Art Blakey’s 1960 Gretsch Drumset

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Scott K Fish

blakey_art_gretsch_601205_downbeat

SKF NOTE: A classic Gretsch ad from 1960 with a classic drummer. I always favored the Gretsch logo as it appears here on Art Blakey‘s front bass drum head, but was never able to find a logo like that to use on my Gretsch drumset.

Posted in Drum/Music News, SKF Blog | Tagged , | Comments Off on Art Blakey’s 1960 Gretsch Drumset

Paul T. Riddle: The Influence of Joe Morello

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: This excerpt is Paul T. Riddle talking with me about the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Greatest Hits album. Specifically, Paul talks about Joe Morello‘s playing and sound and the influence Morello with the Brubeck Quartet had on Paul’s drumming.

I don’t remember the exact purpose of this interview. My best guess? I had a concept for a magazine feature where well-known drummers would talk a bit about key records and musicians that influenced them. And also, to talk about songs on their own albums that they really liked.

I’m sure Paul and I were talking from our homes. Although my idea never got off the ground, I do have my taped conversations with Paul T. Riddle circa 1982. And Paul’s recorded thoughts on drummers and records that influenced him should be of interest to Marshall Tucker Band fans, Paul’s many drum students, and to rock n’ roll historians.

Posted in Audio, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Paul T. Riddle: The Influence of Joe Morello

Myron Grombacher’s Ludwig Drumset 1983

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Scott K Fish

grombacher_myron_830011

SKF NOTE: Whatever goes around, comes around. The first time I saw this photo of Myron Grombacher‘s 1983 Ludwig drumset, I thought of earlier drummers such as Chick Webb using the same concept with cymbal stands.

I also thought Grombacher’s was one of the cooler looking drumsets to emerge in the early 1980s.

chick_webb

Chick Webb (Courtesy marcdedouvan.com)

 

Posted in Drum/Music News, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Myron Grombacher’s Ludwig Drumset 1983

Bernard Purdie: ‘Purdie Shuffle’ Solo Drums (1990)

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Bernard Purdie’s 1990 solo drum performance is from a larger drum project in which Chip Stern asked me to take part. The general idea was having a percussion magazine and a companion audiocassette.

The project never went public. I am posting this performance with Chip’s permission.

Posted in Audio, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Bernard Purdie: ‘Purdie Shuffle’ Solo Drums (1990)

Barry Keane: Teaching Drums the Way I Wanted to Be Taught

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Barry Keane is among the most successful drummers I know, with a long career as a studio drummer, and a touring gig with one of the world’s great songwriters, Gordon Lightfoot, that has lasted, so far, over 40 years.

Relistening to my first conversation/interview with Barry around 1981, I was struck by the way he taught drums to students, and the wisdom in Barry’s teaching method. In a nutshell, Barry’s teaching niche was guiding kids who wanted to know how to play basic drums — they way Dave Clark, Ringo Starr, or Charlie Watts were playing much of the time on their respective records.

Help a kid like that learn what interests him. Some may go on to more advanced drum studying. Some may not. But there’s room for the kids who just wants to start playing backbeats on 2 and 4, without first having to master the 13 essential drum rudiments.

Posted in Audio, SKF Blog | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Barry Keane: Teaching Drums the Way I Wanted to Be Taught