SKF NOTE: Two days ago Frank Godiva’s post on the Great Drummer’s Group Facebook page reminded me of a question I would love to ask Steve Gadd. Godiva’s post concerned master percussionist Larry Bunker, and showed Bunker’s The Larry Bunker Quartette – Live At Shelly’s Manne-Hole album cover. Many years ago I bought a cut-out copy of the Bunker Quartette album on vinyl — and loved it.

The track, Panther Pause, especially grabbed my attention — especially Larry Bunker’s drum intro.

Later, circa 1972, I bought a vinyl copy of The Chuck Mangione Quartet’s Alive! album with Steve Gadd on a four-piece Gretsch drumset. Gadd’s intro on St. Thomas is remarkably similar in concept to Bunker’s Panther Pause intro. And I wonder if Gadd heard, and was influenced by, Bunker’s drumming on Panther Pause.

Or perhaps it was just a cool concept floating around in the ether tapped into by two musical giants.