[Dixielandjazz] drums

[BillSargentDrums at aol.com]

<<I am really allergic to drum solos. Why is it that audiences always  go
bananas after the drummer has beaten the s*** out of everything  surrounding
him - has a drum solo *anything* to do with music or merely an  athletic
exercise ?? I vote for the latter, with due apologies to my (few)  drummer
friends !!
Clive Smith in New York>>
 
Then Jim added:

<<Clive, It's just a fact of life.   People love a loud, wild drum solo.  A
drum solo can be, though, a  musical thing.  Other musicians in the band will
be able to follow where  a drummer is in the actual song during his drum
solo...if the drummer is a  musician, also (of course!).  The melody line can
even be played out by  a clever drummer.

I translated (into Spanish) for a drum clinic given by  Joe Morello years
ago. Your question, Clive ("has a drum solo *anything* to  do with music")
can be answered with a big yes.  Just takes the right  drummer. 

However, is that what an audience loves to hear?   Nope!  The more bashing &
more crashing that goes on, the more they  seem to love it.>>
 
Jim is right. It all depends upon the drummer. Unfortunately, Clive has  been 
working with a bunch of knobs . . . or, (hope this is not the case) Clive  is 
a closed minded purist elitist. I'm guessing it's the first scenario.
 
There are drummers, then there are musician-drummers. Occasionally you'll  
find a musician-drummer who is also a showman. When you find that, you band has  
a gem. Pay him well and keep him happy. (Could also be a her) They are worth  
their weight in gold.
 
They have the ability to make your band sound better than you probably  are.
 
I can take a band of superb musicians in every chair and the band will  
TOTALLY SUCK if the drummer's bad.
 
And, the reverse is also true. I can take a mediocre band, put a great  
drummer with it and it will sound wonderful.
 
DON'T MISS THIS, BECAUSE HERE'S THE POINT: A lesson I was taught early on  be 
some jazz greats is - 
 
PEOPLE LISTEN AS MUCH WITH THEIR EYES AS WITH THEIR EARS.
 
Some of you may think that's unfortunate, but it's true and it's a natural  
law that won't change just because you don't like it.
 
In almost all cases, except for the singer, the most entertaining guy in  
your band is probably the drummer. Frankly, there's just not much entertainment  
value in watching a horn player's fingers move an inch or less on the keys or  
valves. The trombonist has an edge over the rest of you here. (I won't even  
touch on the washboardists here)
 
And, without even having seen all y'all, I can safely say most of you stand  
or sit there like statutes. 
 
That leaves the visual entertainment to the drummer. I'll offer up my  
evidence as how Krupa won the world with Goodman. He was simply an animal. An  
excited, happy, smiling, moving, gestured, absorbed, wild animal . . . and he  was 
an attention magnet who telegraphed his enthusiasm to the audience.
 
When I was with Clyde McCoy, I used to do a ten or so minute drum solo  every 
night and every night it used to bring a standing O . . . the only one in  
the show. Was it because I was a better musician than everyone else? Nope. It  
was because I was excited, I had learned how to be visually entertaining, I had 
 learned how to put together a drum solo that went somewhere and entertained 
. .  . and I was only 16 years old. :-)
 
That all said, a good drummer plays music, and it there to be heard if your  
mind isn't filled with disdain for drummers.
 
People tell me that when I solo, they can hear the melody of the song . . .  
just as Jim has mentioned.
 
Once again, always remember - PEOPLE LISTEN AS MUCH WITH THEIR EYES AS WITH  
THEIR EARS.
 
 
 
Bill
414-777-0100
BillSargentBands.com

Just released:  "The Best Of Bill Sargent Bands - Volume 1"

Available at:  http://billsargentbands.com/recordings.htm








**************Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in shape.     
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489