Peter Erskine’s Infinity Drummers

Infinity Drummers. Day #434.

Ron Wagner

"Glider"

Glider / Auracle

This showcases the brilliant genius of keyboardist/composer John Serry along with flautist Stephen Kujala and the rest of the band Auracle including drummer Ron Wagner, an incredibly-talented player who studied under John Beck at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY before chasing/finding fame and fortune on the west coast.

Here is some sort of wiki page that appears to have been translated by a bot/program ... you’ll get the idea: <
The band members met while studying at the Eastman School of Music . Auracle impressed at the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival and received a record deal with the Chrysalis label, which was actually heavily oriented towards Prog Rock . As a producer for the first album, Glider (1978), an experienced producer was won in Teo Macero . The music on the album with its complex own compositions, the energetic game and the vibraphone sounds is independent, but also reminds of Frank Zappa and Return to Forever . The second album, City Slickers(1979), was more pop-affine and made concessions to the disco sound . Both albums were well received by the critics. The band toured Europe as well. Some of the musicians, first John Serry, started solo careers in 1979. A third album, which was to appear on the MCA label Headfirst in 1982 , was not realized.>>

Ron is here somewhere on Facebook. His playing universe has expanded to hand percussion, various Cirque productions, etc. At any rate, check out the entire album (the band released 2) ... the music is a find.

Infinity Drummers. Day #435. Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay "I Have Dreamed” Aspiration / Peter Asplund. This is a great song, played by a great trumpeter, accompanied by a great drummer named Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay, born in Sweden on March 20, 1969. Lovely playing by pianist Lars Jansson and especially by bassist Hans Andersson. I had the pleasure of working alongside Peter Asplund in Lennart Åberg's bands. Lots of great music in and from Sweden, please enjoy this wonderful masterpiece of a composition from "The King and I" by Rogers and Hammerstein, "I Have Dreamed" (and then check out Frank Sinatra's version as arranged by Nelson Riddle). https://youtu.be/hfwWF_YUk20

Infinity Drummers. Day #172. Jeff "Tain" Watts. "Vodville". Bar Talk. with Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo and James Genus. Jeff is just so darned good that he makes me feel good about the drums and he makes me feel good about being a drummer and he makes me feel good about life and music and all things positive because he is just so darned good, he makes everything good. The cat can PLAY. Plus he's got a heart of gold. Meanwhile, check out the tempo changes here ... SO natural, SO effortless, SO free of self-conscious-trying-to-be-hip-ness. It just IS. And it IS so damned hip. P.S. this is how I like my free, and this is how I like my swing.

Infinity Drummers. Day #171. Danny Gottlieb. "Phase Dance." Pat Metheny Group. Danny both crystallized and ushered in a drumming language that was as universal to the music of the 70s and 80s as it was specific to Pat & Lyle's compositions. With his stalwart bass compadre Mark Egan, they traveled the thousands of miles that it would take to make this the supergroup it came to be. While Pat has a talent and knack for creating great bands, Danny's contributions should not be overlooked. And, in addition to his being a faithful champion for Joe Morello, he's one of the nicer human beings on the planet. For several years now he has dedicated himself, along with his wife Beth, to being part of the noble work that Gary Sinise does bringing music and joy and hope to men and women in our armed forces, veterans and wounded warriors alike. And ... he sounds great on this track. P.S. check out San Lorenzo from the same album while you're at it. Time machine!

Infinity Drummers. Day #436.

Mike Shapiro

"Voltar pro Rio"

Kleber Jorge (1999)

After more than a month's hiatus, a sense of duty (as well as jet lag) impels me to resume the Infinity Drummers list. The news of the loss of Mike Shapiro two-plus weeks ago sent all who knew him reeling.

It occurs to me that there might be no better sense of the infinite than by celebrating and reliving those musical gifts left for us to enjoy, and so, then ...

a simple "thank you" to Mike. We are thinking of you.

And the Infinity list sambas and marches onward.

Infinity Drummers. Day #437.

Charley Drayton

"Conjure"

Soulmation / Greg Skaff

Multi-instrumentalist. Multi-stylist. Multi-funky. Charley Drayton.

Infinity Drummers. Day #438.

Anton Fig

"Inside Out"

Figments

From Anton's solo release "Figments." Lots of great music as well as great musicians on this album, a cast of many that includes trumpeter Randy Brecker (heard on this track). How many nights did Anton's drumming and wit brighten our days (during his stint on Late Night with David Letterman)? I've lost count.

Like father, like son ... drumming is running in the Fig family.

Infinity Drummers. Day #439.

Tris Imboden

"Wonderful Christmas Time"

Chicago XXXIII

The Chicago logo as a candy cane!

The beat sure is sweet, thanks to the great Tris Imboden, who always sounds great no matter the setting (or time of year). Fun to hear the Chicago horns on this Paul McCartney holiday classic.

Get back, y'all.

P.S. All I want for Christmas is a 10" tom. And a snare drum sound like Tris.

Infinity Drummers. Day #440.

Alice de Buhr

“Badge”

Fanny

Fanny was the first all-woman band to be signed to a major record label, and their debut album was released December 1970 (51 years ago) … still sounds great. Alice rocks!

Infinity Drummers. Dady #441.

Melvin Parker (RIP)

"Southwick"

Doing Their Own Thing / Maceo And All The King's Men

[from Wikipedia] << Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina on June 7, 1944. His drumming style was a major ingredient in Brown's funk music innovations in the 1960s. In 1964 and 1965 Parker was the drummer on three of Brown's recordings: "Out of Sight," "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," and "I Got You (I Feel Good)."

"The greatest drummer I ever had in my life was Melvin Parker," Brown reflected in 2004. "'I Feel Good', 'Papa's Bag' (sic) – nobody ever did that. Nobody. And they can't do it now. And if I was getting ready to cut a record that was right, I would go get Melvin today, because he's just like a metronome."

Parker's first association with Brown ended when he was drafted in the mid-1960s. He was replaced in the band by Clyde Stubblefield and Jabo Starks. Parker rejoined Brown's band in 1969, and appeared on the album Sex Machine.

In 1970, Parker was part of a mutiny by Brown's band. After leaving Brown, Parker joined his brother Maceo's band, Maceo & All the King's Men. He rejoined Brown briefly in 1976, and played on the hit "Get Up Offa That Thing". >>

Melvin Parker passed away on December 3 of this year.

Hear him here with his brother Maceo and "All The King's Men."

Amen.

Thank you for your service, Melvin Parker, and thank you for your drumming, and thank you for your soul.

Infinity Drummers. Day #442.

Ginger Baker

"Had To Cry Today"

Blind Faith



Ginger Baker. THAT guy. From all reports, a most disagreeable fellow.



And, yet ... even though Elvin Jones reportedly said something along the lines of, "Someone should make an astronaut out of that cat and lose his ass in space," I will recommend that you find that video of Ginger Baker playing in a "drum battle" alongside Art Blakey ... and you will see the tremendous amount of love, humility and respect in Ginger Baker's eyes as he watches Blakey play ... so ... he cannot have been that bad of a cat ...!



In any event, this is the one track I always enjoyed of Ginger from back in the day. I was not a fan of Cream at the time, but grew to appreciate the genius of the "White Room" beat. And I'm not sure why I'm choosing Ginger Baker for Day #442 of the Infinity List, but here he is and here we are and, so, "I Had To Cry Today."



Now, on the other hand, maybe someone ought to make Eric CLAPTON an astronaut ...



Get vaxxed, folks.

Infinity Drummers. Day #443.

Aaron Comess

"Two Princes"

Pocket Full of Kryptonite / Spin Doctors

That beat. That feel. Those fills!

Perfect drumming. (Aaron Comess rules on this track.)

The Spin Doctors ... hip. And what's twenty years between friends?

Plus ... check out Aaron's solo album "Catskills Cry" while you're at it.

Infinity Drummers. Day #444.

Peter Bonisteel

"Hymn"

New Heavenly Blue

Peter Bonisteel was a senior at the Interlochen Arts Academy (a boarding high school located in northern Michigan) when I arrived there as a freshman in 1968, and he was one of the first drummers I saw (aside from Chico Hamilton) who played his tom-toms without a bottom head. Same for the bass drum. Pillow. (His kit was kind of a mess, actually.) He had the whole 9 yards: matched grip, sideburns, longish hair, beat-up sticks, and a perceptible disdain for playing percussion in either the concert band or orchestra (sacré bleu!). Of course, we all thought he was pretty darned cool.

And he turns in a highly respectible performance here on New Heavenly Blue's premier album, the school rock band started by trombonist (and keyboard player) Chris Brubeck, bassist Chris Brown and violinist Stephan Dudash. Harmonica player Peter "Madcat" Ruth joins them here along with guitarist David Mason. They recorded this in the big city (Chicago) after graduating from IAA.

Chris Brown was not only an incredibly-talented acoustic and electric bassist, but he possessed a lovely voice. (Chris has since been the principal bassist in the St Paul Chamber Orchestra for many years.) Another Interlochen musician joins the band on this tune composed by Chris, trumpet instructor John Lindenau who plays a "Penny Lane"-inspired bit of piccolo trumpet. Bravo. (This one's for you, Edward Carroll.)

I don't know what became of Peter Bonisteel and would be grateful for any information in the comments section below, thanks.

Infinity Drummers. Day #445.

Donny Osborne, Jr.

“It Happened in Sun Valley”

Christmas Songs / Mel Tormé (1992)

Donny Osborne (son of Don Osborne Sr., president of Slingerland in the early 1970's), was Buddy Rich's protege and was Mel Tormé's exclusive recording and touring drummer for over 23 years. He plays and teaches in the Portland, Oregon area nowadays. A terrific technician and always a swinger.

“It Happened in Sun Valley" is a 1941 song composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Mack Gordon. It was recorded and featured by Glenn Miller and his orchestra in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. While the song makes no mention of Christmas in its lyrics, the winter theme has caused it to become associated with the holiday. Cover versions have been recorded by such artists as André Previn (on his 1955 album Let's Get Away from It All), Jo Stafford (on her 1956 album Ski Trails), the Randy Van Horne Singers (on their 1960 album Sleighride), and Mel Tormé.

Infinity Drummers. Day #446.

Sherman Ferguson

"If I Should Lose You"

Back To Back / Heard • Ranier • Ferguson

"Ferguson once said that when people asked him what he did, he wouldn't tell them he was a musician, he'd say he was a jazz musician. He said he was proud of it and he would wear it as a statement on his forehead if he could."

Sherman's drumming was worth a thousand statements, and this gem of a trio cut is ample evidence ... featuring the incredibly-talented Tom Ranier and John Heard, both of them the bearers and wearers of multiple hats: Tom, heard here on clarinet, is my rhythm section buddy on piano in Seth MacFarlane's bands and orchestras, and he is also an incredible photographer. John Heard, who we just lost a few days ago, was not only a great bassist but a wonderful graphic illustrator and artist. Renaissance men.

Sherman, in addition to having played with the likes of Charles Earland, Shirley Scott, Don Patterson, and Groove Holmes, also recorded frequently with Pat Martino as well as appearing on albums by Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver and Benny Carter. He also taught at UCLA. Sherman Ferguson passed away in 2006 at the age of 61.

Enjoy this track, the first of several this week that will feature drummers from the Los Angeles jazz family and community.

Infinity Drummers. Day #447.

Ralph Penland

"Bolivia"

Freddie Hubbard Quintet (1991)

Ralph Penland (born February 15, 1953, Cincinnati, died March 13, 2014) was a tremendously exciting and swinging drummer. He played with Freddie Hubbard, George Cables, Chet Baker, Kenny Burrell, Eddie Harris, Harold Land, Charles Lloyd, Ronnie Matthews, and Nancy Wilson. According to wikipedia, << Penland was a percussionist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as a high schooler. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music and played in Boston with Gil Scott-Heron and Webster Lewis; he also played in New York in the early 1970s where he played with Freddie Hubbard among others. In 1975 he moved to Los Angeles and led his own group, Penland Polygon. >> He also worked with Dianne Reeves, Buddy Montgomery, Charlie Rouse, Jimmie Rowles, Bob Cooper, Eddie Daniels, Marc Copland, Dieter Ilg, Lou Levy, Carmen Bradford, Janis Siegel, Fred Hersch, Rickey Woodard, Carmen Lundy, Joe Sample and Hubert Laws. No matter who he was playing with, the band always sounded great when Ralph was on the gig.

I love his solution to the vamp beat on this Cedar Walton classic, "Bolivia," where he plays a simple 2 + 4 with the cross-stick. He sets a clear and open stage on which to build a most dynamo performance. The band consists of Freddie Hubbard, Don Braden playing tenor sax, Ronnie Matthews on piano and Jeff Chambers on the bass.

Infinity Drummers. Day #448.

Kendall Kay

"Show Tune"

The Music of Eric von Essen, Volume II

Alan Broadbent, Putter Smith, Kendall Kay

Kendall Kay is always a delight, whether seated at the drums or a lunch counter ... a lovely man and musician. The Paiste Cymbal website offers the following biographical information: << Born in Durban, South Africa, Kendall showed an interest in the drums at an early age. He pursued this interest, eventually playing and recording with most of the major artists, including Steve Kekana, Mike Makelemele, Johnny Fourie, Alan Kwela and Izzio Gross. In1983 Kendall moved to Texas, and studied at the University of North Texas, graduating with a degree in Jazz Studies. Kendall arrived in Los Angeles in 1987 and has been playing and recording here ever since. Credits: Kiki Ebsen, Cecilia Coleman, Steve Hufstetter, Andy Suzuki, Nick Manson, Dean Taba, Sal Cracchiolo & Melanie Jackson Sextet, Phil Upchurch, Bob Sheppard, Jeff Beale, Dan St Marseille, Dave Ferris, Theo Saunders, Bobby Shew, Allan Broadbent, Putter Smith, Kyle Eastwood, Frank Strazzeri, Jeff Colella, Ron Eschete, John Pisano, Bill Perkins, Clare Fischer, The Larry Karush Ensemble, Jack Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Mark Murphy, Mary Wilson, Diane Schuur, Mike Renzi, Antonia Bennett, John Proulx, Chuck Berghofer, Terry Trotter.>>

Eric von Essen was a bassist and composer of considerable depth and attractiveness who left us far too early (he died in 1997 while in Sweden). Eric was an important voice in the Los Angeles jazz scene during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Jeff Gauthier of Cryptogramophone Record label fame produced three volumes of Eric's music (I'm proud to have played on them as well as Kendall, Alex Cline and Paul Kreibich). Bassist Putter Smith and pianist Alan Broadbent sound wonderful here (as always). While I'm celebrating the LA jazz scene this week on the list, this isn't just west coast great ... this is universe great.

Infinity Drummers. Day #449.

Kevin Kanner

“The Break”

For Such a Time as This / Eric Reed

Kevin Kanner, drums, w/ Eric Reed (composer, piano), Alex Boneham (bass). This is a powerhouse trio performance, any way you slice it. Magnificent drumming by Kevin. A website by the name of Inner Voyage Music offers the following biography/blurb about Kevin … to be honest, I find it a bit amusing that the lead-off credit is Paul Anka, but, hey, “the guys get shirts,” okay?

<< Kevin Kanner, a native of Southern California, has already amassed a large number of jazz credits including recordings with Paul Anka, Bill Holman (including 2006 and 2007 Grammy® nominated recordings), Gilbert Castellanos, Melissa Morgan, Annie Sellick, Gail Wynters, The Bud Shank Big Band, Josh Nelson and Michael Buble.

Kevin has also toured and performed with many artists and including John Pizzarelli, Maureen McGovern, The Gilbert Castellanos Quintet, The Bill Holman Band, The Gerald Clayton Trio, The Clayton Brothers, The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Larry Goldings, Charles McPhearson, Benny Green, Bob Hurst, Peter Washington, Terell Stafford, Russell Malone, Stefon Harris, Johnny Mandel, Larry Koonse, The Eric Reed Trio, Mary Stallings, Bill Henderson, Anat Cohen, Dominic Faranacci, Carolyn Leonhart, Larry Goldings, Anthony Wilson Nonet and Trio, Laurence Hobgood, Bob Hurst, Joe Magnarelli, Helen Sung, Monty Alexander, Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Patrick Cornelius, Randy Napoleon, Walter Smith III, James Morrison and many more.

In addition to the vast amount of sideman work, Kevin has also led perhaps the most well remembered jazz jam session in recent Los Angeles history at the historic venue, the Mint. This session, called Groove Pocket, featured prominent underground hip hop DJ stars as well as a weekly band that over the course of six years consisted of, Ambrose Akinmuserie, Tim Green, Gerald Clayton, Harish Ragahavan, Joe Sanders, Larry Fuller, James Westfall, Charles Altura, Hamilton Price, Josh Nelson and Matt Poiltano. >>

Me again. (“You thought! You thought!”) … Kevin always sounds great, and I really like his beat. The biography does not mention that Kevin studied with Jeff Hamilton. Great job, Hammer. And, “don’t make a maniac out of me.”

Enjoy Kevin, with apologies for the infamous Paul Anka tape quotes’ appearance … not sure how they got here. And bravo, Eric and Alex.

Infinity Drummers. Day #450.

Paul Kreibich

Finska Flues

The Music Of Eric Von Essen Volume III

Great band — Tom Warrington (bass), Larry Koonse (guitar), Tom Garvin (piano) RIP, and Stacy Rowles (flugelhorn) RIP, with Paul playing the drums — paying tribute to Eric von Essen. Will guess, by the title, that Eric composed this while he was in Sweden. Eric, born in 1954, was an important fixture in the LA jazz scene during the 70s, 80s and early 90s ... per wikipedia, << In 1992, Von Essen became the bassist of the Lighthouse All-Stars at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach, alongside Shorty Rogers and Bud Shank; he replaced Monty Budwig as the group's bassist. Among the other musicians Von Essen played with are Frank Morgan, Jimmy Rowles, Vinny Golia, and Mike Campbell. In the mid-1990s Von Essen relocated to Sweden to instruct at Sverigefinska Folkhögskola Jazz music department there. He died in 1997. >>

Paul's website offer the following biographical information about him (edited briefly): << Paul Kreibich was born in 1955 in Los Angeles, moving to Costa Mesa, CA when he was an infant. From an early age he showed an interest in drumming. As a kid he made his own drum set out of a cardboard barrel and coffee cans. He then began playing in the school band at the age of nine. At 12 years old Paul started private lessons with Bob Wrate. He was drum major at Costa Mesa High School and already working five nights a week at a local club on Balboa Island by his junior year. Paul continued his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He returned home to attend Orange Coast College and study with renowned percussionist Forrest Clark. Paul then worked for 2 years with tenor saxophonist Vince Wallace's Quintet ("…that was my real schooling!") Following this, Paul worked a variety of musical jobs including a stint with the Continental Circus.

In 1979 at the age of 23 he got his first major jazz gig with the great singer Carmen McRae. They toured the United States and Japan including a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Paul moved to Los Angeles in 1981, began private studies with well-known drum teacher Fred Gruber and attended LA City College.

Impressed with Japan and their love of jazz, Paul accepted an offer to return to work in Japan for 6 months with American and Japanese musicians in Osaka and Kyoto.

Upon his return to Los Angeles he got back into the local music scene. At a friend's coaxing, Paul went to a "cattle call" audition for the Ray Charles Band. He was the last drummer to play and was hired on the spot. Paul traveled with the band internationally for four years.

Los Angeles remained his home base and he became first call drummer for many touring artists such as Mose Allison, Red Rodney, The Woody Herman Band, Anita O'Day, Scott Hamilton, Joe Pass, Charles Brown, Rosemary Clooney, Lee Konitz, and others. Paul's recording credits are now well over 60 titles including CD's with, Bill Perkins, Dianne Reeves, Bob Cooper, Conte Candoli, Charlie Shoemake, Herb Geller, Cedar Walton, John Hendricks, James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Ray Charles, Gerald Wiggins, Andy Simpkins, Terry Gibbs, Hod O'Brien, Claude Williamson, and Frank Strazerri.

In 1995 Paul joined the Gene Harris Quartet where he toured and recorded with the group until Harris' untimely passing in January 2000. He plays on Harris' last Concord release "Alley Cats" along with Ernie Watts, Red Holloway and Jack McDuff. Paul continues to record and perform locally as well as touring. He is now on the music faculty of Cal State Fullerton and teaches privately.

With respect to Paul, drum legend Stan Levey says, "This man is a truly outstanding drummer, one of the best I've heard. A lot of drummers have their own agenda, but Paul is always listening, listening…sensitive to the needs of the leader. I call it simpatico. His brush- work is very tasty - and that's a rarity today. It's a pleasure to listen to him." >>

You can't do much better than to have had Stan Levey sing your praises! But I'll join the club and add the following: Paul is a dependable swinger, as evidenced by this track. You can't ask for much more than that. He's also a resourceful entrepreneur, having developed everyone's favorite bass drum muffling device, the MuffBone (drummers: check it out). His wife Merle has proven to be one of the best friends to jazz in southern California. A jazz power couple. And if you ever get the chance to sit down for lunch with Paul, he's got some Ray Charles stories for the book if not for the ages.

Bravo, Paul, and welcome to the List.

Infinity Drummers. Day #451.

John Dentz

"Darn That Dream" (album)

Art Pepper, Joe Farrell, George Cables, Tony Dumas

Fascinating session pairing Art Pepper and Joe Farrell with drumming and production by John Dentz (plus piano by George Cables and bass by Tony Dumas). Not sure if John's producing is responsible for the snare drum's sound that's way more present than my ears were expecting, or if that's a product of the times ... the music is swinging, however ... and is as adventurous as it is revelatory. Almost 40 years on, this is as good a window as you'll find into the jazz world that was Los Angeles during the early 1980s. Lots of excellent playing by everyone here.

(I'm hoping that MsLaurie Pepper and/or George Cables might grace this post with some remembrances of / or background on the session.)

John Dentz played with Freddie Hubbard, Don Menza, Lee Konitz, Supersax and had his own "Reunion Band" with Chick Corea and Ernie Watts. He passed away in May 2017.

Infinity Drummers. Day #452.

Obed Calvaire

"My Shining Hour"

Standards With Friends, #21 / Ben Wendel

Here's a perfect performance for the holidays, Ben Wendel in duet with drummer Obed Calvaire (fasten your seat belts, folks).

I've heard Obed in a variety of settings and circumstances, and he always sounds great. His website bio offers, << Obed Calvaire, a native of Miami and of Haitian descent is a graduate with both a master and bachelor degree of music from one of America’s premiere private music conservatories in the nation, Manhattan School of Music. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2003, completing the undergraduate degree requirements in three years and receiving his master’s in 2005.

Mr. Calvaire has performed and recorded with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Seal, Eddie Palmeri, Vanessa Williams, Dave Holland, David Foster, Mary J. Blige, Stefon Harris, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Peter Cincotti, Music Soulchild, Nellie McKay, Yellowjackets, Joshua Redman, Steve Turre, and Lizz Wright to name a few. He has also performed with large ensembles such as the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Metropole Orchestra, The Clayton Brothers, The Mingus Big Band, RoyHargrove big band, and the Bob Mintzer Big Band.

Currently, Obed Calvaire can be found playing with the SF Jazz Collective, Dave Holland, Monty Alexander, Sean Jones, Yosvany Terry, Mike Stern among others. >>

His website includes Wynton Marsalis but doesn't mention the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra by name, with whom I enjoyed hearing Obed play in Vienna's Konzerthaus just before the pandemic lockdown kicked-into effect across the globe.

And let's add BEN WENDEL to that list of musicians, for this is some mighty music-making going on here.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Infinity Drummers. Day #453.

Dave Tull

"The Texting Song"

texting and driving

Swinging and funny, Dave Tull is one multi-talented drummer / vocalist / songwriter.

His website offers, << Dave Tull has long been known as one of the world’s finest jazz drummers and has also built a reputation as a premiere jazz singer and songwriter. Dave Tull’s latest release, “Texting and Driving” was the #2 most requested new album of 2018 on SiriusXM Real Jazz, and was featured by NPR’s Susan Stamberg on Weekend Edition. Singing from the drums, Dave brings to the stage a rare combination of joyous songwriting, world-class jazz singing and drumming. Think “Frishberg meets Gershwin”. Dave’s songs have been called both “laugh out loud funny” and inspiring of “soul searching and introspection”, propelling “Texting and Driving” to #5 on the Billboard Jazz Chart, and #3 on the Billboard Comedy Chart in the same week, and 23 weeks on the JazzWeek chart! Dave’s celebrated first CD, “I Just Want To Get Paid”, continues to get regular airplay many years after its release.

When not leading his own trio, Dave is one of the busiest drummers on the scene. In 2016 Dave became the drummer for Barbra Streisand and has played five tours with Streisand including at Madison Square Garden in July 2019, and on Barbra’s GRAMMY NOMINATED live Netflix concert video, “Barbra – “The Music..The Mem’ries..The Magic!” Dave toured from 2000-2010 as drummer and lead vocalist for Chuck Mangione. Dave toured and recorded two CDs with Maynard Ferguson, 1987-91. Dave plays drums on four of Michael Bublé’s CDs. Dave has played drums on the FOX TV show “Family Guy." Dave is the drummer on nine of Cheryl Bentyne’s (of Manhattan Transfer) CDs and has done six tours of Japan with Bentyne.>>

The song is cute and it swings ... and he sings! Enjoy.

Infinity Drummers. Day #454.

Alejo Poveda

"Maria Cristina"

Secret Dream / Chevere De Chicago

As the sun sets in the west tonight, my mind and heart look east towards the windy city of Chicago, home of the band Chevere (and that band was the home of many of my friends from Bloomington, Indiana and my travels through the years that always brought me to and through Chicago). This tune features a breezy beat by drummer and percussionist extraordinaire Alejo Poveda, anchored by some perfect bass playing by Eric Hochberg, with a delicious harmonica solo by Howard Levy.

Here's a promo bit of text about the Secret Dream album from whence this track originates ... << Chevere de Chicago is Chicago's hottest Latin/Jazz/Everything Band. Founded in the late 1970's by Costa Rican drummer and percussionist Alejo Poveda, the band has thrilled Chicago audiences for more than 25 years with an electrifying blend of musical styles from Afro-Cuban to Brasilian, Funk, and Blues. Now, for the first time, there is a CD of Chevere's music available on Balkan Samba Records. The CD is called 'Secret Dream'. Many of the tunes are composed by their Grammy Award - winning music director Howard Levy, who plays piano and harmonica in the band. Several others are by guitarist Ernie Denov, including the title track, which starts the CD off with a thundering batucada percussion intro. Chevere's two percussionists, Joe Rendon on congas and Ruben Alvarez (timbales, bongos, pandeiro, etc.) are two of the Midwest's finest and have played with many top Latin artists. On sax/flute is Steve Eisen, one of Chicago's top studio players. On trumpet is Mark Ohlsen, a veteran of many big bands, a fearless soloist, and also the mix engineer for the CD. On an array of keyboards including B3, Fender Rhodes, and Mini Moog is the inimitable Chris 'Hambone' Cameron, who tours regularly with Sonia Dada. On bass and vocals is Eric Hochberg, who has played with many top Jazz and Pop artists. And driving the band with irrepressible enthusiasm is Alejo Poveda on drums. Together, the nine musicians generate tremendous energy and musical joy. >>

There you have it, and here you go. Whoever Maria Cristina is, she inspired a lovely song ...

p.s. dig the bass when it goes down to the major third a-la-boogalo during the vamp that's as good a hook as you're likely to find. Yeah, Eric!

Infinity Drummers. Day #455.

Alan White

“Imagine”

John Lennon

Watching the documentary “John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky,” I am captivated by Alan White’s completely relaxed but on-point drumming. Perfect drumming for a perfect song. With Yoko Ono, Klaus Voormann, a New York string section with arrangement by Torrie Zito … Jim Keltner also plays on the album. I can recommend the film.

Infinity Drummer. Day #456.

Aaron Spears

"Caught Up"

Usher (play-along @ Modern Drummer Festival, 2006)

This is, in a word, extraordinary.

The Sonor (drums) website offers the following bio: << Aaron's love for music began in a Pentecostal church in Washington DC he went to with his parents as an infant. Music was a big part of the religious service. Seeing and listening to the choir and to the backing musicians really struck a chord with little Aaron. Being a part of that environment, playing and expressing himself through music became a natural desire of his. Fortunately for us, among all the musicians in the church band, the drummer was the one that captivated his attention the most.

His development as a musician can be mainly credited to the music he listened and ultimately played along to - which came from his parents personal collection. Gospel artists like The Winans, Commission, The Hawkins, and Hezekiah Walker really opened up his ears to the world of drumming possibilities he had in front of him.

Aaron's first band experiences were with the church band. And with a band he was a part off during high school. The church band ended up being one of the most important experiences Aaron had as a developing musician. It also helped him secure his first big gig with a local band called the Gideon Band at the age of twenty-three. This also led to his first major break in the summer of 2003.

Gerald Heyward - a big inspiration during his early days but a close friend later on - happened to be listening to some tracks by the Gideon Band in the presence of Valdez Brantley - Usher's musical director. Valdez got interested in Aaron's drumming and invited him to audition for Usher's supporting band, the Funk Rock Orchestra. Aaron, along with hundreds of other drummers, sent a video of him playing along to some Usher songs for the audition process. Valdez, Usher and the rest of the crew ended up selecting Aaron as the drummer for the world tour. Playing with Usher, and getting called for a second run was the sign Aaron needed to commit to his calling and to his dream. Aaron quit his day job and went on tour with Usher. And the rest, as you all know, is history.

Since joining Usher, Aaron has had the opportunity to play around the world and in some of the most popular televised shows in the United States like Saturday Night Live (SNL), and the 2005 Grammy Awards where he performed "Caught Up" with Usher and "Sex Machine" with "The Godfather of Soul" James Brown. Aaron was also nominated for a Grammy award in 2004 as a music producer, for his work on the tracks "Superstar" and "Confessions(Interlude)" from Usher's 2004 effort "Confessions".

In 2006, Aaron won the Modern Drummer Reader's Poll award for "Best Up and Coming Drummer". He took part in the Gospel Summit at the 2006 Modern Drummer Festival. Aaron's long list of touring and recording credits includes: Ariana Grande, Gideon Band, Chrisette Michelle, Chamilionaire, David Cook, Joanne Rosario, Lil Wayne, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, Chaka Khan, Adam Lambert, Israel Houghton, Usher, and The Backstreet Boys. Aaron Spears has also worked with Lady Gaga and Italian Superstar Tiziano Ferro, and as a drummer for the American Idol tour. >>

(Did I say "in a word"? How 'bout two words? = holy cow.)

(three words = man oh man)

(four words = I gotta go practice)

Infinity Drummers. Day #457.

Dave Crigger

"Future Feature"

Don Ellis / Montreux Jazz Festival 1977

Dave's website bio begins, "At the age of 18, drummer David Crigger joined the legendary Don Ellis Orchestra, whose blending of jazz, odd-meters and multi-ethnic rhythms helped define "world music" long before the term had been coined..."

Joining the Don Ellis Orchestra meant joining a roster of legendary drummer alumni such as Steve Bohannon and Ralph Humphrey. Dave owns the music in this performance. A shoutout to all of the musicians featured here.

Dave has also toured extensively with Burt Bacharach. Here's a "Wishin' and Hopin'" that you all have a safe and happy, healthy holiday.

Infinity Drummers. Day #458.

(December 25, 2021)

Jose Luis Quintana "Changuito"

"Songomania"

What to get that someone who has everything? How about this clip from 1996 featuring the great Changuito with Rebeca Mauleon - piano, Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera - bass, Giovanni Hidalgo - congas & Papo Vazquez - trombone ... Great, right?!

From "The History Of Songo/La Historia Del Songo."

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone around the world (con saludos y gracias a Walfredo de los Reyes, Sr. and my partner in pedagogy Aaron Serfaty).

Lets dance! And check out what Changuito is playing.

Infinity Drummers. Day #459. Clint de Ganon. "Family Album” Warren Bernhardt (1993) The song "Family Album" was composed and produced by the late Chuck Loeb for pianist Warren Bernhardt's 1993 album of the same name. Chuck, Warren and drummer Clint de Ganon are all heard to great effect here. I should add the word enjoyment, it's simply a pleasure to hear great musicians at play (plus, Tom Jung's dmp CD recordings always sound so good).

The website for Yamaha Drums' artist roster, states, <> He can also be heard in Steven Spielberg's remake of "West Side Story, " playing in theatres now. Bravo and welcome to the list, Clint! Happy Holidays, everyone.

 a more energetic track from the same (Family) Album: https://youtu.be/wvotfmVrA9E

Infinity Drummers. Day #460.

Doug Yowell

"Dave"

Fool / Joe Jackson

Doug Yowell's resumé would make anyone proud ... but no one could be more proud than me. I was fortunate enough to know Doug during my New York years (early 1980s) when he came to my apartment for lessons. Watching and hearing him blossom and grow over the years since has been tremendously gratifying. Meanwhile, he has become to "go to" drummer for an impressive list of songwriters and vocalists, including Judy Collins, Suzanne Dean and Joe Jackson.

This track is from Joe Jackson's most recent album, and the song is classic Joe Jackson: memorable melody with some clever harmony, plus (to quote American Bandstand), "it's got a great beat and you can dance to it." Hey, credit Doug Yowell.

Doug is putting together his own album now, with one track that will feature Doug's drumming (and composing/producing) along with Steve Gadd, Will Lee and myself chiming in. I haven't heard the final mix, but I can tell you that it sure was fun to do.

Infinity Drummer #460 ... the countdown will be starting soon, I'm resolving that I'll take a break after drummer #500. For those who might have wondered why some drummers have been listed so late in the process, it's because I've been wanting to save some of the best for last. And if my choices of tracks do not seem representative or flattering enough regarding this drummer or that, or if I do end up omitting an important drummer or two, please remember that my goal is not so much "completeness" as it is "Pete-ness" ... these are all tracks that have spoken to me for one reason or another. And it has been my privilege and pleasure to share them with you.

Without further ado: check out Doug Yowell.

Infinity Drummers. Day #462.

Jeff Morton

"Aretha"

Free Wheeling / Ted Brown (1956)

Personnel: Art Pepper (alto sax), Ted Brown, Warne Marsh (tenor sax), Ronnie Ball (piano), Ben Tucker (bass), Jeff Morton (drums)

from the album 'FREE WHEELING' (Vanguard Records).

I do not know that much about drummer Jeff Morton except that I've read reference to his being a student of Lennie Tristano, and that he played with Tristano as well as with Lee Konitz (doing recording work in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s). But one thing I do know: he sounds great here.

One of the joys of compiling this list has been the discovery of these wonderful drummers, quite a few of whom I had no prior knowledge. It's easy to think that you can count "the great drummers" on the fingers of your hands ... but you'd need a cool 50 pair of hands to accommodate the count of all of the drummers here ... and yet think of how many additional great and deserving drummers there are whose names have not yet graced the list.

Or as Michael Brecker used to intone (in a monotone) during one long bus drive or another while looking out the window at a river, lake or ocean: "There's a lot of water in the world ..."

Yo, Jeff Morton. And dig Art Pepper (again)!

Infinity Drummers. Day #463.

Reinhardt Melz

"Wayfarer"

Greg Goebel, with Damian Erskine and Reinhardt Melz

I almost don't recognize Damian when I see him in this video because he has lost so much weight recently (healthy loss), but I'd know that excellent bass playing anywhere. And I think I recognize the drumset that Reinhardt is playing in this video: that was the first Grey Quarz Yamaha kit which I used with Steps Ahead (and later gifted to Damian). Reinhardt sounds incredible on them, but then he always sounds incredible. I first heard him playing with Damian as part of Gino Vanelli's band, and, well, wow.

Pink Martini's website says, << Reinhardt Melz was born in Los Angeles, California and has been a resident of Portland,Oregon since the age of 9. At the age of 15, he started studying the drums with local legends Mel Brown,Israel Annoh, and Guy Maxwell, all the while under the guidance of stepfather/latin percussionist Bobby Torres. At the age of 17, Reinhardt started to work professionally as a drummer and was determined to get as good as possible and make a living as a freelance drummer / percussionist. In the last 27 years, he has done just that, becoming one of the top call drummers for several genres of music in the Portland area. Amidst Reinhardt’s eclectic musical career, Reinhardt has shared the stage and/or recorded with notable artists such as Jeff Lorber, Earnestine Anderson, Buddy Guy, Earl King, Steve Miller, Les McCann, Javon Jackson, Shoshana Bean and Stevie Wonder. Currently Reinhardt can be seen touring with Gino Vannelli, Jarrod Lawson,and most recently with Pink Martini. >>

This might be the first Infinity List text to include the word "eclectic" ... I was trying to avoid it, but when the shoe fits ... Reinhardt's career can be termed "eclectic."

That's twice, I'm going to bed now.

But before I do: bravo, Reinhardt, and let's hear it for the music scene in Portland, Oregon.

Infinity Drummers. Day #463.

Jim Gwin (RIP)

"Kije Takes A Ride"

Sleigh Ride / The Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Keith Lockhart

We in the drumming community – along with the family of musicians in Boston as well as music-lovers everywhere — are in shock and mourning at the recent passing of Jim Gwin. The Infinity List would like to share a track that demonstrates the mastery that was Jim Gwin with the Pops: he steers the ship magnificently while always swinging and adding just the right amount of dazzle, in this case to a clever arrangement of Prokofiev's "Troika" (sleigh ride) from the Lieutenant Kije Suite. That's Mike Monaghan playing the soprano saxophone solo.

I did not know Jim so well but I admired his drumming, and we did get to hang out a bit between rehearsals and concerts on a couple of occasions when I was playing Seth MacFarlane's set with the Boston Pops. Like Fred Buda before him, Jim Gwin came to define the sound and feel of the Pops. My condolences to his family, friends, and all who loved the man and his music.

Infinity Drummers. Day #465.

Rich Thompson

"West End Avenue"

Best Bets / Trio East, w/ Clay Jenkins & Jeff Campbell

This would be a good week to highlight and celebrate those drummers who can do and can teach, players who practice the time-honored tradition of paying it forward to successive generations. Not that the List has ignored drummers who have excelled on the bandstand as well as in the classroom ... a list that has included Roy McCurdy, Bob Moses, Gary Hobbs, Colin Bailey, Ed Soph, Peter Donald, Joe Hunt, Joe La Barbera, Terri Lyne Carrington, John von Ohlen, Ralph Humphrey, Joe Porcaro,

Steve Houghton, Adam Nussbaum, Butch Miles, Carl Allen, Jeff Hamilton, Horacee Arnold, Ignacio Berroa, Ralph Peterson, Paul Wertico, Chad Wackerman, Matt Wilson, Kenwood Dennard, John Riley, Michael Carvin, Keith Copeland, Alison Miller, Herlin Riley,

Sonny Igoe, Tommy Igoe, Dan Weiss, Will Kennedy, Stanton Moore, Jerry Granelli, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, Dafnis Prieto, Aaron Serfaty, George Marsh, Alan Dawson, Arthur Taylor, Casey Scheuerell,vMike Shapiro, Donny Osborne, Jr., Dave Tull, et al ... a tip of the cap to you all! And, with all of those names said, I'd like to focus our attention and ears on some drummers who are consistently inspiring and turning out future drummers, beginning now/anew with Rich Thompson who teaches drumset at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Eastman's website offers: << Drummer Rich Thompson has been in demand as a top call drummer in Rochester for the past 25 years. Besides serving as the drum set instructor at the Eastman School of Music since the fall of 1996, Rich has toured, performed, and recorded with the “who’s who” of jazz greats including pianist James Williams (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Frank Foster, The Byron Stripling quartet, saxophonist Rich Perry, the Bill Dobbins Trio, Harold Danko, Marion McPartland, Trio East (which includes Clay Jenkins and Jeff Campbell), trumpeter Snooky Young, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Carl Fontana, Phil Woods, Joe Pass, and a host of others too numerous to mention. The Boston Globe cited Rich as “the drummer who drove the Basie sound” when he appeared with them at the Boston Jazz and Blues Festival.

Rich has been touring this country and abroad with the Byron Stripling Quartet for the past five years. His new CD entitled “Trio Generations” was released in May of 2012 on Origin Records. It was included on the long list for two Grammys. His new CD entitled “Less is More” was recorded with trumpet sensation Terell Stafford, pianist Gary Versace, and bassist Jeff Campbell and was released in March of 2013 on Origin Records also. In 2016 Rich recorded “Have Trumpet Will Swing” w/the Bryon Stripling Quartet and in 2017 “I Believe in You” by the group Triocity was released. Triocity features multi- saxophonist/reedman Charles Pillow and bassist Jeff Campbell.

Rich performs regularly with numerous symphonies in the U.S. and Canada, the world renowned “Jazz Cruise” and clubs throughout the U.S. and Europe with the Byron Stripling quartet. His clinics and performances have taken him as far as France, Thailand, Japan, Switzerland and Newfoundland. Rich has written four drum set books published by Kendor Music USA and Advance/Schott Music-Germany. Visit Rich on his website to listen to clips or watch a video of his trio at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. >>

Rich's inventivess, touch and ability to swing — as well as his ability to keep things interesting — are on ample display here, higlighted all the more thanks to his exclusive use of mallets on this tune ... a track that also features some beautiful playing by Clay Jenkins on trumpet and Jeff Campbell on bass.

Yo, upstate New York ... Happy New Year!

Infinity Drummers. Day #466.

Quincy Davis

"Lost in Thought"

Q Vision

I was anxiously curious, along with most other drummer/educators I know, as to who would take the helm of the storied drumset instruction chair at the University of North Texas after Ed Soph's retirement announcement. Music speaks louder than words, so please give this track a listen from Quincy Davis' most recent album "Q Vision." But words count for something, too, and I've been extremely impressed by everything I've heard Quincy say AND play. And I think it's safe to say that the students at UNT are in very good hands.

Quincy's bio on his website says: << Currently Associate Professor of Jazz Drum Set at the University of North Texas, QUINCY DAVIS was born in Grand Rapids, MI, and comes from a very musical family. He began taking piano and drum lessons at age 6. In his elementary and middle school bands, he also played trumpet and tuba. Both of his parents are musicians who exposed him to all different styles of music including instrumental jazz, European classical, gospel, opera, R&B and jazz-fusion.

His formal music studies began during his 11th grade year at Interlochen Arts Academy. There he studied classical percussion and began playing drum set in jazz bands with peers for the first time.

After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy in 1995, Davis began studying at Western Michigan University. There he studied with the drum legend, Billy Hart. During his collegiate years, Davis gained a plethora of experience playing in big bands and small groups that played at various collegiate jazz festivals. Davis’ talents would be recognized at these festivals through awards and written accolades by notable musicians like Benny Green, Bunky Green, Jon Faddis, Rufus Reid, Roy Haynes, Carl Allen, Louis Hayes, and Wallace Roney.

After graduating from WMU in 1999, Davis taught elementary and middle school instrumental music in the Grand Rapids area for one year where he taught beginner, intermediate and advanced concert band before moving to New York City.

In the summer of 2000, Davis moved to New York City where he quickly became one of the highly sought after “young cats” on the New York jazz scene. In New York, Davis frequently played at all the famous jazz venues including the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Smalls, Jazz Standard, Birdland, the Iridium, Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club and Smoke.

During his time in New York City, Davis has performed and toured with world-renowned musicians such as Frank Wess, Ernestine Anderson, Cecil McLorin-Salvant, Russell Malone, Eric Reed, Paquito D'Rivera, Kurt Elling, Christian McBride, Buster Williams, Eric Alexander, Leslie Odom Jr., Aaron Parks, Seamus Blake, Vanessa Rubin, Aaron Goldberg, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Gerald Clayton, The Clayton Brothers, Harold Mabern, Aaron Parks, Peter Bernstein, Regina Carter, Jimmy Heath, David Hazeltine, Roy Hargrove, Randy Johnston, Bob Sheppard, Paula West, Houston Person, Curtis Fuller, New York Voices, The Mingus Orchestra, Ryan Kisor and Wessell Anderson. Davis still performs with many of these artists.

In 2010, Davis accepted a teaching position at the University of Manitoba (Canada) where he was the assistant professor of jazz drum set. He, along with the other world-renowned faculty helped to bring more visibility to the program that has since produced some very successful students, winning many awards and making a name for themselves on the international stage.

In 2013, Quincy released his debut recording as a leader Songs In the Key of Q, which rose to #1 on Jazz Week’s radio jazz chart. His sophomore release, Q Vision, was ranked #3 for 5 weeks. Both albums feature all original music written by Davis.

Davis began teaching at the University of North Texas in 2017 where he is currently as associate professor and chair of the drum set department.

Quincy can be heard on over 50 albums playing with many notable jazz artists including Tom Harrell, Gretchen Parlato, Benny Golson, Steve Nelson, Ted Rosenthal, Marcus Printup, Dave Stryker, Walt Weiskopf, Stefon Harris, Randy Napoleon, Benny Green, Aaron Diehl, Frank Wess, Bobby Watson, Xavier Davis, Danny Grissett, Vincent Gardner, Darmon Meader, Sachal Vasandani and many more.

Davis stays very active as a performer keeping an active performance schedule and traveling internationally to perform. His passion for teaching is not only evident through his teaching at the University of North Texas, but also through his many video lessons on jazz drumming and interviews with master drummers on his YouTube channel which currently has 15k subscribers.

Quincy is a proud endorser of Zildjian cymbals, Tama drums and Vic Firth drumsticks. >>

Quincy's YouTube videos are sharp and well worth viewing. I'm proud not only to have sat for an interview with him during the pre-pandemic JEN Conference that was held in early 2020 in New Orleans, but to know him as a fellow Interlochen Center for the Arts alumnus.

Drummer, composer, educator and entrepreneur ... even though your album cover doesn't show it, Quincy, you wear all of your hats very well. Bravo.

Infinity Drummers. Day #467.

Yoron Israel

Mr. JC

Basic Traneing / Yoron Israel & Organic

Turning our educator/drummer and drummer/educator lens towards Boston, the Infinity Drummers list welcomes Yoron Israel, heard here on his (cleverly titled) album "Basic Traneing," with organist Kyle Koehler, guitarist Ed Cherry, along with special guests Jay Hoggard (vibraphone/ marimba) and Billy Pierce (tenor saxophone). Yoron is the Chair and Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music.

His own website offers the following biography: << Yoron Israel, a native Chicagoan, is one of the most gifted and sought-after musicians of his generation. Yoron’s exciting and tasteful drumming, along with his compositional and arranging talents are spotlighted on his most recent release “This Moment“ (Ronja Music) as well as the recordings; “Visions” – The Music of Stevie Wonder” (Ronja Music), “Basic Traneing” (Ronja Music), “Chicago” (Double Time), “Live at the Blue Note” (Half Note) and “A Gift for You” (Ronja Music). As co-leader of the Frank Walton/Yoron Israel Sextet, the recordings “Live in Chicago” and “The Back Step” (Han-Wal Productions) are noteworthy. All of these fine works have received enthusiastic praise from journalists, musical peers, and fans alike. They represent the extensive depth of Yoron Israel’s musicianship as he continues to evolve as a bandleader. He brings his unique influences and experiences in Jazz, World Styles, Gospel, Contemporary Christian, Funk, R & B, and Orchestral idioms full circle with his compositions, arrangements, repertoire, and ensemble concept: “Music to be enjoyed by all”. As Jack DeJohnette quotes, “A Gift for You” is a sparkling musical offering from a drummer who has good taste. He has a sense of direction and a feeling of joy in his drumming, compositions, and arrangements. Yoron Israel is an important voice you should listen to.”

Yoron currently leads a dynamic trio that presents original compositions, personalized arrangements by influential composers, as well as their own open improvisations. Stay tuned for Yoron’s upcoming recording “New Dreams”, which will prominently highlight the special musicality of this trio and a host of special guest artists.

“Basic Traneing”, reached number three on the National Jazz chart in 2004. It features his organ trio “Organic” with organist Kyle Koehler, guitarist Ed Cherry, along with special guests Jay Hoggard (vibraphone/ marimba) and Billy Pierce (tenor and soprano saxophone). Yoron’s “Organic”, performs original compositions and works associated with the soulful musical legacies of Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Charles Earland and Dr. Lonnie Smith while highlighting the versatility and virtuosity of the trio.

He co-leads the “Yoron Israel / Bill Pierce – ICU Revisited”, with Miles Griffith – vocals, John Lockwood – bass and Kevin Harris – piano, all except Kevin were original members of the James Williams “Intensive Care Unit” band. This group pays tribute to the magnificent compositional and artistic legacy of the late James Williams while extending the possibilities of “Gospel Jazz”.

Also, Mr. Israel leads the “Yoron Israel Septet, A Musical Tribute to David “Fathead” Newman”, features Bill Easley, Marcus Belgrave, Curtis Fuller, Howard Johnson, David Leonhardt, and John Menegon, all of which share long associations with David Newman throughout various periods of his career, which inspires a richness in the Septet’s sound. This seven-piece, the four-horn band is a special project and is reminiscent of Newman’s 2007 “Cityscape” as well as earlier recordings, including those dating back to the Ray Charles era...

In addition to leading his various projects as a bandleader. Yoron’s brilliant musicality, intensity, and versatility are appreciated worldwide, through consistent performances at prestigious concerts, notable festivals, and prominent clubs as well as on more than 200 recordings as an accompanist. Sonny Rollins, Abbey Lincoln, Ahmad Jamal, Horace Silver, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Gloria Lynne, Dakota Staton, Grover Washington, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Clark Terry, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutchinson, Art Farmer, Clifford Jordan, Jerome Richardson, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton, Freddie Cole, Pharoah Sanders, George Adams, Charles Mingus Dynasty Big Band, David “Fathead” Newman, Red Holloway, Larry Coryell, Henry Butler, Doctor Lonnie Smith, Benny Golson, Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Curtis Fuller, Bennie Wallace, Vanessa Rubin, Kevin Mahogany, Bill Mays, James Williams, Danilo Perez, Cyrus Chestnut, Otis Clay, and Shirley Caesar are among the numerous artists that he has worked with. Yoron currently tours regularly with vibraphonist Jay Hoggard, bassist John Menegon, and saxophonist Chico Freeman.

Since 2000, he has maintained a busy schedule of performing and recording with many outstanding Boston-based artists, such as Laszlo Gardony, The Makanda Project, Gabrielle Goodman to name a few. Additionally, he has become a first-call accompanist for a wide range of artists appearing in the New England area; this list includes Abraham Laboriel, Eddie Gomez, Frank Morgan, Joanne Brackeen, Eliane Elias, Larry Goldings, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jane Ira Bloom, Greg Osby, and Joey DeFrancesco, among others.

Additionally, Yoron Israel currently serves as Chair and Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music, Boston MA, and Pastor of Music and Art at Destiny Life Center International in Randolph MA. Yoron is pursuing a doctorate degree from Liberty University. He received his Master of Music degree from Rutgers University ‘97 (New Brunswick, NJ) and Bachelor of Music degree from Roosevelt University’86 (Chicago IL). As an educator, he is the author of the acclaimed educational DVD, “Creative Jazz Improvisation for Drum Set”, published by Hal Leonard and Berklee Press. He has authored the online course “Drum Set Fundamentals”, which is offered through Berklee’s website.

Mr. Israel was formerly on the faculty at Rutgers University, William Paterson University, and Mannes College -The New School For Music, he continues to teach privately, conduct clinics, workshops, residencies, and music camps throughout the world. These include the Gordon College (2020, 2018), Modern Music Camp, Shanghai China (2017), Jiong Summer Drum Camps Beijing & Wuhan China (2017), Berklee at Umbria Clinics (2019, 2018, 2017), Berklee in San Domingo (2017, 2016, 2015), Art Music School (Bologna Italy, 2014), Conservatory of Pescara (2014), Havana (Cuba) Jazz Festival, Hokkaido Groove Camp, Sapporo, Japan (2009, 2008, 2007), the Seminario & Encuentro Internacional de Jazz, Xalapa Mexico (2010, 2006 & 2004), Berklee Percussion Festivals (2003 – 2010), Taichung Jazz Festivals, Taiwan (2003 & 2004), The International Association of Jazz Educators Convention (2002), The Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2009, 2001), Young Audiences of New Jersey (1994 – 2006), The Vermont Jazz Camp (1990 – 1997) and The Litchfield Music School (2012, 2013,1998 and 1999), The Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2009, 2001), Young Audiences of New Jersey (1994 – 2006), The Vermont Jazz Camp (1990 – 1997), and The Litchfield Music School (2012, 2013,1998 and 1999). >>

Whew!

Album cover ... Yoron's hands sound as good as they look. Have a listen ...

Infinity Drummers. Day #468.

Skip Hadden

"Ratman"

Reverence (1994)/ Michael Bocian, Dewey Redman, Cameron Brown & Skip Hadden

The Mysterious Traveler himself, Skip Hadden, beloved educator at the Berklee College of Music and a Weather Report alumnus, one of two drummers on one of the most important albums of the modern era, Weather Report's "Mysterious Traveler." Check out "Nubian Sundance" and the title track ... plus a surprise (unreleased) track that will be posted below. As I mentioned to Skip, the thing that has always blown my mind about the drumming on these tracks is how funky everything is and yet how swinging the beat remains.

This track, "Ratman," is a swinger through and through.

His website offers, << Skip Hadden is originally from Port Chester, New York. As a youngster he studied with Ralph Pace and later in Cleveland with Bob McKee and Ramnad Raghavan. He has been performing and recording with various artists since 1968. A partial list includes Michael Bocian, Ira Sullivan, Ernie Krivda, Sonny Stitt, Bill DeArango, John Abercrombie, Lou Donaldson, Billy Pierce, Bill Dobbins, Larry Karush, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Smith, Billy Drewes, Dewey Redman, Garrison Fewell, Ed Saindon, Eddie Gomez, and Kenny Werner.

He can be heard on the Weather Report album "Mysterious Traveler" with Josef Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Alphonso Johnson, Dom Um Ramao, and Ishmael Wilburn. He can also be heard on "This Is Jazz 10, Weather Report," and the recent recording "Reverence" with Michael Bocian, Dewey Redman, and Cameron Brown on the ENJA label.

Skip has a Masters in Education and is a Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he has taught since 1982. At Berklee he has developed and taught numerous courses, including Fusion Repertoire and Development, Advanced Fusion, Basic Time and Pulse, Lead Sheet Interpretation, Rhythmic Concepts: Broken Eighth Note Feel, Linear Time Feels and Phrasing, Jazz Drum Styles, Fusion Drum Styles, Funk Drum Styles, Rock Drum Styles, World Drum Styles, Survey of Drumming post ‘60s and Acoustic Characteristics of the Drumset.

He is the author of four books: World Fusion Drumming, published by Alfred Music Publishers, The Beat, The Body, & The Brain II, Rhythmic Concepts: Broken Eighth Note Feel, Profiles In Jazz Drumming, published by Who's Counting? Publications. He has also written numerous articles on drumming and music education for a variety of music industry publications. His books are used by numerous educators and institutions and are also required texts of the Berklee Percussion Department curriculum.

As an endorser of Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Evans Heads, Vic Firth Sticks, and LP Percussion, he has presented workshops and seminars throughout the U. S., Europe, and Australia. His presentations are often based on the concepts from his texts.

An often sought performer and educator, Skip makes his home in Gloucester, MA., an inspiring seaside community just north of Boston. >>

Curt Bianchi's excellent book "Elegant People" chronicles Weather Report from start to finish (and, even, before and after) ... the story surrounding the "Mysterious Traveler" album is well worth reading, and Skip's wild ride into legend is the stuff of mythology. Just like Weather Report liked it.

Infinity Drummers. Day #469.

Sean Rickman

"Popeye"

And now, a professor from the University of Sean. Sean Rickman. Based in the Washington, DC area (Georgetown), Sean conducts classes on-line but he has also enjoyed a playing career in the company of such artists as << Shawn Lane, Garaj Mahal, Dapp Theory, Steve Coleman, Maxwell, Meshell Ndegeocello, Blacksheep, Phil Upchurch, David Fiucynski & Screaming Headless Torsos, Kai Eckhardt, Anthony Tidd's Quite Sane, K'Alyn, Angela Bofill and George Duke. He was also featured alongside Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Marcus Miller on the Tribute to Miles 2011 tour. Rickman has toured and recorded with alto saxophonist Steve Coleman, bassist Kai Eckhardt, and guitarist Miles Okazaki. He releases self produced albums under the name "The Rick", performing vocals and all the instruments. He is the lead vocalist and guitarist of his power trio. >> (thank you, Wikipedia). Talented guy.

Bernhard Castiglione's DRUMMERWORLD.COM first brought Sean's drumming to my attention some years ago: a video began playing on YouTube when I was not looking at the screen ... I heard it and then walked out into the front yard where my wife was tending the garden and commented to her, "Wow, honey, Vinnie is sounding better than ever ..." Not sure if that was a left-handed compliment to either great drummer, but hey, speaking of left hands, check out Sean's technique. More than that, what impresses me the most is how he deftly goes from simple to complex and back to simple again in terms of fills and such, giving the complex fills that much more clarity and punch. His innate musicality prevents him (here, at least) from doing the "Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots" mode of drumming throughout the entire tune.

Anyway, enough of my commentary. I'm certain you'll enjoy this. Take it away, Professor Rickman!

Infinity Drummers. Day #472.

Tina Raymond

"Saigon Bride" (Joan Baez)

Left Right Left

Art Lande, piano / Putter Smith, bass / Tina Raymond, drums

Tina Raymond is a drummer based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the director of Jazz Studies at California State University, Northridge. She attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (B.M Double Performance - Classical Percussion and Jazz Studies) and California Institute of the Arts (M.F.A Jazz Studies). Raymond studied African ewe music with Ghanaian chief Alfred Ladzekpo, classical percussion with the members of Percussion Group Cincinnati, and jazz drum set with Joe LaBarbera, Jeff Hamilton, and the late John Von Ohlen. She is also an educational artist endorsed by Sabian, Regal Tip, and Remo. She is an active member of the Jazz Education Network.

A unique voice in the Los Angeles contemporary improvised music scene, Raymond blends traditional jazz vocabulary with African polyrhythm and classical percussion technique. She performs, adjudicates, and presents workshops world wide and has shared the stage with many jazz luminaries including Bobby Bradford, David Binney, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Jeff Parker, Art Lande, and Vinny Golia. She can be heard on many records including Cathlene Pineda’s “A Weeks Time”(Orenda Records), The Harold Trio’s “Harold Trio” (Edgetone Records), Nick Mancini’s “The Long Game” (self released), Alex Sadnik’s “Londelius” (Big Ego Records), Dan Rosenboom’s “Trio Subliminal” (Orenda Records), Jon Armstrong’s “Burnt Hibiscus” (Orenda Records), and her debut album featuring Art Lande and Putter Smith entitled “Left Right Left” (Orenda Records).

Of "Left Right Left," she writes: "As a drummer and percussion teacher, I say the words “left” and “right” often. I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about what combinations of “left” and “right” are the most efficient way to execute rhythms. My students and I talk about being left-handed or right-handed and how that characteristic affects the way a musician approaches playing the drums. I am very aware of the bipartisan quality of limbs.

In politics, the terms “left wing” and “right wing” date back to the French Revolution. They referred to the physical location of two opposing parties in relation to the king—either to the left or right of his chair. I like to think there was a recognition of the value of both sides, an understanding that left and right are necessarily attached to the same animal.

This is what America has forgotten. We are one animal, and, when we pull away from one another, we are ripping this creature apart.

Since the country’s coasts are predominantly left-leaning and much of its central states are right-leaning, together we are LEFT RIGHT LEFT.

Many of us feel disillusioned, and so we have found ways to voice our opinions in protest. It is tumultuous, but it is also momentous. We are all trying to march forward in our own way, placing one foot in front of the other and chanting, “LEFT RIGHT LEFT.”

I put a lot of thought into the song selection for this album. With the exception of Putter Smith’s compositions, these songs are all part of America’s history. Many are anti-war anthems, and others carry different socio-political messages. I found the subject matter of these songs to still be incredibly relevant—an equally comforting and frustrating realization. On the one hand (let’s say the left), it’s comforting to know our experiences are not historically unique. On the other (now the right), it’s frustrating to see we have not learned from our past mistakes.

I am so grateful for Art Lande and Putter Smith’s wisdom and insight while working on this record. They helped me see some positivity in the current political climate, which I admit was extremely difficult. It’s healthy for Americans to be engaged in these conversations and aware of our government’s actions. We have not been doing this collectively for quite some time. They also reinforced how important and special it is to be musically honest—and to do so unapologetically."

This recording is from 2017, but, like all great music, it is both timely as well as timeless. Speaking of time: Happy Birthday, Tina! And bravo.

Infinity Drummers. Day #473.

Lauren Ellis

"Papatūānuku (Earth Mother)"

Masters Recital, Thornton School of Music, USC

Lauren Ellis came to USC from New Zealand as an already-seasoned professional player and educator. I was delighted to have her in my studio for 2 years at the Thornton School of Music where she also served as an instructor in the Drumset Proficiency course (known as the Drum Lab for short), a place where we teach musicians and non-musicians alike: the "how-to" of playing the drums, the role of the drums in the development of modern Black American Music, and how best to respect the spaces between notes. She was an exemplary teacher and player at USC ... AND composer AND orchestrator AND producer and, as is evidenced here, a video editor and audio mixer to boot. She really raised the bar at the school, and this small portion of her Masters Degree recital — undertaken with all of the challenges that the pandemic could throw at her — is a testament to her talent, hard work, and the quality of the education and opportunities at Thornton.

Bravo, Lauren.

(Bravo, too, the Thornton Jazz Orchestra musicians, Bob Mintzer/director with a cameo appearance here on alto flute.)

Infinity Drummers. Day #474.

Sylvia Cuenca

"Firm Roots"

from Concert Smalls Jazz Club - New York - 2021 -Sylvia Cuenca (d), Dave Kikoski (p), Freddie Hendrix (t), Craig Handy (ts), Essiet Essiet (b) (July 2021)

What's starting to look and feel like some halcyon days of summer — not so long ago and just when we thought that we might get out of this pandemic sooner rather than later — here's a ton of musical warmth courtesy of Sylvia Cuenca and a terrific band. And even though there's some apparent confusion with the form in this segment (sorry, let's just say it's loose), these are the moments that reveal the stuff that musicians are made of ... and it all only seems to bring out that much more fire from Sylvia ... she's sounding better than ever here.

Her website bio tells us, "Sylvia Cuenca is an active drummer on the New York jazz scene who is contributing outstanding performances in a variety of situations. She has had the honor of sharing the bandstand with saxophone legend Joe Henderson for 4 years and trumpet legend Clark Terry for 17 years. The Joe Henderson quartet toured frequently in European countries Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, England, Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany and venues across the U.S. In a trio setting she performed with Joe Henderson and Charlie Haden in 1989 and with George Mraz in 1994. She performed with the Clark Terry Quintet and Big Band at Village Vanguard, Birdland, Blue Note, Queen Elizabeth 2, Royal Viking, S.S. Norway jazz cruises and clubs, concerts and festivals in the U.S, Europe, the Caribbean and South America. While working with the Clark Terry quintet she had the opportunity to perform with guest artists Al Grey, Red Holloway, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Marian McPartland, Dianne Reeves, Joe Williams and Lou Donaldson to name a few.

Cuenca has also performed with such jazz luminaries as Billy Taylor, Frank Foster's Loud Minority Big Band, Houston Person, Etta Jones, Helen Merrill, John Hicks, Valery Ponomarov, Lew Soloff, James Spaulding, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, George Cables, Hilton Ruiz, Jon Faddis, Eddie Henderson, John Handy, Kenny Drew Jr., Emily Remler, Richie Cole, Dave Stryker, Gregory Porter, Jessie Davis, Ralph Bowen, Vincent Herring, Paul Bollenback, Geoffrey Keezer, Mark Whitfield, Ralph Moore, Catherine Russell, Dianne Reeves, Dianne Schuur, Denise Donatelli, Ernestine Anderson, Lea Delaria, the European based Vienna Art Orchestra and many others. In 2007 she performed in a live taping of Black Girls Rock concert in New York City with pop star Alicia Keys. In 2015 she performed at Dizzy's Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. with Albert "Tootie" Heath's 4 drum set group called "The Whole Drum Truth" which also included drummers Louis Hayes and Joe Saylor.

She was a guest clinician at the Sisters in Jazz Program at the IAJE Convention in NYC and the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Cuenca has been a longtime faculty member at the Jazz for Teens and Pre-Teen Program at NJPAC and the Stanford Jazz Workshop in California. Recently she has been on faculty at Roni Ben-Hur's Summer Jazz Camp in Vermont. She was an artist-in-residence at various universities in the U.S. and Europe with the Clark Terry quintet, Eddie Henderson quartet and as a leader with her own groups. In 2014 she received a B.A. degree in Jazz Performance from Empire State University in NYC.

In 1988 and 1991 Cuenca received jazz performance grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 1992 she was a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Drum Competition.

She has studied with jazz master drummers Adam Nussbaum, Victor Lewis, Keith Copeland and Brazilian drummer Portinho. Sylvia endorses Canopus Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth sticks and brushes, and Remo Drumheads."

Enjoy.

Infinity Drummers. Day #475.

Terry Silverlight

"World Chant"

In My Own Silver Light

I first became aware of Terry's drumming by way of his precocious appearance and playing on his older brother Barry Miles' album "White Heat" ... Terry was all of 14 years old when he recorded that. Both brothers were prodigies. Terry has lost none of his abilities or precociousness, as evidenced on this eponymous one-man production (check out the [somewhat] title track, "The Silver Light"). This is impressive stuff by any standard, and I suspect that not too many (or enough) people have seen and heard this yet. It's wild.

Wikipedia tells us, << "Silverlight was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey. He made his debut as a drummer on Barry Miles' White Heat album, recorded in 1971 when Silverlight was fourteen years old. That early jazz/fusion album featured Barry Miles's compositions along with performances by guitarists Pat Martino, John Abercrombie, and saxophonist/flutist Lew Tabackin. Silverlight drummed on several more Barry Miles recordings throughout the 1970s performing alongside Al Di Meola, Vic Juris, Eric Kloss and Richard Davis.

After attending Princeton University, Silverlight moved to Manhattan and embarked upon a studio session career, playing drums on recordings for artists including Billy Ocean, George Benson, Laura Nyro, Stephanie Mills, Freddie Jackson, Anne Murray, Natalie Merchant, Jonathan Butler, Stephen Stills, Mel Tormé, Phil Woods, Tom Jones, Change, Odyssey, jingles, and film scores including You've Got Mail, One Fine Day, My Blue Heaven, Titus, What Planet Are You From? and Frida.

Silverlight has authored three drum books; The Featured Drummer, The Stick Bag of Jazz, Funk, Fusion and Gig Bag Series for Drummers: Rhythm & Percussion. All are published by Music Sales Corporation. He has been an educator appearing at clinics including PASIC (Percussive Arts Society), Sam Ash Music and Brooklyn College. He taught drums at the Drummers Collective (DCI) in Manhattan from 1981-1985.

Silverlight toured worldwide as a member of Roberta Flack's band from 1986–1988, and has toured Japan yearly as a member of David Matthews's Manhattan Jazz Orchestra (MJO) since 1996, having recorded several albums with that group.

Simultaneous to his drumming career, Silverlight has written songs, composed, produced, and arranged music for network TV shows including One Life to Live, The Young and the Restless, The Sopranos, All My Children, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Strong Medicine, The District, Las Vegas, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, 7th Heaven, The Shield, Burn Notice, South Beach, jingle products Reebok, Nicorette, Pantene, Crisco, the films Invincible with Mark Wahlberg, Head over Heels with Monica Potter/Freddie Prinze, Jr., Marci X with Lisa Kudrow, Sunshine Cleaning with Alan Arkin/Emily Blunt/Amy Adams, Mad About Mambo with Keri Russell, and songs recorded by Nancy Wilson, Les McCann, Carl Anderson, Phillip Ingram (Switch V), Louise Redknapp and Judy Torres.

Silverlight has seven solo artist recordings featuring his drumming and original compositions. Four are in the jazz genre: Terry Silverlight, Wild!!, Diamond in the Riff, and Live!, showcasing performances by Barry Miles, Will Lee, Paul Shaffer, Edgar Winter, Hiram Bullock, Chuck Loeb, Lew Soloff, and Bill Evans, among others. Three of the albums are in the pop genre featuring Silverlight's work as a songwriter, producer and arranger: Songwriter Producer: Volumes I & II, Collaborations: Volumes I & II, and Music To Picture. >>

Like I said: impressive stuff. This is something else https://youtu.be/odezTkArSFc

Infinity Drummers. Day #476.

Susie Ibarra

"Dreams"

Radiance / Susie Ibarra Trio (1999)

with Cooper-Moore playing the harp and Charles Burnham playing the violin.

Susie Ibarra's drumming is a breath of fresh air, her playing is — literally — as fluid as the wind and it flows like water. Her ability to bring the modern drumset and her listeners to an organic place speaks volumes of her sensibilities. All to say: Susie Ibarra is a unique presence in drumming nowadays, not only an original but part of a great and important continuum of free improvisors on the instrument. She incorporates lots of percussion into the discussion.

This is a cool track that reminds me, somehow, of a recording that Eddie Marshall played on 50+ years ago as part of The Fourth Way with Mike Nock, Ron McClure and Michael White (on violin), the tune "Ebony Plaza" from the album "The Sun and Moon Have Come Together" ... okay, the violin is the obvious part, but the rhythmic base and almost child-like innocence of the piece are welcome notes of musical wine to these ears.

Her website informs us: << "Susie Ibarra — Composer, Percussionist, Sound Artist — is a Filipina-American composer, percussionist, and sound artist. Her sound has been described as “a sound like no other’s, incorporating the unique percussion and musical approach of her Filipino heritage with her flowing jazz drumset style” (Modern Drummer Magazine) and her compositions are sometimes described as “calling up the movements of the human body; elsewhere it’s a landscape vanishing in the last light, or the path a waterway might trace” (New York Times). Recent commissions include Kronos String Quartet’s 50 for the Future Project Pulsation, PRISM Saxophone Quartet + Percussion’s Procession Along the Aciga Tree, Talking Gong trio with pianist Alex Peh and flautist Claire Chase, film score When the Storm Fades directed by Sean Devlin, and a multimedia game piece Fragility: An Exploration of Polyrhythms for Asia Society.

Susie Ibarra is a 2020 National Geographic Explorer grantee in Storytelling and 2019 United States Artist Fellow in Music. She is a 2014 Senior TED Fellow and a 2018 Asian Cultural Council Fellow in support of her sound research of An Acoustic Story on Climate Change: Himalayan Glacier Soundscapes. She is recording and researching sound along the Ganges from source to sink in collaboration with glaciologist and geomorphologist Michele Koppes. Ibarra leads the DreamTime Ensemble, which recently released the album Perception, a suite of music exploring memory and shifting sensory experiences. She performs in collaborative ensembles Mephista, Yunohana Variations, and LIMBS. With ThinkFun Games, Ibarra is inventing an interactive polyrhythm game to teach rhythms. Since 2012, she has been a faculty member at Bennington College where she teaches percussion, performance, improvisation, and art intervention.

Susie Ibarra is a Yamaha, Vic Firth, and Zildjian Drum Artist.

Performances: She has performed at numerous festivals and concert halls including: Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall NYC, The Barbican Theatre London, The Noguchi Museum, The Exploratorium San Francisco, Pioneer Works Brooklyn, Smithsonian Institute, Library of Congress, Sharjah Art Foundation and Biennial , REDCAT Roy and Edna Disney/Calarts Theatre, The Kitchen, The Serpentine Summer Festival and Gallery Pavilion London, Modern Art Museum MoMA Summer Garden, TED Long Beach, TED Vancouver and TED Global Rio, Thames River Festival for the London 2012 Olympics, , Music and Social Gastronomy at the Refettorio for Rio 2016 Olympics, Sacred Music Festival of Fez Morocco 2016, National Museum of Wildlife Art, EMPAC Rensselear RPI, Ecstatic Music Festival, Electronic Music Festival,

Collaborating Artists: Susie Ibarra has recorded albums as a leader, collaborator and soloist. She has performed with many artists including Yuka Honda, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Laurie Anderson, Makoto Fujimura, Claire Chase, Alex Peh, Wadada Leo Smith, Dave Douglas, John Zorn, Pauline Oliveros, Ikue Mori, Tashi Dorji, Brian Chase, Tarek Atoui, , Kronos String Quartet, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Sylvie Courvoisier, Tania Leon, Yoshimio, Marc Ribot, Min Xiao Fen, Jin Hi Kim, Juan Sanchez, Roberto Juan Rodriguez, Anthony Davis, Yusef Komunyakaa, Trisha Brown, Daniel Fish, Mark Dresser, William Parker, John Lindberg, Kathleen Supove, Jennifer Choi, Bridget Kibbey, Dr. L Subramaniam." >>

More recent recordings are available at her website. Google it.

Infinity Drummers. Day #477.

Sheila E

Late Night with David Letterman

During the summer of 2011, David Letterman (a drumming afficionado) hosted a series of drummers playing solos accompanied by the "The World's Most Dangerous Band" (otherwise known as the "CBS Orchestra" whose members included Paul Shaffer, Anton Fig, Felicia Collins, Sid McGinnis, Will Lee and Tom Bones Malone). There were quite a few outstanding performances, with Sheila's certainly being one of the best. The beginning parts of the solo are my favorite, where we can hear and appreciate her roots as a timbalero.

I first met Sheila along with her father Pete Escovido and her uncle Coke Escovido in 1972 when they came to check out a Stan Kenton gig in the Bay Area and ended up sitting in on the tune "Peanut Vendor." Sheila was just a teenager but was already in full command of her music. I recall how other-worldly happy Stan's conga drummer Ramon Lopez was, and whichever one of the Escovidos had picked up the cowbell, that cowbell playing elevated the entire Kenton orchestra off the bandstand.

Her Wikipedia page has a lot of info I won't copy-and-paste here. Sheila has contributed more than her fair share to modern music. Her tenures with George Duke and Prince are the stuff of music legend. Bravo, Sheila!

Infinity Drummers. Day #478.

Don Ellis

"The Devil Made Me Write This Piece"

Soaring / Don Ellis and his Orchestra

From the album that brought us (Hank Levy's) "Whiplash" comes this tasty bon mot of big band drumming by trumpeter, composer and bandleader Don Ellis (whose drumming has been heard as part of the List's presentation of Duo Drum tracks, in that case "Strawberry Soup" from the Tears of Joy album). Don's drumming always struck me as delightfully inventive as it was reckless, kind of like a car that's going a bit too fast for the road it's on (but only a little bit too fast). He navigates the chart beautifully — why not? He wrote it! — and just like Dee Barton on the Kenton band (trombonist and composer-turned-drummer), Don Ellis merits his own place on the Infinity Drummers List.

From 1973, with: Don Ellis – trumpet, flugelhorn, drums, arranger;

Fred Selden – alto saxophone, flute, soprano saxophone, piccolo, alto flute; Vince Denham – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, piccolo; Sam Falzone – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Gary Herbig – baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe; Jack Caudill, Bruce Mackay, Gil Rathel – trumpet, flugelhorn; Sidney Muldrow – French horn; Mike Jamieson – trombone; Ken Sawhill – bass trombone; Doug Bixby – tuba; Jay Graydon – guitar, bag

Milcho Leviev – piano, electric piano, organ, clavinet; Dave McDaniel – bass; Ralph Humphrey – drums; Ron Dunn – drums, percussion; Lee Pastora – congas; Earle Corry, Joel Quivey – electric violin; Renita Koven – electric viola; Pat Kudzia – electric cello.

Infinity Drummerts. Day #479.

Charly Antolini

"Caravan"

The Big Drum Solo / Jazzfestival Bern - Switzerland - 1993

Charly Antolini. Caravan. "The Big Drum Solo"

He's Swiss. This is universal. As in great. I think that quite a few of you will be pleasantly impressed and surprised. I was.

Wikipedia tells us, << "Born in Zürich, Antolini started playing the traditional Swiss Basler drum. In 1956 he went to Paris, where he played with Sidney Bechet, Bill Coleman. He joined the Tremble Kids with trumpeter Oscar Klein and clarinettist Werner Keller. In 1962 he lived in Stuttgart, Germany, where he spent five years playing with bassist Peter Witte and pianist Horst Jankowski in the SWR Big Band led by Erwin Lehn. With Witte, between 1965 and 1967, he recorded five albums for the Romanian pianist Eugen Cicero, who combined classical music with jazz. He also played in big bands with Kurt Edelhagen, Peter Herbolzheimer, and Max Greger in the NDR Bigband.

In 1976 he formed Charly Antolini's Jazz Power with Steve Hooks (tenor sax), Andrei Lobanov (trumpet), David Gazarov (keyboards). and Rocky Knauer (bass). Later members were Len Skeat and Brian Lemon. In the 1980s he toured Germany, Italy, and Denmark with Benny Goodman, as well as with Lionel Hampton, Barbara Dennerlein, Albert Mangelsdorff, Earl Hines, Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Giuffre, Art Farmer, Oliver Nelson, Art Van Damme, Stuff Smith, and Baden Powell. In the late 1980s-early 1990s he recorded four albums with British tenor saxophonist Dick Morrissey, three of which were live, and in 1994 he started the Super Trio with pianist Dirk Raufeisen and bassist Jimmy Woode." >>

Hear and seen here with Dick Morrissey on tenor sax, - Brian Dee, piano and Len Skeat on bass. With some priceless (YouTube) comments as an added bonus.

Bravo, Sir!

Infinity Drummers. Day #480.

Bob Gullotti

"Slip + Slide"

The Fringe in New York / George Garzone

George Garzone + The Fringe, quartet style with Mike Mainieri. Bob Gullotti, drums, with John Lockwood on bass. Legendary Boston-based band, co-founder Bob Gullotti was its rhythmic heart and soul up until his untimely passing in January, 2020.

Michael J. West wrote in Jazz Times, "Bob Gullotti, a drummer and percussionist who was a staple of the Boston jazz scene for nearly five decades, as well as a mentor to countless younger musicians from around the world, died January 25 at his home in Waltham, Massachusetts. He was 70.

Gullotti was the drummer for the Fringe, an innovative free-jazz trio that he cofounded in 1972. The Fringe quickly became a seminal act on the Boston scene, with longstanding residencies across several clubs and other venues. In addition, he headed his own Bob Gullotti Project. Gullotti also toured with the likes of J.J. Johnson, Joe Lovano, and John Patitucci, and was known to fans of the jam band Phish for his sit-ins with the group (and work with Phish member Trey Anastasio on the latter’s project Surrender to the Air).

Perhaps most importantly, Gullotti was a beloved educator, both from his perch at Berklee and in private lessons, master classes, and workshops that he conducted around Boston and the United States with musicians at all levels.

“One of the most kind musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of making music with, and a huge inspiration for me,” wrote drummer/composer Tyshawn Sorey on Facebook.

“He taught me a lot. On so many levels,” wrote keyboardist John Medeski. “Truly infinitely creative and supportive and always limit pushing.”

Robert Gullotti was born on November 28, 1949 in Boston, the youngest of five brothers. His father was a mechanic and owned a gas station in Waltham. Bob’s brother Steve, six years older, played guitar in a band, and Bob was inspired at the age of 11 to begin playing drums. From the moment he picked up the sticks, he recalled, he was obsessed—he worked through a lesson book each week, sometimes practicing seven hours a day. He began playing professionally at 15.

Gullotti later recalled that there was tension between his father and himself, because his father was opposed to his children making music for a living and “I was an absolute fanatic and didn’t want to do anything else.” However, he also recalled in a 2017 interview that “when we were in high school we all had to work at the gas station during the summer. I lasted three weeks before he said, ‘Go practice your drums.’”

Upon graduation from Waltham High School in 1968, Gullotti matriculated at Berklee College of Music, where he majored in music education and studied with Fred Buda and Alan Dawson—the latter whom he regarded as his most important mentor. He graduated in 1972.

“For me, the most important period of my development was the four years after Berklee,” he remarked. “I was just playing—not teaching, just playing … and I [practiced for] eight hours every day.” He also continued his studies with Dawson, and freelanced with touring musicians who came through the city as well as with the many artists who had come to teach at area universities—a period of intensive work.

In his senior year at Berklee, Gullotti and a classmate, saxophonist George Garzone, enlisted one of Berklee’s professors, bassist Rich Appleman, to form the Fringe, which quickly began playing regularly around the Boston area. The Fringe also gained attention from the larger jazz world after fellow Boston native George Wein heard them and invited them to perform at the Newport Jazz Festival, then at his Kool Jazz Festival in New York. In 1984, Appleman was replaced by bassist John Lockwood, who remained with the band permanently. By that point, the Fringe was already touring around the world in its own right.

Along with the Fringe, Gullotti toured regularly with internationally known musicians, many of whom he met when they came to Boston to work at Berklee or other area music programs—such as Lovano, Patitucci, saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, and trombonist Hal Crook. He reached a new audience in 1996 when Anastasio, Phish’s guitarist and lead vocalist, recruited Gullotti to perform with Surrender to the Air, a free-jazz side project. It disbanded after only one recording, but that album became an essential item among Phish fans and collectors; Gullotti later sat in with Phish for three concerts in 1996 and 1997.

Gullotti joined the faculty of his alma mater, Berklee College of Music, in 2010. His teaching philosophy hearkened back to his lessons with Alan Dawson: It centered on discipline, efficiency, and practice. He was highly encouraging to students seeking out music as a profession. “If you’re a good player and you’ve got a good attitude on the bandstand and knowledge of what you’re playing, it’s as stable as any other industry,” he wrote on his faculty page at Berklee. “I think it’s just a matter of getting the concentration and the discipline and the repertoire down and having a good attitude and showing up on time and just being a pro. If you hang with it, you can hack out a living.”

Gullotti is survived by his wife, Marion Campos-Gullotti.

The Fringe had performed every Monday night at the Lilypad, a jazz club in Cambridge’s Inman Square, since 2006. Garzone and Lockwood elected to honor Gullotti’s death by not breaking that residency, appearing as a duo in the Fringe’s regular Monday night spot on January 27."

A Sunday Salute to the late great Bob Gullotti. "Slip + Slide" is a real and righteous intellectual finger-snapper.

Infinity Drummers. Day #481.

Will Calhoun

"Sarmastah"

Celebrating Elvin Jones / Will Calhoun

Will Calhoun: drums 12-string acoustic guitar; Christian McBride: bass; Antoine Roney: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Carlos McKinney: piano.

What better way for the Infinity List to celebrate and honor the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. than by celebrating and honoring the drumming legacy of Elvin Jones? The lofty goal of Will Calhoun's 2016 personal passion-project album works on both evocative and practical levels. You may marvel as I do at Will's apparent versatility, but it's all pure drumming for him (and from him). I really admire what he does with his two-bass drum set-up both from a tuning perspective as well as playing approach. Overall, he plays with power while being dialed-in to the textures of hand percussion, bringing the instrument full-circle. Plus, he does a very cool and sly thing by playing acoustic guitar on this track (remember "Elvin's Guitar Blues" from Emperor Jones' Heavy Sounds album?).

His website's bio reads: << Will Calhoun, the widely acclaimed drummer from the Bronx, New York, graduated from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he received a Bachelors degree in Music Production and engineering and was the recipient of the prestigious Buddy Rich Jazz Masters Award for outstanding performance by a drummer. Will is also a two time Grammy winner with the genre bending iconic Rock band LIVING COLOUR.

Special Kudos for Will's drumming virtuosity include:

Best New Drummer by Modern Drummer Magazine's Readers Poll; Number One Progressive Drummer by Modern Drummer Magazine's Readers Poll three times; Best Drummer by Rolling Stone Magazine's Critics Poll

Will Calhoun's unique blend of improvisational and hard rock drumming can be found on each of Living Colour's four Epic releases: the ground breaking multi-platinum debut, Vivid, the critically acclaimed sophomore LP, Time's Up, the Biscuits EP, and Stain, as well as their subsequent releases CollideØscope, The Chair in the Doorway and Shade. A prolific song writer, Will has co-written many Living Colour compositions and wrote the critically acclaimed song, Pride, on the Time's Up album and Nothingness on the Stain album. As a member of Living Colour, Will received a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance by a group and another Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Living Colour also won an International Rock Award for Best Rock Band.

In addition to his work with Living Colour, Will has recorded and/or toured with diverse artists including B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Jaco Pastorious, Harry Belafonte, Pharoah Sanders, Jack Dejohnette, Paul Simon, Lou Reed, The Allman Brothers, Lauryn Hill, Marcus Miller, Dr.John, Carly Simon, Herb Alpert, Steve Vai, Mike Stern, Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def, Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, Wayne Shorter (on the Grammy-winning CD "High Life"), the Moroccan Gnawan Masters, and hip-hop pioneers Run-DMC and Public Enemy. As a producer, player, and songwriter, Will has worked on Herb Alpert's Grammy-nominated CD, Colors and Mos Def's Black Jack Johnson project.

Will has invested over 25 years of personal research in the Outback of Australia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Belize, and Northern Brazil (among other locations) to document and study the true History of the drums, rhythm, sonic vibrations and their impact on modern music. Will is an inventor and avid user of technology and its unique role in creating music. Three well known colleagues that Will continues to brainstorm with are: Jaron Lanier(Virtual Reality Inventor), Roger Linn and Mario DeCurtiis. "Simultaneously studying the past and future of music/rhythm is essential in today’s musical environment." - Will Calhoun.

Education plays a key role in Will’s career. Giving back to his own community and broadening the horizons of many students around the World is compulsory. Some of the schools and events that he has spoken and presented at include: Brown University’s Watson Institute, Columbia Teachers College, Berklee College of Music, Havarford College, NYU, The Museum of Mathematics, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The New School, Head-Royce School in Oakland, CA, Sup’Imax Institute in Dakar, Senegal, The Montreal Drum Festival in Canada, The Beijing Drum Festival in China, The IBVF - Instituto de Bateria in São Paulo, Brazil, and BMHC cultural events in the Bronx. >>

Will was gracious enough to share some of his wisdom and experience with the drumming community at the Thornton School of Music last year and his class stands out in my memory as being one of our best. I can recommend that you check out the entire album, by the way ... great playing by all, including appearances by Keyon Harrold, trumpet; Jan Hammer, keyboards on one track and the legendary Doudou N'Diaye Rose (Doudou Ndiaye Rose was a Senegalese drummer, composer and band leader, and was the recognized modern master of Senegal's traditional drum, the sabar. He was the father of a musical dynasty that includes some of the most successful traditional musicians of contemporary West Africa). Check out "Doll of the Bride."

Bravo, Will.

Happy Birthday, Reverend King.

Infinity Drummers. Day #482.

Joel Rosenblatt

"Shaker Song" (trio version)

Spyro Gyra (1995)

I'm always pleasantly surprised when I listen to Spyro Gyra and am not sure now why I have biased away from giving the band the benefit of the doubt over the years. They're better than they sound, or maybe they sound better than they ... oh, never mind. Excellent musicians, and Joel Rosenblatt plays terrific here. Okay, a couple of the fills have aged as well as the idea of wearing sleeveless t-shirts in concert, but overall a bravura performance. It's not easy to play in trio along with a pre-programmed percussion track. On toms the size of a bucket. While wearing a sleeveless t-shirt.

Just having fun, Joel. Hey ... look up my sleeveless t-shirt fashion faux pas with Weather Update circa 1986 (or don't). Not sure what we were thinking ... in my case, I'm going to blame Steve Khan.

Bravo Tom Schumann, Scott Ambush and Joel Rosenblatt.

Infinity Drummers. Day #483.

Ronald Shannon Jackson

"Man Dance"

Man Dance / Ronald Shannon Jackson and The Decoding Society

Thanks to a tweet I saw yesterday from Nate Smith regarding the overlooked drummer and musical force Ronald Shannon Jackson, I realized that I had been sleepwalking through much of the early 1980s when Jackson and his band The Decoding Society were flexing their musical muscles (he said, "one of the truly unsung musicians of all time," commenting on a tweet from guitarist Vernon Reid that said, "How I feel about drummers comes down to this -A drummer, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Changed My Life. None of what happened later on would have happened if Melvin Gibbs didn’t introduce me to him & his wonderful, original, beautiful, strange, terrifying music. So Bass AND Drums.").

The List is going with the first and title track from this 1982 album, but it is suggested that you give several tunes a good listen to best appreciate what Ronald Shannon Jackson did and was capable of producing. Of this recording, jazz writer Scott Yanow stated: "The ensemble-oriented 'free funk' music of drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society never can be accused of being overly mellow or lacking in excitement ... The frenetic and intense ensembles (essentially everyone solos at once) would not be classified as relaxing background music."Meanwhile, NPR thought that "the spiky Afro-pop guitar, two grumbling electric basses and melodies played in several keys at once are all out of Ornette Coleman's band Prime Time. But the Decoding Society had a lazier lope and wasn't quite so eager to fill all the available space."

Wikipedia has a lengthy page dedicated to Jackson's music and life. I'll quote from the opening paragraph: << Ronald Shannon Jackson (January 12, 1940 – October 19, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and composer from Fort Worth, Texas. A pioneer of avant-garde jazz, free funk, and jazz fusion, he appeared on over 50 albums as a bandleader, sideman, arranger, and producer. Jackson and bassist Sirone are the only musicians to have performed and recorded with the three prime shapers of free jazz: pianist Cecil Taylor, and saxophonists Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler.

Musician, Player and Listener magazine writers David Breskin and Rafi Zabor called him "the most stately free-jazz drummer in the history of the idiom, a regal and thundering presence."[3] Gary Giddins wrote "Jackson is an astounding drummer, as everyone agrees…he has emerged as a kind of all-purpose new-music connoisseur who brings a profound and unshakably individual approach to every playing situation."

In 1979, he founded his own group, the Decoding Society, playing what has been dubbed free funk: a blend of funk rhythm and free jazz improvisation.>>

Indeed. The first four tunes form an excellent introduction to his musical vision and impact. Here's how the album starts, with Ronald Shannon Jackson – drums; David Gordon trumpet; Zane Massey – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Lee Rozie – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Vernon Reid – electric guitar, steel guitar, Roland guitar synthesizer, banjo; Melvin Gibbs – electric bass: (Bruce Johnson plays additional bass incl fretless on other tracks). "Iola" and "Catman" are both amazing tracks, frankly speaking. The entire album is a stunner. Better late than never in the listening and learning department.

Bravo and thank you, Ronald Shannon Jackson.

Infinity Drummers. Day #484.

John Stevens

"Spontaneous Music Ensemble - Karyōbin"

Recorded at Olympic Sound Studios, February 18, 1968

Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker

Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler

Electric Guitar – Derek Bailey

Bass – Dave Holland

Drums – John Stevens

Producer, Recorded By – Eddie Kramer

This is remarkable music. Look at the band. Look at the date. And listen. Wow.

[Wikipedia] << John William Stevens (10 June 1940 – 13 September 1994) was an English drummer, and a founding member of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble.

Stevens was born in Brentford, Middlesex, England, the son of a tap dancer. He listened to jazz as a child but was more interested in drawing and painting, through which he expressed himself throughout his life. He studied at the Ealing Art College and then started work in a design studio, but left at 19 to join the Royal Air Force. He studied the drums at the Royal Air Force School of Music in Uxbridge, and while there met Trevor Watts and Paul Rutherford, two musicians who became close collaborators.

In the mid-1960s, Stevens began to play in London jazz groups with Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott, and in 1965 he led a quartet. He moved away from mainstream jazz when he heard free jazz from the U.S. by musicians like Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler. In 1966, he formed the Spontaneous Music Ensemble (SME) with Watts and Rutherford. The band moved into the Little Theatre Club at Garrick Yard, St Martin's Lane, London. In 1967, their first album, Challenge, was released. Stevens then became interested in the music of Anton Webern, and the SME began to play quiet music. Stevens also became interested in non-Western music.

Stevens also devised a number of basic starting points for improvisation. These were not "compositions" as such, but rather a means of getting improvisational activity started, which could then go off in any direction. One of these was the so-called "Click Piece" which essentially asked for each player to repeatedly play a note as short as possible.

Stevens played alongside a large number of prominent free improvisors in the SME, including Derek Bailey, Peter Kowald, Julie Tippetts and Robert Calvert, but from the mid-1970s, the make-up of the SME began to settle down to a regular group of Stevens, Nigel Coombes on violin, and Roger Smith on guitar. During the mid-1970s Stevens played regularly with guitarist and songwriter John Martyn as part of a trio that included bassist Danny Thompson. This line up can be heard on Martyn's 1976 recording Live at Leeds.

From 1983, Stevens was involved with Community Music, an organisation through which he took his form of music making to youth clubs, mental health institutions and other unusual places. Notes taken during these sessions were later turned into a book for the Open University called Search and Reflect (1985). In the late 70s and early 1980s, John was a regular performer at the Bracknell Jazz Festival.

Stevens ran or helped to organise groups that were more jazz or jazz-rock based, such as Splinters, the John Stevens Dance Orchestra, Away, Freebop, Folkus, Fast Colour, PRS, and the John Stevens Quintet and Quartet.He contributed to Trevor Watts's group Amalgam, Frode Gjerstad's Detail, and collaborated with Bobby Bradford on several occasions.

SME played for its last time in 1994, when it included John Butcher. Stevens died later that year, from a heart attack, aged 54. >>