Tribute to Gene Krupa
My appearance at the 2015 Chicago Drum Show was completely centered around paying tribute to Gene Krupa and the 80th anniversary of the birth of Swing (1935-2015). Dr. Theodore Dennis Brown (aka “Denny”) and I hosted two big events to celebrate Krupa: A clinic in which we deconstructed the classic performance of “Sing Sing Sing,” and a roundtable where we discussed Krupa’s life in detail (including the infamous “drug bust” of 1943).
To see the full performance of “Sing Sing Sing,” check out the video at the bottom of this post.
Above is a great shot by Ronn Dunnett (of Dunnett Classic Drums) of the “Tribute Kit” that Drum Workshop Inc. (DW Drums) so graciously put together for me to use at the event.
The set up includes a 14×26 bass drum, 9×13 rack tom, 16×16 and 16×18 floor toms. The cymbals are a combination of vintage plates, along with newer SABIAN and Crescent models (the latter was bought by the former in January, so I endorse both companies). The set up is rounded out with heads from Aquarian drumheads & Percussion Accessories (mostly from the Modern Vintage line), Vic Firth sticks, and a cowbell (a key ingredient in “Sing Sing Sing”) provided by Latin Percussion (LP).
Thanks to all my companies for creating this phenomenal gear, and for their continued support of my “mission” to share the incredible legacy of our instrument!
Daniel Glass plays “Sing Sing Sing” at the 2015 Chicago Drum ShowTo put you in a festive mood for the upcoming weekend, here’s the complete performance of “Sing Sing Sing” from the 2015 Chicago Drum Show. Enjoy!For more on drumming history and evolution: www.DanielGlass.com
Posted by Daniel Glass – Drummer, Author, Educator on Friday, May 22, 2015
Why Every Drummer Needs to Listen to Barry Manilow …
So why have I posted a picture of Barry Manilow on this fine Monday morning? No, it’s not to dump a spoonful of saccharin in your morning cup.
It’s because if you’re a drummer, you really need to watch the video below and see what happens at 0:54.
What you’ll hear is Manilow’s 1974 hit, “Mandy,” and what happens at 0:54 is that the drummer comes in. And what is the drummer doing, pray tell? Playing quarter notes on the hi hat is what. Why is this a big deal? Because it’s hard … REALLY hard on a song at a fairly moderate tempo such as this one.
Now keep listening, and you’ll notice that every time the drummer starts to play fills, they are comprised of 8th notes …. every time, the whole way through the song. Again, playing fills of this kind is actually really hard to do at tempos like this one.
What’s the upshot of all this? If you want to improve your straight eighth groove – get “deeper into the pocket” as it were – it would behoove you to play along with “Mandy” and other Manilow power pop ballads. They all follow the same drumming formula, and will really test your abilities not only to keep steady time, but to go in and out of fills without losing said time.
I learned this lesson firsthand when I worked with Graham Russell from Air Supply (yes, Air Supply) a few years back. I was tasked to cut a demo of a brand new Russell original for a Broadway project, and realized that my “power ballad” time wasn’t so hot. SO, in preparation for the recording, I spent three days in my practice space working on deathly slow rock grooves playing nothing but quarter notes on the hi hat and eighth note fills. It was a great lesson and those three days made me a much better drummer.
Try it – you’ll find a whole new appreciation of SPACE, something that most drummers are absolutely terrified of and have much trouble negotiating.
The Answer is YES!
People ask, “How should I play: Matched grip or traditional grip?” And my answer to that question is “Yes.” Heel up or heel down? My answer to that question is “Yes.” The more knowledge you have, the more tools you have in the box, the more you can apply toward whatever music you are playing.
Steve Smith’s Thesis
Steve Smith’s thesis, which he and I have discussed a lot, is that starting in the 1960s and ’70s, as rock and roll took over and studio technology improved, drummers no longer had to take responsibility for the sound of their instrument or how they played it.
For starters, the industry created double ply heads and larger drums that ate up all of the overtones. We were encouraged to remove our bottom tom heads and front bass drum head and heavily muffle everything to remove all tone.
With the advent of close miking, an engineer could really control everything. They could make you sound huge by dialing in reverb and echo after the fact. Now, drummers didn’t have to know how to tune or strike a drum properly anymore, because however you hit the drum, the engineer could “create” your sound after the fact.
And that is essentially the world we live in today.
Over those decades, the engineer has become more important than the drummer. Essentially, the message is “You just worry about playing the drums and we’ll get a good sound out of it.” And to a large degree the technology allowed them to do that.
While there is no lack of great drummers in the world today, as a species in some ways we have lost a primal connection to our instrument.
A big part of what I learned from Freddie Gruber, and what I teach my students today is reconnecting to what I call “the dark arts,” older (ancient, even?) methods of approaching drumming and the drum set where we are more deeply connected to our instrument.
Ringo’s First Ludwig Kit
From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ringo Starr talks about his first Ludwig drum kit.
Great story, one that opens up a window into the world of rock’s birth.
Swinging RCR’s Music in a Whole New Way!
Check out this cool marching band take on
Royal Crown Revue’s “The Contender”
Get Ready to RRRRUUUUUMMMMBBBBLLLLE!
Louis Prima, Meet Las Vegas …
When drummer Bobby Morris first started playing with Louis Prima, they performed at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas. Their shift was from midnight to six in the morning: Six forty-five minute sets, with a fifteen minute break.
Bobby Morris
DG plays the 2015 Bonzo Bash
Had the opportunity to play “Carouselambra” (one of my all time Zep fantasy tunes) at this year’s East Coast Bonzo Bash. Serious fun … and a serious freakin’ workout. Thanks to Brian Tichy and all the cats for having me on board! Recorded at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ – May 31st, 2015.