I first heard Shelly Manne when I was eleven. My parents took me to see the film " West Side Story" and I was hooked. Shelly's playing on the soundtrack was intense and an inspiration to a  music crazy kid. Shelly was always a swinger and I believe that was the key to his success.

He was also in the jargon of the day a "street" player. A New York kid who had very little training but who picked up stuff as he heard it. His technical ability was limited, what was unlimited were his ears, heart and mind. 

Shelly, for all his accomplishments, is respected but not highly regarded among musicians today. One reason may be the endlessly stupid East Coast-West Coast Jazz argument. What many fail to realize is that Shelly and many of his colleagues had "East Coast" roots.

One of his best recordings was a Sonny Rollins date called "Way Out West" along with Ray Brown. The recording, done in the early morning hours with no rehearsal is now a classic. The track "Come, Gone" is totally improvised and inspired. Check it out. 

Shelly helped open the door for Jazz Musicians to have a studio career. This was unheard of at the time because studio players of a prior generation had a strong classical background, but new composers were emerging with a jazz sensibility that required players who could swing. Enter Shelly Manne along with Stan Levey, Irv Cottler, Joe Porcaro and others who became the go-to guys for all the top work.

Studio work at that time was not only profitable, but interesting. Much of the music being recorded was challenging and required a fearlessness that Shelly had in abundance. If you happen to see films like "The Wild One", "The Man With The Golden Arm" and "I Want To Live". You'll not only see great movies but hear great music. 

These are just a small sample of his immense output. His talent aside, he was a funny, generous and happy man who left a huge mark on Music.

                                         The groove continues... 

The Issue of playing a natural groove versus a click has been going on since the 80's when all this technology reared it's ugly little head. Whether we like it or not click tracks are here to stay.

The road to a successful performance with a click is simple. All you have to do is play to the music and not to the click. Remember, the click is contoured to fit the music. Natural time is dictated by how one hears and reacts to music and that is exactly how you should play with a click.

A quarter note is a long note with a back, middle and top. Too many musicians become obsessed with being over the center of the beat and that can lead to problems. Never treat the click as a target. You are playing music not a video game. Once you start playing beat to beat you will lose the groove and the music will fall apart.

If you place the music first you will be able to feel the groove more easily which will lead to a more confident and assured performance.  

There are things you can do to prepare for playing with click tracks.
1) Devote some time to practicing with a metronome. This will teach you to hear time and how the subdivisions of the pulse beat relate to one another.
2) Devote time to playing with recordings. This will teach you to develop and maintain a groove.
3) Play live as much as possible
4) Last, but not least, Always play musically.

                                         The groove continues...  

The phone rings and it's another hungry young drummer who wants to get into the studios. The first thing I tell them is that you are calling the wrong guy. While I have studio credits, they are not substantial. 

The second thing I tell them is to stop working on their resume and find a band or bands to play with. There seems to be a huge information gap out there when it comes to the practical realities of studio playing. Aspiring drummers are aware of some of the demands of studio playing but unaware of the experience necessary to perform well. 

live experience is important because each night and situation is different. Playing live also develops your natural time, which is a huge help when you start working with a click. There is no better place to improve your knowledge of styles and musicianship than the bandstand. These skills lead to the maturity necessary for studio work.

Reading different kinds of music is important. The best way to achieve this is to play in reading situation. Theatre gigs help a lot because show music has meter and tempo changes much like the stuff you will see in the recording studio.
Confidence born of experience is one of the most important factors in studio playing. Composers, whether they be Paul McCartney or Danny Elfman, never think about what is playable when they are writing. They just write it.

Awesome technical skills are not necessarily the ticket either. I learned this as I chatted with a jingle producer one evening at a club. The conversation turned to a very famous drummer who was the hottest player in town. He dropped a bombshell when he said that he couldn't get four bars of real time out of the guy and that everything he played was stiff.  

"Make it feel good" is the only absolute I know of in studio playing. The feel is what makes notes into music and is a drummers most important tool in a business dominated by technology.

                                     the groove continues...

I wanted to be Roy Haynes but he wouldn't let me.  Everything about the man is splendid, from the way he plays to the way he dresses and lives his life. I first heard Roy on a recording in the early sixties and like many other drummers I was hooked.

He made his first recordings in the mid-forties after playing in Big Bands, but it was clear that he was something new. Roy approached the drums musically not rhythmically. Rarely was his cymbal beat the traditional "Lang Spang a Lang". He contoured his ride beat to whatever was going on melodically. You can hear this on Charlie Parkers "Diverse".

In this tune, Roy is doubling the melody and playing small variations at the same time. This has always been his trademark. Roy's rhythmic conception is akin to shifting sands -- no matter where he places the beat, his snap, crackle and pop  is always evident. His multi level concept and ability to absorb new music made him the first call for several generations of composers and musicians.

Roy has worked with many innovators and Thelonious Monk is one of his favorites. He has and continues to record Monk's music. I can certainly understand the attraction. Monk's tunes have great rhythmic depth that present many opportunities for exploration. His performance of Monk's "Bright Mississippi" is considered by many to be one of his greatest performances.

Mel lewis stated in a radio interview that Roy Haynes is simply impeccable. The clarity and color of the Afro Cuban groove is... well, impeccable. Many drummers attempt to copy his artistry without ever addressing his mastery of the fundementals. Roy has worked with Lester Young, Ray Charles and Sarah Vaughn where he simply laid down the groove.

Roy Haynes is 88 years old and still prowling the stages and recording studios of the world. He is without a doubt the best.

                                            the groove continues...