SKF NOTE: Whitney Balliett‘s interesting book can be read at any time, starting on any page. There’s almost always at least one tidbit of historical significance on every page. Of course, drummers can learn a great deal about drumming from other instrumentalists – such as this observation from pianist Mel Powell.
In his New Yorker magazine obituary, it says, “Balliett played drums, and that great drummer [Sid Catlett] may have been his God.”
Mel Powell: Imagine working at age eighteen with the likes of Sidney Catlett and Cootie Williams and Billy Butterfield and Benny [Goodman], and imagine what it felt like to be on that stage at the Paramount when it rose into view at the start of each show! Catlett was a particular delight. He had delicacy as powerful as a bomb. The comfort his support gave you!
SKF NOTE: Drummer Phil Gould offers lots of common sense advise in this interview. I’m going to file this piece away for future reference. The YouTube insertions are mine, not part of the original interview.
Drummer Phil Gould explains the secrets of groove By Rhythm magazine The former Level 42 sticksman tells us what it is to be in the pocket
Phil Gould was the man who laid down the tight grooves in support of Mark King’s slap-bass led jazz-funk popsters Level 42 in their ’80s heyday. We asked Phil just what groove means to him, how to have good time in your playing, and to list his favourite groove drummers.
Q. How do you define groove?
Phil Gould: “For me, groove is that place in the music where all the musicians are in sync with one another, and the music has a constancy, often called the ‘pocket’ (ie, the beat placement remains constant either ahead, on top of or behind the beat).
“Sometimes, a tension between two different feels can create amazing feel, and a very deep groove, such as in early rock’n’roll, where the drummers were still swinging while the guitarists were trying to straighten things out (eg, Chuck Berry’s Roll Over Beethoven).
“But how musicians groove…and…arrive at a certain place in time is as a result (as Steve Gadd once put it) of a ‘negotiation’ between the musicians, which reflects many things other than just the music, including the culture, the climate, the instruments played, technical proficiency, etc.
“I learned a lot about note values from studying classical percussion. [B]y and large, you can hold a note for its full duration on a guitar, saxophone or a violin, but you can’t do that on a snare drum.., but you still have to give each note its full value.
“[Y]ou must be able to grasp the concept of musical time to make it work, and that comes down to basic musical talent. If you play a drum pattern and are constantly coming in early on the downbeat or varying where you place the backbeat you’re not going to make the musicians around you feel good, and you’re likely to get kicked out of the band at some point….”
Q. Who is your favourite groove drummer of all time?
Phil Gould: “Depends on the music but I’m a massive Harvey Mason fan. When I heard how Harvey played behind George Benson’s solo on Masquerade, from the album Breezin’, my head nearly exploded! I knew then that I wanted to play with that kind of minimalism!”
SKF NOTE: What a band! I read recently these four compatriots never performed together live. What a shame. Four great players. A showcase for Alan Dawson. This was the first time I heard the side of Alan Dawson that influenced his student, Tony Williams.
Booker Ervin‘s version of A Lunar Tune (Ervin) from his album The Freedom Book. Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, on 3 December 1963. Produced by Don Schlitten for Prestige Records. Personnel: Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone), Jaki Byard (piano), Richard Davis (bass), and Alan Dawson (drums).
SKF NOTE: Stan Getz collaboration with composer and arranger Eddie Sauter recorded in 1961. One of my longstanding “go to” albums, Focus is beautiful music with some great Roy Haynes drumming.
Check out Roy’s brushwork — his musicianship — on I’m Late, I’m Late.
SKF NOTE: I have fond memories of the time I spent with Michael Shrieve putting together his Modern Drummer interview. Of all of the drummers I interviewed, Mike Shrieve was immersed in the most varied aspects of drumming. Really, he was fascinated with sound and color and how each, separate and combined, is used for positive goals. He introduced me to the fields of music therapy and color therapy.
Mike Shrieve was also among the first drummers using electronic drums. He was also very familiar with what is now called World Music. And he showed me a common sense idea for setting up my drumset I have used ever since: Where to position your hi-hat and bass drum pedals? First, sit down on your drum stool. Place your feet on the floor naturally. Where do your feet go instinctively? Well, that’s where you put your hi-hat and bass drum pedals.
The challenge interviewing Shrieve was this: I would interview him, he’d talk about his current project or band, and then before his interview was published Michael was on to a new project or band, rendering his interview obsolete. So we would reconvene for an interview update.
We finished Shrieve’s MD interview when he had formed Novo Combo — a more pop oriented band. I’ll have to double-check when I find that issue of MD, but I think Shrieve had moved on from Novo Combo by the time his interview was published.
In 1986, Michael’s brother, Kevin, joined Michael and Klaus Schulze on another album, Transfer Station Blue — which I liked very much. Soon after, I lost touch with Michael Shrieve. The next time I saw his name was in 2001 as producer of the Bill Frisell and David Holland and Elvin Jones CD.
Finally, I came across this Michael Shrieve press kit last week. Three photos and three sheets of backgrounder circa 1983.
==========
SKF NOTE (11/12/15): I came across this review of GO in concert in the December 15, 1977 Down Beat. This existing Michael Shrieve thread seemed a good place to add the review.
You must be logged in to post a comment.