Papa Jo – Shadow Wilson was the Greatest Natural Drummer

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE – I’m reading, and enjoying, Rifftide: The Life and Opinions of Papa Jo Jones, edited by Paul Devlin from taped interviews by Albert Murray. About halfway through the book I have come across a number of gems from Papa Jo Jones – sometimes as brief as a single sentence.

For example, here’s Papa Jo on drummer Shadow Wilson — a great player Jones recruited to take his place in the Count Basie Orchestra when Jones went into the US Army.

“Oh, man. Shadow [Wilson] was the greatest natural drummer that ever lived. Natural. He could play on pots, pans, and skillets and make it come out like ice cream and cake.”

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When This Moment Passes

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Scott K Fish

Now is a time of uncertainty for many of us. A time when our plans and our usual routines have been upended and some of us have extra hours on our hands.

When this moment passes, we will look back at how we adapted. We’ll remember how we became more creative, resourceful and resilient. We’ll remind ourselves, and each other about what we did, how we pushed through and how we helped.

This time next year, how will you answer the question: What did you do?

Source: Bernadette Jiwa

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Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side B

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: If you’re coming to this Tape A Side B before my posting of Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side A, the rest of the info in this post is the same as the info in my Tape A Side A post. There is a third and final segment of this interview, which I will post soon.

I posted the back story, the genesis, of this interview, on my blog, so I won’t repeat the story.

This interview with musician Jim Gordon took place January 11, 1982. That makes it 38 years old. Yes, I’ve posted on my blog audio and written excerpts from this interview. An edited version of the interview transcription appeared in Modern Drummer magazine.

But this is the first time I’m making available my full, unedited interview with Jim Gordon. I think it’s time. Jim Gordon is an important piece of pop and rock music history. He is a key part of drumming history. And as far as I know, 38 years later, this is the only full-length Jim Gordon interview in existence.

Looking back, I wish I had more time to prepare for this interview. Those of you who read the back story will learn I didn’t have more time. On the bitter cold night of January 11, 1982, in my room in a Nutley, NJ rooming house, my phone rang unexpectedly. Jim Gordon was calling.

So began this interview.

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Stems – Living As if Everything is Your Swan Song

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Scott K Fish

Stems from ainslie henderson on Vimeo.

SKF NOTE – This is video short is a brief look at a sentimental percussion ensemble. “What I love about stop motion puppets is that they have this inherent sadness,” says filmmaker and musician Ainslee Henderson. “They’re like little actors that only get one role. Everything they do is their swan song.”

I discovered this film, “Stems,” on the Vimeo Blog. Blogger Sam Morrill writes:

“The film is a collaboration between [Ainslee] Henderson and the musical artist Poppy Ackroyd who composed the score. However, unlike the traditional process wherein a film is picture-locked and then delivered to the composer for scoring, Henderson and Ackroyd worked backwards. ‘[Poppy] would send separate “stems” — that’s where the film got its name — of each track of music. I would make characters and instruments that looked like they might make each of the sounds she’d given me and we’d go from there.’

“Henderson who is himself a former chart-topping musician likens animation to music. Like music, ‘[animation] comes down to a matter of trying to move people, with what, and for what purpose? There are technical [similarities] too, about rhythm, tone and sentiment. Films have a kind of melody.’”

What if I was able to live as if everything I do is my swan song?

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Jim Gordon – Full Interview – Tape A Side A

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Scott K Fish

SKF NOTE: I posted the back story, the genesis, of this interview, on my blog, right here, so I won’t repeat the story.

This interview with musician Jim Gordon took place January 11, 1982. That makes it 38 years old. Yes, I’ve posted on my blog audio and written excerpts from this interview. An edited version of the interview transcription appeared in Modern Drummer magazine.

But this is the first time I’m making available my full, unedited interview with Jim Gordon. I think it’s time. Jim Gordon is an important piece of pop and rock music history. He is a key part of drumming history. And as far as I know, 38 years later, this is the only full-length Jim Gordon interview in existence.

Looking back, I wish I had more time to prepare for this interview. Those of you who read the back story will learn I didn’t have more time. On the bitter cold night of January 11, 1982, in my room in a Nutley, NJ rooming house, my phone rang unexpectedly. Jim Gordon was calling.

So began this interview.

I will add Tape A Side B and Tape B Side A to the blog as soon as possible.

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