Journey Through Sound with Charli Persip

Posted on November 26, 2025 by Scott K Fish
Photo of Charli Perip from “The Jazz Soul of Porgy & Bess” album

SKF NOTE: This is post #2 of my life’s drumming milestones; revisiting drummers/recordings having a major impact on how I gauge drums, drummers, and drumming. Hearing these milestones appreciably broadened my drumming perspective.

Drummer Charli Persip, in the early 1980s, came by bus from NYC to visit with the editorial staff at Modern Drummer‘s Cedar Grove, NJ offices .

As MD‘s designated driver, I met Charli at the NJ bus stop, Then we drove in my car to the office.

During our ride I told Charli about my introduction to his drumming. It was “The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess” big band date with brilliant arrangements by Bill Potts. Charlie was among a big band of “A” jazzmen:

Alto Saxophone – Gene Quill, Phil Woods
Baritone Saxophone – Sol Schlinger
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Charlie Persip
Guitar – Herbie Powell
Piano – Bill Evans
Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Zoot Sims
Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer, Earl Swope, Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Rod Levitt
Trumpet – Art Farmer, Bernie Glow, Charlie Shavers, Harry Edison, Marky Markowitz

I was given my original album copy circa 1968 by neighbor Ed Mathews. Ed was then head A&R man at CBS records. I was about age 17. “Jazz Soul” was first released in (1959) on the United Artists label.

If I’m precise, the album’s opening track, “Summertime,” was my introduction to Charli Persip..

What an introduction!

An album photo shows Charli playing a four-piece Gretsch drumset; probably 9×13 and 16×16 toms, a 22″ bass drum, 5.5×14 snare, two cymbals, a hi-hat.

Listening to “Summertime” at 17 I was impressed with how confidently Persip navigates the chart. No hesitation. His time is impeccable. His comping and fills beautifully weave the chart together.

Bonus! Charl’s drums sounded so friggin’ good. Fat, open sounding toms. His crisp, medium tuned snare. And a killer bass drum. Plastic drum heads were available in 1959, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Charli was using calf heads.

My respect for Charli’s drumming on “Jazz Soul” went up several notches when he told me during our drive that he remembered the songs on “Jazz Soul” as first takes.

“Washington City Paper’s” Eddie Dean has an interesting and informative piece of the “Jazz Soul” recording sessions. Dean tells us the recording budget was tight- no overtime-and there were three rehearsals. Dean mentions one first take, and that all the band members were “first-class sight readers.”

So, Charli Persip’s memory of “Summertime” as a first take could be spot on.

There is one more Charli Persip cut on a different album among my milestones. I will write about it up the road.

But, Charli Persip on this date remains a favorite 57 years after hearing this album for the first time.

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Exploring Drumming Milestones: A Journey Through Sound

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Scott K Fish

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.

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New Sid Catlett with Louis 1948

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Now and then someone uncovers music gold: Reels of tapes containing magical music no one knew existed. Or if someone did know, they’ve either died or forgotten the music.

Recent examples, The John Coltrane Quartet’s “Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album” (2018). “The Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall” (2005). Duke Ellington – The Complete Concert at Newport 1956 (1999).

On his Facebook page this week, Loren Schoenberg reposted a story of newly discovered tapes of Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars in concert (1948) with this headline: “NEW SID CATLETT WITH LOUIS!!!”

In part, here’s Loren’s post:

Ricky Riccardi

A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN LOUIS ARMSTRONG ALL STARS CONCERT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED AND IS COMING TO YOUTUBE! A good samaritan named Michael Lynch contacted me over the summer to let me know that he acquired eight (!) tapes of the All Stars performing in Minneapolis at two separate concerts, May 8 and 9, 1948.

Yes, you read that correctly. 1948. Louis Armstrong. Jack Teagarden. Earl “Fatha” Hines. Barney Bigard. Arvell Shaw. Velma Middleton. Big Sid Catlett. THE ALL STARS!

Thank you, Ricky Riccardi and Loren for bringing this to our attention.

Big Sid sounds great here. He’s playing, as always, is inventive, musical, and fun. When he was drumming Catlett always seemed to have fun.

And Catlett’s drums sound so good. Calf heads! Open drums. Often imitated, never equalled.

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Neil Peart’s Advice to Anika Niiles?

Posted on October 12, 2025 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: A happy breakthrough. That’s how this video of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson announcing a new Rush tour strikes me. Good for them.

Certainly Neil Peart is smiling at the tour announcement. I can’t imagine Neil would react otherwise. After all, he had finished his last tour roughly ten years ago and was moving on to life without Rush tours. More time for family, writing, and other projects.

Anika Niiles, Rush’s drummer for their upcoming tour, is new to me. Interviewing her about the Rush tour would be interesting.

Neil was a methodical drummer, working out his parts for Rush songs with little room for onstage improvisation. During our interview published in Modern Drummer April 1984 Neil described performing in sync with Alex, Geddy, and all kinds of sequenced electronics. Laughing, I told Neil what he was describing sounded fragile, risky. That one missed cue – a stick drop, a memory loss – would cause the Rush song in question to come crashing in on itself.

Neil, if memory serves, said playing Rush songs was sometimes exactly that fragile. And sometimes, along with human error, electronics went haywire. In either case, the band had to press on.

I’m wondering if Ms. Niiles will have to memorize Neil’s drum parts note for note. As Neil described his method of building out his Rush drum parts, it seems Niiles has no option. In a way, Neil’s approach was similar to classical percussionists, where he knew in advance exactly what he was going to play.

Adding to the Rush 2026 intrigue? Alex and Geddy mention expanding Rush as a trio, at least for some songs, to a quartet or quintet. That suggest Anika will have room to improvise and/or create her own drum parts.

And maybe the new Rush means some new songs.

Neil’s advice to Anika? No one knows for sure. (Although it won’t surprise me if someone finds a Peart essay to his unknown successor.)

But I think Neil would advise Anika Niiles, “Be yourself. You’ll do fine.”

The good news is: Rush is alive and well.

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Jaijai Jackson: “That’s How It’s Done”

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Scott K Fish

SKFNOTE: Jaijai Jackson and I met through her Linkedin “The Jazz Network” and “Not Just Jazz Network. Early on I learned Jaijai’s father is the great jazz bassist and band leader, Chubby Jackson.

Chubby was part of Woody Herman’s classic Thundering Herd rhythm section with legendary drummers Dave Tough and Don Lamond. Chubby Jackson also worked and recorded with drummer Tiny Kahn and many other jazz greats. He was among those musicians who excelled in both Swing and Bebop styles.

Before I dug deep into Chubby Jackson as a jazz musician, I knew him from his local NY tv show airing “The Little Rascals” episodes.

That’s also where I first saw Jaijai’s brother, Duffy Jackson, performing as a kid drummer with his dad. Duffy became a well-respected drummer, performing with the Count Basie Orchestra, Sammy Davis, Jr.’s TV Show big band, Monty Alexander, and his own bands.

But what started as my September 4, 2025 interview with Jaijai about her father and brother expanded into an interview about Jaijai’s fascinating career as a music performer and as a key person ion the business side of the music business.

For example, Jaijai was part of a girl group, including Cathy Rich, singing with Buddy Rich’s Big Band. Jaijai also managed her brother, Duffy, and handled Buddy Rich’s contracts while she served as a key person for the famed Willard Alexander Booking Agency.

These days Jaijai Jackson is interested in educating and promoting up-and-coming jazz artists, as well as writing a book about her father, bassist/bandleader Chubby Jackson.

Visit Jaijai Jackson on Linkedin at her “The Jazz Network Worldwide” & “Not Just Jazz Network.” https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1607627/

Chubby Jackson, Jaijai Jackson, Duffy Jackson
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