March 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 3
On 01st Mar 2018
Articles in March 2018
Drum Wisdom: Legendary Educator Michael Carvin
One could take issue with Michael Carvin’s insistence that he isn’t a jazz drummer. His credits as a sideman for Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, and Pharoah Sanders, of course, suggest he’s wrong in that assertion. But in talking with him…
A Slingerland Unmasked
After purchasing and restoring the 1950s Slingerland bass drum pictured in this month’s featured kit, Marc Membreno was overtaken by the urge to flesh out the setup with other vintage Slingerland tubs. “I started with a 1958 blue sparkle bass…
Web Exclusive! Alex Rüdinger of Good Tiger on the Group’s Sophomore Album, We Will All Be Gone
MD checks in with the former drummer with the Faceless, Threat Signal, and the HAARP Machine on the occasion of his current band’s highly anticipated sophomore album, which is due out on February 9. MD: We Will All Be…
Ulysses Owens Jr.
During his long tenures with the jazz stars Christian McBride and Kurt Elling, Ulysses Owens Jr. aspired to build his own standing as a leader. The dazzling and seriously swinging drummer has taken another strong stride in that direction on…
Remembering Ben Riley, Frank Capp, Grady Tate, and Chuck Blackwell.
Ben Riley This past November 18, the American jazz-drumming great Ben Riley passed away at the age of eighty-four. A brief list of Riley’s credits includes Alice Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Ahmad Jamal, Kenny Barron, the New…
Marty Beller With They Might Be Giants
The drummer and composer stokes an already roaring blaze underneath a raucous group’s latest worldwide trek.
Dream - Re-Fx Naughty Saucer
A recycled cast-off turned into a multi-purpose electro-inspired effect.
Three Birds With One Stone - Optimize Your Practice Time
Time is tight for many of us. If we had unlimited time to shed, we’d probably spend hours behind the kit. But the reality is that life’s twists and turns can keep us busy. Therefore, I try to practice things…
Bebop Syncopation, Part 3: Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones was a driving force behind John Coltrane’s explorations in the 1960s and is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in jazz drumming. This lesson applies the principles of his style to rhythms found in the…
Appreciation and Gratitude
Photo by Jeff Smith Happy New Year! It’s that time again, when we reflect back on the past year and appreciate all the wonderful opportunities we’ve been blessed with. Time has always fascinated me. Maybe being a drummer has something…
Drum Fills: Keep It Simple, or Shred?
Drummers have to consider plenty of options when choosing an appropriate fill to play in a given situation. Factors such as voicing, subdivision, density, and speed comprise just a few of the choices. While keeping these options in mind, we…
Big & Rich's Keio Stroud
When national artists record in Nashville, they call on world-renowned studio greats like Paul Leim, Eddie Bayers, Lonnie Wilson, Greg Morrow, and Chad Cromwell to put down the ultimate version of a track. But when those artists need a sub…
Former Hole and Current Upset Drummer Patty Schemel
MD spoke with the former Hole and current Upset drummer just before the release of her new memoir, Hit So Hard, which recounts her early life, her rise through the Seattle music scene of the ’80s and ’90s, and her struggles with addiction.
Hüsker Dü’s Grant Hart: 1961-2017
It seemed that Hüsker Dü’s Grant Hart existed to dispel the moronic clichés informing most drummer jokes. The dude could seemingly do it all. Killer drummer. Great singer. Amazing songwriter. He was also a supremely talented visual artist who designed…
New Drum Gear from Simmons, Zildjian, Roland, Sound Percussion Labs, Tama and Sabian!
Simmons Mesh-Head Electronic Drumkit This full-sized five-piece electronic drumkit offers a 10" dual-zone, dual-ply snare; three 8" dual-ply toms; a 10" crash with choke capabilities; a 12" ride cymbal; and a 10" hi-hat pad with a pedal. The kick trigger…
The Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band, Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés, Good Tiger, Quartet NL, and more!
RECORDINGS Courtesy of Steve Gadd The Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band Chinese Butterfly Two iconic instrumentalists reunite, striding further. In a highly anticipated reunion, keyboardist Chick Corea and STEVE GADD co-lead a top-flight band in a mix of electric…
