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I just spent two extremely fulfilling days in the studio recording with Christian Tamburr for his upcoming release. Eric Reed played piano and he was a joy to work with. His musical contributions were a perfect fit for the ensemble, and we had a ball joking around together! John Shifflett, our regular bass player, completed the group with his usual combination of passion and sureness.
The new recording, called Places, will be out in a matter of weeks. Please check back for updates on the exact release date and for sound samples of course!
I’m very excited to be back at Yoshi’s this spring with one of my favorite projects. The Dan Zemelman Quintet, featuring special guest, Christian Tamburr, will be performing at Yoshi’s Oakland on March 15th at 8PM. One set only, and with how the music has been shaping up, I know it will be a great show!
Dynamics are one of the most effective tools in our musical toolbox. They can focus the interest of a listener more quickly than anything – faster than that hip rhythmic hemiola you just worked out, or the most blazing single strokes you’ve ever seen. Dynamics are easy for everyone to understand, and speak to us on an emotional, instead of intellectual, level.
Dynamics are also under-used, especially during solos. Why? Well, yes, it is harder to play soft. But that’s the easy answer, and that technical problem can be worked out in the practice room. The more significant solution is that you need to start hearing dynamic change as part of your phrases. You need to make dynamics as much a core part of your mental focus as the rhythms you are playing. You need to make dynamics a part of your concept, not just something you respond to.
Some ideas:
•Experiment with extreme volumes – excessively soft and too loud. Get to know your range.
•Voicing Dynamics: Practice playing exercises (paradiddles around the drums, for example) in which one drum is always loud, the others soft. Reverse.
•Coordination Dynamics: Practice with one limb having consistent dynamic independence from the others. Try all four limbs, and reverse.
•Change the scope of your musical timeframe – it is not only about starting soft and building volume. Create an ever-changing topography of dynamic range by quickly shifting volumes within a single phrase.
Once you start thinking about it, your awareness about dynamics will increase, and that is the first big step in bringing them with you on the bandstand.
The ride cymbal beat is the most important element of jazz drumming. It should be the core of your sound, a thing by which you can be identified. It contains all of the information that other musicians need to hear in order to play with you. It defines tempo and style. It is the essence of jazz on the drums, and can make or break a groove on the bandstand.
It’s not the hi-hat!
The foot-operated hi-hat can make a great ride beat even better Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever played tennis, golf, or even just thrown a ball? Can you imagine the motion of your arm stopping the instant your racket or club makes contact, or the second your fingers release the ball? No, you must see that motion through to its completion before you can swing or throw again. This athletic concept of follow-through is of similar paramount importance for playing music accurately and with intent.
Most musicians can apply this analogy to their performances literally and receive some benefit. More interesting, however, is the related, but subtle, concept of mental follow-through: Read the rest of this entry »
Many aspects of being a good jazz drummer can be addressed through playing along with recordings. This is an important practice tool, especially for those who don’t have outlets for playing with others or don’t perform regularly. There are several key benefits:
Jazz Time-Feel:
• There is no better way to practice a swinging feel and good time, than to do so with Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, or Sam Jones on bass! Read the rest of this entry »
Let’s suppose you are practicing regularly and effectively, and your technique is feeling great. At your next gig, however, you have difficulty coming up with ideas, and the ones you do have sound stale. You feel disconnected to the music and your instrument. Why? Finding myself in this situation recently, I spoke with a fellow musician about it. He asked me, “Are you listening?” What an impactful question! Read the rest of this entry »
I have used several warm-ups throughout my drumming career. I pass them on to my students, and generally feel that using these exercises is a positive way to begin playing for the day. However, there is a potentially disabling side to warming up which is worth considering.
To illustrate, let’s look at two conflicting concepts about being musicians:
1) Musicians are similar to athletes. As such, we must warm up to bring our muscles and mind into the zone for the event.
2) Music is communication, similar to talking. It is so integral to our make-up that we can do it instantly with astounding accuracy.
Well, which is it? Read the rest of this entry »
It is possible to improve an aspect of your playing in as little as five minutes. This concept can be applied to your general practice routine, and it will help you target specific drumming topics effectively.
• Make a list of your drumming weaknesses. It can be as comprehensive as you can make it, or it could just be five or six areas that you would like to target for a couple weeks.
• Practice those specific topics in a focused manner for at least five minutes, five days a week.
• After two or three weeks, you will notice significant and lasting improvement in those target areas.
Read the rest of this entry »
How many times have we all said, “I don’t have time to practice?” Probably more times than we’d like to admit. Here’s a simple way to re-calibrate your thinking and time management for maximum results.
If you only have five minutes, then practice one thing for five minutes! This simple concept has truly changed the way I think about progress. Read the rest of this entry »
