bonham’s drumming. In addition to the Zep stuff, there are several brilliant videos discussing drums, cymbals and even an introduction to drumming for beginners. Infact, if you wanted to find out if you are a true, died-in-the-wool… Read More »Great Lesson on The Famous Drum Part For 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

What I?m Listening To This Week

I’m never far away from a bit of Lowell George, one of the greatest singers and songwriters in the universe. Here is a fantastic track from his only solo album, Thanks I’ll Eat It Here which is a mixed bag, something typical of the great man’s recorded output. The album has an incredible line up of the who’s who of 70’s session cats. The drummers include Jims Keltner & Gordon, Richie Hayward, Floyd Sneed and Jeff Porcaro who is laying… Read More »What I?m Listening To This Week

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