Despite a miserable start to his day yesterday, a towed vehicle as the result of being late, and a very, very long day which included auditions and late rehearsals, Sticks made it into this band as one of two drummers. As a sophomore.

Rock on, Sticks. You’re on your way.

sneaky recording of rehearsal monday night.
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This is a jam, not a concert, so it’s looser and just the rhythm section. But still kind of nice and relaxing.

It’s time for something mellow to slide into the long weekend. At least, it is for me. The past few weeks seem to fly by but leave me breathless by Friday, as if time accelerated but everything else stayed in the same place. This is one of Joni Mitchell’s finest, at least, it is to me. Falling into the rhythm of the music slowed me down, put less urgency on everything, less frustration. I hope it does the same for you if you’re having that kind of week.

Technorati Tags: joni mitchell, night ride home, stress reduction

Sticks backstage with Herbie Hancock

Originally uploaded by drumsnwhistles

No one deserved that Grammy more than you, despite the quality of the others. Great music, incredible musicians and vision put together a classic. First time for any jazz album in 43 years, and no one better than you to win it.

Technorati Tags: herbie hancock, grammy, album of the year, river, joni letters

(Overexposed and flash-bounced for sure, but it’s still the real deal…)

Sticks, BD and I went to see the Herbie Hancock Quartet tonight at UCSB. It was a great venue — the theater was sold out, but small enough that there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. It was their only Southern California performance and what a performance it was…amazing.

I saw Herbie Hancock as a kid with my parents a couple of times. There were a lot of jazz concerts in those days I didn’t much care for — too avant-garde and sophisticated for a kid — but Herbie was one that I always looked forward to. During the opening number tonight I was taken back to the days of hearing him play with Miles Davis and then ultimately headlining his own shows. We had every album he made. My father always bought them the day they were released and played them reverently for about a week afterward before carefully filing it away in his huge jazz collection. It took him about a year to cycle through it, but eventually there would be a Saturday morning where Herbie was my alarm clock again.

Sticks begged and pleaded for the rather pricey tickets to this event because Vinnie Colaiuta is the drummer for this quartet. I really enjoy Vinnie’s playing too — his mastery of musical drumming really shines on “River: The Joni Letters“, Herbie’s tribute to Joni Mitchell, so it seemed like a good investment.

Think of a musician or actor or celebrity that you truly just thought was perfect. That’s how Sticks views Vinnie’s playing, and he wasn’t disappointed, nor were we. Vinnie Colaiuta is a one-of-a-kind amazing drummer. Every lick is intentional; the stick doesn’t hit anything without a purpose, and it’s done with incredible precision and timing. If Vinnie was a drummer god before tonight, afterwards he has been lifted to the highest drumming deity possible in Sticks’ mind.

Kenny Loggins made a guest appearance to rock hard on a superb rendition of U2’s “When Love Comes to Town” with Sonya Kitchell, who sang “River” in Corrine Bailey Rae’s absence. She also did a really nice version of “Court and Spark” before getting down and dirty with Kenny Loggins. What complete fun!

To round off Sticks’ night, “Chameleon” was the encore number. Last year, Sticks performed Chameleon as the final number with his combo at the jazz festivals and was roundly criticized by the adjudicators for attempting it with bass, piano and drums, as well as intentionally speeding up the final figure to add some intensity and urgency. He felt vindicated to see this quartet (Piano, drums, bass and guitar) give an inspiring performance without a sax or trumpet in sight, and especially vindicated to hear Vinnie subtly speed up the final figure, too. While he accepts the criticism saying he’s no Vinnie Colaiuta, he still felt better about making the decision to play it at all, and play it the way they did.

After the concert, Sticks grabbed me (he only loves me for my camera) and made a beeline for the stage door. His goal, of course, was to meet and possibly get a picture with the elusive Vinnie, who is not known for back door meet-and-greets. Vinnie did not make an appearance, but the incredibly gracious Herbie Hancock took the time to sign autographs, and pose for pictures taken with cell phones and all manner of cameras. What a generous soul he is — after pouring it all out on the stage he was smiling and talking and signing and posing. Unfortunately, I’d handed my camera off to BD, because I am more Vinnie-like and was somewhat reticent to be hanging out at the backstage door in the first place. (Actually, my reaction was much more to the effect of “I don’t have the balls to walk in that door but if you do…do it, but at least get a picture, wouldja?“) The camera was set for a photo much farther away like the one I got of Kenny Loggins, so the flash bounced all over the place and just about wiped Sticks out. Fortunately I was able to rehabilitate most of it with Photoshop to add to his growing collection of photos-with-famous-jazz-musicians file.

And that, friends, was our evening out. The first one in a long time and well worth it. If you’re a jazz fan and are in Tucson or Phoenix on the 14th or 15th, don’t miss what is sure to be a great concert. The 15th is the final stop on this tour — then Vinnie is off to tour with Jeff Beck in England. Sticks was right — it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m really glad we didn’t pass it up.

Next stop for me? Lord of the Dance on Wednesday night in Santa Barbara. I guess this is my week to be a patron of the arts. DG and I take off for regional championships on Thursday morning, and she insisted that seeing this performance (despite the fact that we’ve seen LOTD and Feet of Flames twice before) would be inspiring. I hope that’s true, because the tickets to these things are not in any way, shape or form, a bargain.

Technorati Tags: Herbie Hancock, Vinnie Colaiuta, Kenny Loggins, UCSB, concert, review

Here’s the audio of last night’s concert — there’s some nice stuff on here. Sticks plays drumset on the 1st, 5th and 6th pieces. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th pieces he’s playing congas and hand percussion.

Since my children consumed my evening with their homework (even the college child), I’m late with the NaBloPoMo post for 11/6, so this will have to substitute.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: jazz, music, podcast, nablopomo

I’d originally planned to post this tune earlier — it’s part of the set that Sticks did with the Gordon Goodwin/CSUN workshop earlier this month, but I forgot about it. Then tonight I received an email from my mother, letting me know that my stepfather’s mother passed away this morning. She was a wonderful lady, married over 60 years to the same man, full of zing and life and vigor. She was Texas through-and-through, and good people. (No one will ever make peach and cherry cobbler the way she did, either.) She was one of those people that was just happy and down-to-earth and a life-lover.

So, in honor of her, and without sadness (because she wouldn’t like that one bit), here’s a tune to send her off to Heaven….where she will be free of all of the suffering she endured at the end. She’s had a great life; we’re the poorer for her passing.

Edna, rest in peace while Sticks plays you up the 7 Steps to Heaven.

Being the mom of an up and coming jazz drummer means that I get to learn a lot about some of the greats, but in the case of Max Roach I already knew. I’d grown up surrounded by jazz — it was my father’s passion. Max Roach was one of his all-time favorite drummers, alongside Buddy Rich and I was lucky enough (though I didn’t know it at the time) to see him play in person on more than one occasion. At the time, I didn’t realize the greatness and breadth of his talent, but when Sticks started playing and studying the jazz greats, it slowly dawned.

Sticks’ passion for odd time signatures gave me a much deeper appreciation for Max Roach’s talent. Mr. Roach was a genius god of time and meter, painting landscapes with his sticks, brushes, drums and cymbals that were unparalleled by any other drummer. Ever. Sticks’ ability and passion to play melodies inside of drum solos comes from his year-long passionate affair with the Max Roach/Buddy Rich solos on the classic Buddy Rich versus Max Roach recording. Max Roach set a standard that is unique, unparalleled, and will stand forever for all time.

Rest in peace, Mr. Roach. There’s got to be one heck of a concert happening in heaven today.

Other tributes:

Blogher: Max Roach Dies, and the Jazz Community Mourns (There are some great links in this post to other tributes, too)
Drummr.com: RIP, Max Roach
New York Times: Max Roach, Master of Modern Jazz, Dies at 83
Washington Post: Max Roach Dies at 83

Technorati Tags: Max Roach, obituary, tribute, jazz, drummer, odd time