It’s a way of life. —Frank Zappa I just finished reading a fascinating biography called Hendrix: Musician, by Keith Shadwick (Backbeat, 2012), which caught my eye in the discount bin at the local music store. I’ve been delving into Hendrix lore since working on the 1968–70 portion of a memoir, My Generation. Hendrix was god… Continue Reading
Last week I had the pleasure of witnessing up close some ceremonial drumming in front of the Temple of the (Buddha’s) Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Packing my sangban along on this trip for a February drum camp in Thailand, I was eager to see some of the local dundunfolas in action.Not that the rhythms… Continue Reading
Two new publications are available for beginning or experienced drummers to learn from. These resources offer accessible rhythms and experiential lessons that helped me in the early phase of my journey as a hand drummer. Friday Night Jam is a kind of anecdotal, instructional how-to (and sometimes painful how-not-to) guide to group improvisation, based on my… Continue Reading
[excerpt from a journal chronicling music jams 1991-95; photos more recent] Friday Night Jam: An account of experiences, learning and realization from drum jams, music practice and performance Read Friday Night Jam: on Kindle (free download!) or in paperback. Experiential advice to beginning drummers, or to longtime musicians who have not yet had the opportunity… Continue Reading
