Philly Joe Jones on Baby Dodds

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Scott K Fish
Philly Joe Jones

Philly Joe Jones

“When I was working with Joe Morris opposite George Shearing in the Three Deuces on 52nd St., I went across the street one night to the Onyx. Just casually, you know. And I happened to look at the placards outside that said BABY DODDS. Well, I had always been reading books and things and so I knew that Gene Krupa had been influenced by Baby and Baby had been hanging out with Gene.

“So, wanting to play the drums as bad as I wanted to, I said, ‘I’m going’ to listen to this drummer.’ So what I did, I went in the Onyx, and Baby was playing in there with a bass drum, and a snare drum, and ONE cymbal, a ride cymbal. It wasn’t a sock cymbal. He was swinging’

Baby Dodds

Baby Dodds

SO MUCH I was late an entire set! I don’t get back to work. I missed the entire set, and Joe fined me. I think it was a $30 fine. I couldn’t leave, I sat down and just stayed.”

Source: “The Forming of Philly Joe,” by Ralph J. Gleason, Down Beat, March 3, 1960.

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Jaimo’s Drum Room Circa 1980

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: After interviewing Jaimo and Butch Trucks (Modern Drummer May 1981), Jaimo and his wife at the time, Candy, invited me to spend a weekend with them at their Macon, Georgia home. It was both a fun and somber weekend – which I’ll write about sometime.

I took the photo of Jaimo in his home drum room. Attached to the door (rear left in this photo) is a chart of the human muscular system. I’m sorry my inexperience with a 35mm camera overexposed that part of the photo.

The second photo of Jaimo, Butch Trucks and yours truly was taken in the basement of a New York City bar. There was a very small office in that basement. That’s where most of the MD Jaimo/Butch interview was taped. I think this photo was taken by my friend, Bill Grillo.

L-R: Jaimo, Scott K Fish, Butch Trucks

L-R: Jaimo, Scott K Fish, Butch Trucks

152205_jaimo_practice_room

Jaimo

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The Forgotten Gary Chester/Charles Perry Drum Book?

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: This 32-page drum method book by Gary Chester and Charles Perry is not available on Alfred Music‘s web site. I would not swear in a court of law this book is out-of-print. But it appears to be.

There are two sections of the book I find most interesting. One is this photo section of Gary Chester at a recording session.

152005_garychester_buddy152005_garychester_buddy_0003152005_garychester_buddy_0004

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Ozzy Osbourne Donates $10K to Children’s Percussion Group

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Lovely gesture by Ozzy Osbourne. This percussion group is aces.

Ozzy Osbourne Donates $10K to Children’s Percussion Group
BY ALEX HEIGL @alex_heigl 05/11/2015 AT 10:30 AM EDT

After seeing the video of the Louisville Leopard Percussionists’ rendition of the song [“Crazy Train”] (originally posted in 2012), Osbourne wrote the group a note that included a $10,000 check, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. “Myself, my whole family and my fans all loved your rendition of ‘Crazy Train,’ ” Osbourne wrote in a letter dated April 24. “Keep up the good work.”

Full Story

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Dave Tough & George Wettling Gloriously Restored

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: Thank you, Wall Street Journal, for bringing this reissue to light. For drummers who’ve not heard either Dave Tough or George Wettling, this is a great place to start. For those of us familiar with Messers Tough and Wettling, it’s always a treat hearing “gloriously restored” masters and alternate takes from these two giants.

wettling_george

George Wettling

wsj.com
Review of ‘Eddie Condon & Bud Freeman: Complete Commodore & Decca Sessions’
These two masters of a hot, bouncy style forged in the late 1920s helped keep Chicago jazz alive in New York.
By MARC MYERS — May 20, 2015 5:04 p.m. ET

Joining Condon and Freeman on the box’s recordings are a wealth of Chicago jazz giants, among them…drummers George Wettling and Dave Tough. All are part of the box’s back story—Chicago jazz’s strategic move to New York, the center of radio and recording at the time.

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