November 2018 Issue – Volume 42 • Number 11
Articles in November 2018
Drums of the Tombs
The musician, composer, and producer Tom Holkenborg, who performs under the stage name Junkie XL, custom ordered this month’s featured kit to use while creating the score to the 2018 action film Tomb Raider. To match the movie’s Pacific-island setting,…
Jay-Z’s Eric “Boots” Greene
He’s developed some of the nastiest funk and fusion chops. And he thinks and plays like a producer. So it’s no wonder that he flourishes on the world’s biggest stages—and in the modern studio environment.
Sam Lay
The legendary drummer with Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, and Paul Butterfield has been inducted into the Blues and Jazz Halls of Fame, was present for two of the most important chapters in Bob…
Keith Urban’s Seth Rausch
Seth Rausch, who’s currently touring with country superstar Keith Urban, met with MD to talk about his extensive setup that includes custom pieces, a bespoke snare, and a secondary electronic cocktail kit. The multitude of components was ideal for Urban’s…
Dean Butterworth on Good Charlotte’s Generation Rx
The pop-punk mainstays deliver again with powerful hooks and purposeful songs charged by their versatile ace behind the skins.
Ddrum - Dios Series Snares
A well-conceived trio of deep wood and metal models designed to deliver distinct but useful tones.
Flam Ostinatos - A Creative Approach to a Drumming Staple
In the context of contemporary hybrid rudiments, the flam has been used in different ways to create some new and exciting patterns. Inspired by some of these modern hybrid combinations, I’ve come up with a concept to add yet another…
New Gear from Tama, Roland, Simon Phillips Jazz Drums, CEntrance, and Alesis!
Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive Duo Drumkit Series This new drumkit features the Duo drum, which can perform as a conventional floor tom or as an extra-deep snare. The 10x14 drum is mounted on floor tom legs and fitted with a conventional…
Angel Olsen’s Josh Jaeger
After five years of steady touring and recording with the indie-folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen—including a fifteen-month tour cycle behind 2016’s My Woman—Josh Jaeger is shifting gears. With Olsen using 2018 to focus on solo shows and writing for a new…
Who's Playing What, Beat Hunger Benefit, and More
Richie Gajate-Garcia Receives Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln College This past May 5, the percussionist, educator, and author Richie Gajate-Garcia received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, in recognition of his contributions to the areas…
Jan Delay’s Jost Nickel
Just when you think there’s nothing new under the drumming sun, someone like this veteran German player comes along and sheds new light on the craft. The fact that he plays with such blistering technique and sophisticated musicality only makes him that much more compelling.
Jake Morris
Thirty years after he cofounded the influential and inscrutable indie-rock band Pavement, Stephen Malkmus is among the most confident and compelling bandleader/songwriters of his generation. And in this drummer, he has a musician who only accentuates his greatest assets.
Jon Hiseman & Gene Stone
The seminal architect of British jazz-rock made the most of his own indiosyncracies. “When people ask me what I play, the usual answer is ‘the drums’ because that is the instrument, but what I would like to say is, ‘I…
New Releases From Jojo Mayer's Nerve, Finally George with Todd Sucherman, and more
RECORDINGS Photo by Ben O’Brien Nerve After the Flare JOJO MAYER returns to the acoustic jazz format he cut his teeth on. Nerve, Jojo Mayer’s drum ’n’ bass ’n’ everything else collective, has been pushing the boundaries of electronic music for…
What’s Your Favorite Buddy Rich Performance?
In this month’s Jazz Drummer’s Workshop, the author and educator Eric Fischer analyzes one of Buddy Rich’s earliest surviving recordings. We reached out to our readers and social media followers to find out what other performances from throughout the legendary…
Legado Cymbals - Heritage, 79V, Luxo Raw, and Caspian Series
A newcomer in the handmade-cymbal market keeps a keen eye on the tastes and budgets of everyday working drummers.