Stones Playing Free Concert in Cuba

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Scott K Fish

Mar 1, 2016
MUSIC
The Rolling Stones Announce Free Concert in Cuba
By MIKE AYERS

The Rolling Stones will play a free concert in Havana on March 25. Dubbed the “Concert for Amity,” the show will take place at the Ciudad Deportiva de la Habana. The Associated Press notes that they are the biggest act to play Cuba since its 1959 revolution.

“We have performed in many special places during our long career, but this show in Havana is going to be a landmark event for us, and, we hope, for all our friends in Cuba too,” the band said in a statement. A press release says the band will perform their hits, along with “special gems” from their catalog, and has been in the works for months.

Full Story

UPDATER: The Stones will (fittingly) be the first British band to perform an open air concert in Cuba

UPDATER: Rolling Stones tell giant crowd “times are changing” at Cuba debut
Source: Reuters – Sat, 26 Mar 2016 03:54 GMT

The band’s advancing years did not stop the youngsters in the audience enjoying the show, however.

“Don’t let anybody tell you different, this is the best concert in the history of Cuba,” said Cristian, 18, a reggaeton fan who this month saw electronic music act Major Lazer in another free gig.

 

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Duke Ellington vs Chick Webb: ‘We Tore Them Up, Man’

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Scott K Fish
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Sonny Greer

SKF NOTE: Sonny Greer was Duke Ellington‘s drummer 1924-1951 when he was replaced by Louis Bellson. This exchange about a Savoy Ballroom Battle of the Bands between the Duke Ellington and Chick Webb Orchestras is from my interview with Sonny Greer on March 4, 1981 at his New York home.

One source puts the date of this Battle as March 7, 1937.

Sonny Greer: Every week they would feature a guest band at the Savoy Ballroom. All the big bands would go up there. But Chick Webb’s band would cut them.

So, now it’s our turn to go up there. Millie [Sonny Greer’s wife] was up there. Chick had such strong men. He’d cut them all down. We played the Apollo Theater the week before we went up there to play against Chick.

So, man, everybody’s running out of the Apollo Theater saying, “Man, ain’t nobody ever cut the Duke, but Chick can do it ’cause they been rehearsing all week.”

So, Duke just laughed. Duke ain’t paid it no mind. We didn’t rehearse. We just played the show. We had enough to worry about there at the Apollo. We didn’t have time to rehearse no band.

Chick opened up. The place was packed and jammed. And they was saying that was Chick’s home-ground. Chick’s cats got a big ovation. We sit back and listened to it.

Duke ain’t never called no number. We went up there [onstage] and Duke played a little piano, just me and him ’til it go down to the last four bars, until he played the tonic and we knew what [song] he was going to play, see?

Man, we opened up with Rockin’ in Rhythm. Man, the people in the place stood up and cheered. People wouldn’t dance! The place was packed and jammed. They just stood around the bandstand.

That was the first number we played. And from then on — where Chick left off? — we kept going higher. Chick shook his head. “Why you got to play all that music when you’re up there?” The guy that booked us there said, “Chick, I guess you’d better play the waltzes now.”

Duke and I, we were crazy about Chick. He was crazy about Duke. Chick asked, “Duke, what’d you do that to me for?” Duke said, “Man, we’re just playing a gig. That’s all.” But we didn’t have long [before] we had to go back to the Cotton Club.

We tore them up, man!

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Prayers for Ginger Baker: Tour Dates Cancelled

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Prayers for Ginger Baker.

ginger baker

Cream drummer Ginger Baker cancels tour dates due to ‘serious heart problems’
Doctors have insisted that the musician have “complete rest” as a result of his diagnosis

Baker confirmed the news on his official blog in a post titled ‘Ginger is shocked by the news of his health’, writing: “Just seen doctor… big shock… no more gigs for this old drummer… everything is off… of all things I never thought it would be my heart…”

Full Story

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Buddy Rich’s Secret Solved

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Scott K Fish
Buddy_Rich

Buddy Rich

SKF NOTE: I cannot remember a time in my life when this Great Music Mystery wasn’t unsolved: How did Buddy Rich become the world’s greatest drummer without taking drum lessons?

I grew up, like a million other aspiring drummers, being told I had to learn the 13 Essential Drum Rudiments and I had to learn how to read music. These were necessary for becoming a successful drummer.

And all the while I was struggling with paradiddle variations and ratamacues, and the often mind numbing task of converting notes on drum charts into music — there was always the World’s Greatest Drummer. He never took a drum lesson. He couldn’t read music.

If Buddy Rich could be as good as he was without lessons and reading – why couldn’t I? Why couldn’t other aspiring drummers?

What was Buddy Rich’s secret?

A few weeks ago I came across a letter written by drum teacher Stanley Spector, published in the March 7, 1968 Down Beat that — lo and behold! — solves the Great Music Mystery. At least to a large degree. I’ve posted a photo of Mr. Spector’s letter below. But here’s the part of Spector’s letter that caught my eye:

Buddy Rich is reported to have stated that he never took a drum lesson in his life, that he took to drumming like a fish takes to water, so to speak. Really? If one understands Buddy the R and his special background, he probably had more man-hours of the only relevant drum instruction available in his time than any other drummer who ever appeared before the public.

In face, you could say that his childhood was one perpetual drum lesson.

As I understand it, Rich’s parents were in vaudeville and toured the country with son Buddy in tow. Master Rich had the opportunity, the time and the interest to sit in the front row of theaters and take daily drum lessons by watching and talking with every first rate pit band drummer in America.

Apparently when your total environment has been a drumming school the tendency is not to take notice that you ever attended classes. Does the fish notice that its environment is water?

About one year later I came across podcast, a 1981 BBC Radio Show, Desert Island Discs, hosted by Roy Plomley with Buddy Rich as Mr. Plomley’s guest.

Mr. Plomley asks Buddy about the Great Music Mystery. Buddy’s answer, which I have transcribed here verbatim, confirms what Stanley Spector suspected 13 years earlier in his Down Beat letter.

Roy Plomley: Had anybody ever taught your drumming? Or are you entirely self-taught?

Buddy Rich: I think that at the age of 2 it would be very difficult to teach. And because I pay attention to things I listened to so many pit drummers, at my early age, who played great vaudeville shows, that I learned a great deal from them. But I’ve never beent to a school. I’ve never had a particular drum teacher.

And so, as I got older, my talent evolved and I suppose I got better. I don’t know how much better, but I think I got a little better.

RP: Who among jazz drummers influenced you most?

BR: I think everyone I’ve ever listened to. From Chick Webb, Krupa — and I could go on and name a hundred drummers — Dave Tough, Zutty Singleton, a couple of drummers over here [England] who were…. I was very impressed by Ronnie Verrill. One of my very good friends today is Kenny Clare.

There are many guys that I’ve admired and listened to a great deal, but finally, when I decided that that’s what I wanted to do, I think I evolved into my own personality.

It makes sense, doesn’t it? And yet, these answers to one Great Music Mystery create another: All the times I’ve read or listened to Buddy Rich interviews, I never recall Buddy being asked, or voluntarily speaking, about his childhood experience learning from the world’s greatest pit drummers. That seems such a loss, such a missed opportunity.

If Buddy Rich’s experience studying pit drummers does exist in print or audio — I would love to read it or listen to it.

680703_spector_rich_downbeat

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Weckl Describes Simon & Garfunkel Audition 1983

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Scott K Fish
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Dave Weckl

SKF NOTE: This exchange is from my 1983 feature length with Dave Weckl that was never published in Modern Drummer. Well, some of the interview was published in MD as a profile of Dave Weckl, but that’s it. Here’s the back story.

Weckl was age 23 when we met. He was living in Bridgeport, CT getting ready to go on tour with Simon and Garfunkel  — arguably the first major gig that put Weckl on the map.

Weckl’s own web site says of the ’83 Simon and Garfunkel reunion tour: “After this tour, it was not long before Dave was regularly being called for radio and TV jingles, sound track sessions, and top recording dates with such artists as George Benson, Peabo Bryson, Diana Ross, and Robert Plant, to name a few.”

I will make the entire interview transcript available in the future. Meanwhile, here is 23-year old Dave Weckl telling us about his audition for the Simon and Garfunkel drum chair.

Scott K Fish: Were there other drummers who auditioned for the Simon and Garfunkel gig?

Dave Weckl: Not that I know of. Anthony Jackson was basically responsible for that. That’s the one thing of getting people to respect you for what you are. You can’t act like something you’re not. Basically, try to form yourself to be something that people will respect and like. You’ve got to work at that. You’ve got to look at yourself from the outside in. The more people you have on your side, obviously, the farther you’re going to go and the better you’re going to do. This business works on recommendation.

jackson_anthony

Anthony Jackson

SKF: Do you think your attitude is as important or more important than your technical ability?

DW: It all works hand in hand. And at times, attitude can outweigh your talent. And I’ve seen attitude work against somebody who is an outstanding player. They’re great, but for some unknown reason they’re not working. You ask, “Why?” And the answer is oftentimes, “Ah, he’s got a strange attitude.” That’s really it.

Once you get to know these people, and they know you as a person, and they can see that you’re not a jerk — that you’re a responsible type — then, of course, your ability has to be able to back you up. That’s when all the years of woodshedding come into play. When you’re thrown into a situation of, “Okay. This guy trusts me. He’s going to recommend me and put his reputation on the line.” That’s when you have to be able to back up what everybody’s talking about.

SKF: What was the audition for Simon and Garfunkel like?

DW: Well, Anthony [Jackson] recommended me to Paul Simon. I was working downtown with Barry Finnerty. Paul actually came down to check it out. The office had called me a couple of weeks before and said that they were looking for a drummer and there wre a couple of people they were interested in.

So I expected somebody to show up, but I didn’t expect Paul to show up.

simon_garfunkel_1983It was funny, because I didn’t say anything to him. I didn’t go up to him. He was there for a purpose. He was there to see if I could play or not. He was there to see if he liked my style.

I figured if he liked me and wanted me to work for him, then I’d get to know him then. I just didn’t know what to say to him.

SKF: How did you feel when you saw him walk into the club?

DW: I felt good that he had showed up. I thought that was really nice. I didn’t want to scare him away or play a lot of shit because that ain’t what his thing is about. My main concentration was just playing musically for the music. We were playing some funk stuff and a little bit [of] fusion-oriented [music], but not really. It was a good thing for me to be playing with, and it was a good band.

I was mainly concentrating on groove, feel and time, and sensitivity.

SKF: And Paul never said anything to you that night?

DW: No. We never exchanged one word. I felt wierd about it, but I was just in that position where I didn’t have anything to say. I figured if he liked what he heard and wanted me to work for him — then I’d hear from him.

I think it was a week or a week-and-a-half before I heard anything. I was walking around in nervous anticipation trying to figure out what was happening. I was talking to Anthony in the meantime. And he didn’t even know if he was going on the tour yet.

But about a week-and-a-half later the office called and said they wanted to use me for the tour.

That was the audition.

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