Scott K Fish Interview: Gary Chester

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Looking at this interview last night for the first time in probably 30 years, I am surprised to see Gary Chester’s feature interview fourth in line in the April 1983 Modern Drummer, behind Jack DeJohnette, Artimus Pyle, and The Pros: On Bass Drums. Today, because of his subsequent popularity as a drum teacher, Gary Chester certainly would have been the second feature. He might even have given Jack DeJohnette a run for the Modern Drummer cover.

In my August 19, 2014 Life Beyond the Cymbals post, Meeting Gary Chester, I explain how I met Gary and how this interview came to pass. He was a character for sure. But he left behind a great legacy of recordings, drum teaching methods, and an untold number of students. I’ve spoken with a few of Gary’s students. They all loved studying with him.

MD Features Editor Rick Mattingly took most of the photos here at Gary’s home. Rick edited, and Modern Drummer published, Gary’s New Breed method book. I’m guessing these photos were taken during one of their sessions working on Gary’s book.

One more point: A good place to learn more about Gary Chester is the Gary Chester the Drummer Facebook page.

Here then, is the April 1983 Modern Drummer Gary Chester interview.

[SKF NOTE: 6/17/17 – Gary Chester’s full interview is now available on MD‘s Archive Page.]

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Scott K Fish Interview: Willie Nelson’s Drummer Paul English

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: If you’re reading this interview, chances are you know Paul English is Willie Nelson‘s longtime friend and drummer. This was a phone interview, but I did get to meet Paul a short time later when Willie performed at Town Hall in New York City.

I’ve always seen a similarity with the Paul English/Willie Nelson relationship and the Duke Ellington/Sonny Greer relationship. Both for their longevity, as well as their musical relationships. Neither Greer or English are go-to drummers for anyone looking for monster chops. But they were exactly right for Ellington’s and Nelson’s music.

As Paul English explains it in this interview, “That’s one thing about playing country music or the old songs. We’re not playin’ what we heard. We’re playin’ what we lived a long time ago.”

[SKF NOTE: 6/17/17 – Paul English’s full interview is now available on MD‘s Archive Page.]

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Scott K Fish Interview: James Black

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Scott K Fish
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SKF NOTE: My James Black interview appeared in the December 1982 Modern Drummer. The first person to get me excited about James Black’s drumming was Jaimoe. We were listening to records and Jaimoe asked me if I’d ever heard James Black. I said, “No.” He pulled out an old Riverside record of the Adderley Brothers, placed it on the turntable, put the needle on the record and said, “Listen to this!”

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Jaimoe also raved about James Black’s drumming on Yusef Lateef‘s Live at Pep’s album.

Many months later, Jim Keltner called me from New Orleans where he was touring with Bob Dylan. One of the first people Jim called when he was there was James Black. James came to the Dylan concert and he and Jim stayed up until the wee hours talking drums.

And in an MD interview (Colloquim III) with Freddie Waits, Billy Hart and Horacee Arnold, Billy Hart said, “I don’t care who goes to New Orleans, they’re in for a shock as long as James Black is there.”

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The challenge for me at the time was I couldn’t find any of the James Black albums drummers were raving about. They were out-of-print and iTunes and Amazon weren’t invented. Outside of the albums I heard at Jaimoe’s house, the only James Black album I could get my hands on and study was Wynton Marsalis‘s Fathers and Sons album. Why the producers put James on a heavily muffled drumset is a mystery and a disappointment. He plays well, but to my ears he sounds as if he’s uncomfortable, forced to compensate for the deadened drums. As if, in split second timing, Mr. Black is hearing open drum sounds, creating open drum sounds; then compensating when his drumset doesn’t sound or respond the way he’s hearing.

A couple of caveats to the 1982 interview. Jaimoe’s name is spelled “Jaimoe Johanson” because that was his preference at the time I wrote the introduction to this interview. Jaimoe no longer uses a last name.

This was the first (and only?) time I worked with New Orleans based photographer Pat Jolly. She did a very good job.

This interview was done in two phone sessions. I was in my MD office. James Black was home, I believe, in New Orleans.

[SKF NOTE: 6/17/17 – James Black’s full interview is now available on MD‘s Archive Page.]

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Steve Gadd Smiling

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: This week I came across this 8×10 glossy of a smiling Steve Gadd given to me by Rick Mattingly circa 1982. Rick took a number of good photos when he was Features Editor at Modern Drummer. I remember admiring this one and Rick giving me a copy. Thank you, Rick.

Steve Gadd (Photo by Rick Mattingly)

Steve Gadd (Photo by Rick Mattingly)

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Scott K Fish Interview: Paul T. Riddle

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Scott K Fish
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SKF NOTE: Paul T. Riddle (aka “P.T.”) was my first interview as Modern Drummer‘s Managing Editor. We conducted the bulk of this interview in his hotel room in New Jersey. The Marshall Tucker Band was playing at what was then the Garden State Arts Center. Today it is the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ.

From the instant P.T. opened his Sheraton Hotel room door it felt like I was visiting an old friend. He was 26 and I was 29 — more than half a lifetime ago. We have remained close friends over the years. Indeed, Riddle is among my very best friends.

Since MTB Paul has created and recorded a couple of his own bands: The Throbbers and then Watson Riddle. He’s built an amazing drum teaching practice in South Carolina. And he has almost 3,500 “Friends” on his Facebook page!

Paul is a jazzer at heart. That first time we met for his interview, Paul had on Ron Carter’s Carnaval album with Hank Jones, Sadao Watanabe, and Tony Williams. Among the stories Paul tells with fond memories is meeting Buddy Rich on his band bus, or the time Paul and I and a couple of MTB members went to see Mel Lewis‘s Big Band at the Village Vanguard in New York City.

I introduced Mel and Paul. After his first set of the night, Mel came over to Paul, arms folded across his chest, and said, “Well, that’s what I do.” I visited Paul at home this past June. We still laughed recounting how g-r-e-a-t Mel’s bass drum sounded that night.

Paul was a good friend to Modern Drummer. I’m sure he helped us secure the Jaimo/Butch Trucks interview. Also, MD‘s interview with Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Artimus Pyle. In fact, Paul was with me interviewing Artimus. And David Dix of The Outlaws.

These days Riddle is playing Palmetto Drums made in Greenville, South Carolina. In this promo video, Paul does a great job bringing us up-to-speed on what he’s been doing since leaving the Marshall Tucker Band.

For years and years Riddle and I have talked about teaming up on a book. I’m ready when he is! And I hope it happens.

[SKF NOTE: 6/17/17 – Paul T. Riddle’s full interview is now available on MD‘s Archive Page.]

Paul T. Riddle with Scott K Fish
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