At 6.05 am , at the end of the encore on day 3 of the tour, I watched the front man of the Gin Bowlers topple off and loose balance from my bass drum, I was struck with a sense of disappointment he was falling towards me, not the front of the stage.

More about that later…

 

 In Bristol drum tuition is a lot of fun. There’s always a new challenge from a new student, or a new angle from an old one, and people are always keen to learn something new.

Every drum teacher is different, every drummer is different. So I’m always looking at the things I tell people, and the exercises I use and thinking about whether they really are the right things for that drummer. Am I listening to them?

Am I listening to their playing? Can I empathise with where they want to go, if indeed, they know where that is?

Recently I’ve been interested in people that come along to lessons to learn drumming who are convinced they don’t have ‘what it takes’ to be a gigging drummer but enjoy playing, love learning new grooves beats and fills. They just don’t want to share them with people.

I have had students who aren’t into holding a groove, or showing off with mega fills, but just love the mental challenge of learning the most technical, limb independence based things they can get their hands onto /mind around . They’re not into the idea of gigging.

This is a whole different perspective on where I’ve come from with my playing, so I am fascinated by it.

Knowing, or at least striving to find out what it is that you’re looking for with drumming is a great help when practicing, weather you’re playing on your own, practicing with a band or ensemble, or indeed teaching others to do what you love to do.

Express yourself as best you can, put your fire into your playing; through chops, groove, flare, whatever it is- just play from your heart and your audience ( if you have one) and you lifestyle ( if you will be inspired.

I’ve just been on the road with the Gin Bowlers, a sub 50s swing band I play with doing new arrangements of old swing tunes, with 2 vocalists , double bass, 2 guitars, and horns.

I did all the driving, the drumming ( of course) and the tour managing, and we did

1 recording session,

5 gigs,

2 busking slots,

AND a 4:45am club slot;

IN JUST 5 DAYS! It was totally crazy. It was a test of our ability to live travel and play together and a test for all of us in terms of stamina.

I’m proud to be playing with such fun people and drumming such crazy music.

We’re planning to write our own album soon- you can only do crazy hyped up versions of 70 year old tunes for so long…

https://www.facebook.com/events/1101432683256441/

There’s a fantastic new night in Bristol that’s only been going for a couple of weeks. At The Arts House, in Stokes Croft! Yesterday was the second instalment of 2016 and it was a lot of fun. Acoustic and intimate performances with no amplification, candles and an emphasis in sharing the space together as participants of the evening.

I played drums with the Jack Cookson trio, after Fitz played a cracking set of hits , and Zoe Davies warmed the room up with her solo flute, and solo guitar songs. The Arts House’s ground floor activities creaking along around us while the evening unfolds, water pipes, footsteps, and creaking chairs, just below intrusive, somehow add to the hide away feel of the cozy event.

Check out Stackedpromo’s Facebook page for more events coming soon- At The Arts House, and more venues too.

The ideal of the night is to bring known and lesser know performers into focus, but out of the spotlight, moving them away from playing behind microphones and amplification, and stripping their sound down to a more intimate level.

This gives the artist’s fans, old and new, a good chance to see them from a new angle, talk to them about the music, and encourage those who are interested in playing more music to get involved and start playing an instrument. I think removing all the power equipment can really help people get close to the essence of the music as it’s created.

Last night was great fun for me being able to take a drum kit down for the first time. The challenge of playing in a trio with a double bass and an acoustic guitar and keeping the music I played on drums expressive but low key was fantastic.

 

I hope you can make the next one!

 

 

The other day I did the most un-rock and roll rehearsal ever; Jack Cookson came over to help me pack up my gear and grab a cuppa at 7:45am; for this session I was to use Cajon, shakers, and generally explore the textures available to us with percussion other than drum kit.

I love playing other percussion than kit; Congas, Bongos, shakers cowbells, even güiro! 

So much is available to musicians in terms of texture when one thinks outside of the box.

We got a lot done and after, I       caught up with a good friend (also a passionate drummer), and had a delicious, super tasty meal…

This sorted me out good and proper for the afternoons lessons! Being a drum tutor like anything else, it’s all about having a belly  full of good food!

 

The Following day,

I  prepared for the second of the Midnight Zu gigs I’m doing, this time at Passing Clouds in London, with an awesome summer style rehearsal in the garden- complete with beaming sun, ducks chillin’ out around us, and straw and mud on the floor. A Norfolk boy like me felt roight at home!

 

Playing with new people is the best; new things to learn- as with anything, the biggest part of being a Bristol music teacher is being a music student in Bristol…

The only thing we really know is that really, we don’t know anything!

 

 

 

Can you spot the ducks…? Also- cameras and recorders were set up; hopefully I’ll have a video of that to share with you soon!

Thanks for reading… keep drumming, keep sharing!