Tag Archives: SKFBlog

Alan Dawson: Innovator vs Innovative

SKF NOTE: In 1985, Alan Dawson invited me to his Massachusetts home for this interview, part of which was included in Modern Drummer‘s 10th Anniversary issue January 1986. As time allows I am converting portions of the Mr. Dawson’s interview … Continue reading

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Becoming a Pro Musician: Risk, Failure, Lessons Learned

SKF NOTE: Maybe other musicians grow by reaching one skill level, staying at that level for awhile until something takes the musician to the next skill level. That something, in my experience, is usually a combination of listening, developing chops, … Continue reading

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The Secrets of Chick Webb’s Drumming Technique 1938

SKF NOTE: John P. Noonan‘s terrific piece, The Secrets of Chick Webb’s Drumming Technique, (Down Beat 1938), which I’m excerpting here, is a valuable inheritance. John Noonan is a noted percussion player and teacher who studied with Ed Straight, Roy … Continue reading

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One Night Watching Sonny Greer and Papa Jo Jones Trading Fours

SKF NOTE: Reading again my memories, written in 1982, of one night at New York City’s West End Cafe watching Sonny Greer and Papa Jo Jones trading fours with wire brushes. I’m thinking about a phone conversation with Chip Stern … Continue reading

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Jerry Allison: Keep Everything Relatively Simple

SKF NOTE: Another backgrounder interview for my History of Rock Drumming series for Modern Drummer. This, too, was a phone interview — the only backgrounder transcript so far with a date on it: March 21, 1982. I describe the full … Continue reading

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