SKF NOTE: Keith Copeland, jazz drummer and music educator, died in February 14, 2015. During his career Copeland played and/or recorded with Sam Jones, Billy Taylor, Johnny Griffin, Stevie Wonder, Rory Stuart, George Russell, and Hank Jones. He also led his own groups and taught at Berklee College of Music and Eastman School of Music, among others.

While I’m afraid I don’t remember the specific steps leading to my interviewing Copeland for Modern Drummer, I remember the interview clearly. We met at a restaurant on Centre Island, NY on July 23, 1983. The interview was published in the May 1984 MD.

I rediscovered my full Copeland interview transcript in July 2015, five months after Keith passed. Re-reading our conversation after 30 years I was impressed!

Here’s part of what I wrote about Copeland in his May ’84 interview introduction:

“After meeting and interviewing Keith Copeland, there’s one word that seems to represent his overall approach to drums: tradition.

“One of the most impressive aspects of Keith Copeland is that, unlike many of his contemporaries, Keith is carrying on the mainstream tradition not by default, but by choice. At one time in his life he was at the apex of the rock world as the drummer in Stevie Wonder’s first Wonderlove band. And prior to that he’d earned himself a reputation around the Boston area as a funk drummer to be reckoned with.

“When Alan Dawson retired from Berklee after 18 years of teaching, Copeland was hired for the position based on Dawson’s personal recommendation.”

In this interview, Keith shared a wealth of information for drummers. Especially, but not only, for drummers wanting to play jazz drums.

I have already posted on my blog and YouTube page audio segments of this interview. The original is on two sides of a 90-minute audio cassette.

This is the complete Side 1.

Again, this interview took place over dinner in a crowded restaurant. I promised myself never to to do that again. There is quite a bit of background noise. I’ve modified the sound to where listeners should have an easy time following the conversation.

The knowledge Keith Copeland shares during this interview deserves to be in circulation.

I am working on Side 2 of this interview. If I can modify the sound to where it is discernible I will post it. Think pure thoughts.