SKF NOTE: I think a lot about drummers and drumming. Often when driving, but most any time I’m in my own head: grocery shopping, savoring the day’s first cup of hot black coffee, gathering pinecones and sticks from the lawn, snorkeling – anywhere really.

For example, yesterday I thought about completing the snares and snare throw-off work on my 1930’s metal Ludwig Universal Model 6.5×14 Snare Drum.

The overall state of drumming often comes to mind. Maybe I’m getting old, because I was moved by more drummers when I was younger, than I am now.

Why is that?

I think musician Robert Glasper nailed it in his November 9, 2025 Facebook post. Laying in bed rubbing his eyes, head propped up on a pillow, Glasper looks directly into his camera. Speaking to all musicians, including drummers, he says in part:

Y’all playing too m-f’in much. Too much. I’m exhausted. Everybody’s playing too much. Too choppy. Y’all ain’t even got no original sound.

Listen, everybody has chops. Everybody’s fast. What else do you have? No one gets hired ’cause they’re the fastest. You need more diversity in your playing. Make people feel good. That’s what separates the greatest from the not. Choices. Choices is everything.

Glasper’s musical Eureka! has me thinking of the drum tracks and drummers in my life who formed my conception, my view, of drums, drummers, and drumming.Many of them are not “choppy” or “fast.”

As long as I’m revisiting my drum milestones, why not write posts about them?

I remember the [drum] bug bit me in the drafting room at my grandparents’ Charles R. Fish Nurseries, listening to my Uncle Bob’s record of the Gene Krupa Quartet playing “China Boy.”

I was six-years old. The memories of standing in front of Uncle Bob’s record player, the black Verve label with silver lettering spinning around, especially Krupa’s press rolls, were captivating.

I wondered, “How does he do that?”

With the little I knew at age six about drumming, I imagined I was hearing Krupa playing single-stroke rolls (RLRLRLRL, etc.) at an ungodly tempo.

Holding a pair of Uncle Bob’s drumsticks I tried playing RLRL as fast as Krupa’s “China Boy” press rolls.

Of course, I failed, but Krupa on that “China Boy” track sparked my lifelong love of drums.

To this day I love listening to Krupa, especially his small group drumming, which was always swinging, dynamic, and melodic.

I leave you with this exact “China Boy” I heard at six-year old.

More drumming milestones ahead.