Drummer Chad Smith rocks out with Greenfield school
UPDATED 7:38 PM PST Nov 13, 2014
GREENFIELD, Calif. —What did you learn at school today? Kids at Mary Chapa Academy in Greenfield learned how to play the drums from Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
For nearly three hours, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer talked with students about using the arts as a fun, alternative way to excel in school, told them inspirational stories, and had a drum jam session.
The drummer said he never would have graduated from high school if he didn’t have music classes to look forward to and a band to play in.
Fifth-grade student Suzy Rodriguez said her school has never had a music program until now.
SKF NOTE: Composer Julia Wolfe‘s “riSE and fLY” percussion concerto caught my attention while reading this story about percussionist Colin Currie’s “Metal Wood Skin” percussion festival. I haven’t heard the concerto, but what I hear on this trailer – and especially what Ms. Wolfe says about “riSE and fLY” intrigue me. They make me want to hear the entire piece.
I am drawn to Wolfe’s musical use — key word: musical – of the oldest of percussion instruments with new music, new sounds: “So, rather than going, like, ‘Let me go see what Stravinsky did,’ let me go see what these [street musicians] are doing on my street.'”
Kudos also to Mr. Currie’s sense of percussive and musical adventure. I look forward to learning more about him.
Watch the trailer for Julia Wolfe’s riSE and fLY, a percussion concerto composed for Colin Currie.
“Urban folk music. Playing with your hands, snapping your fingers…. These kind of rhythms that come out of American traditions like hambone, or street hip hop kind of feel. It’s beautiful. That was my idea: take it and stretch it to some new place.
“I’m kind of a carnivore of street musicians. Why don’t I embrace it and bring it into my world? So, it’s a fun way of culling from people’s natural musicianship. So, rather than going, like, “Let me go see what Stravinsky did,” let me go see what these guys are doing on my street.” Excerpt of Julia Wolfe from “riSE and fLY” Trailer.
Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts speechless over Jagger the 11-year-old drummer
November 13, 2014 – 8:23PM
No one gets near the Rolling Stones…except a precocious 11-year-old Sydney boy called Jagger, who calls the band’s drummer, Charlie Watts, his mentor.
Jagger Alexander-Erber is the Australian drumming prodigy first seen on Australia’s Got Talent in 2012, and he has three drumming heroes: Keith Moon, John Bonham and Watts.
On Wednesday he…gave Watts, 73, a gift, a rare cymbal – once owned by Watts’ own hero, Jackie Dougan. He was repaid by being allowed to sit for photos at Watt’s 1963 Gretsch drum kit in front of a packed Allphones Arena minutes before the Stones four-star show began. Watts told Jagger the only other people allowed to sit there were his grandchildren.
Jagger says Watts looked amazed by the gift. “He just kept saying ‘Jackie Dougan! Jackie Dougan’ over and over. He was surprised, his eyes were really wide open and he said ‘How did you get this? It’s amazing’.”
“The best thing is Jagger will now have Charlie Watts as a mentor. The connection he made was incredible … [although] Charlie doesn’t have a phone or use email. [My son] is now known to the Stones camp,” Mr Alexander-Erber said.
SKF NOTE: Finally! Blue Note releases this incredible album by the Elvin Jones Trio with Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Joe Farrell (sax, flute) in MP3 format. It has been out-of-print as a CD for years.
This was my introduction to Elvin when it was first released as an LP in 1968. Forty-six years later it remains one of my favorite jazz albums, and probably my favorite Elvin Jones album.
In my humblest opinion, Puttin’ It Together belongs in every serious drummer’s music collection.
Scott K Fish 
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