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Tommy Alesi
(July 2005 Issue)
Cutting A Cajun Groove When Tommy Alesi gets
chugging hand-to-hand on the snare in a train beat,
the band cooks and
people kick away their chairs. Alesi's band is Beausoleil, considered
one of the best Cajun groups
in the world. And you can hear why on
their latest album, Looking Back Tomorrow.
Alesi's participation
with the group began in 1978, when he joined up
with Beausoleil leader Michael Doucette. "I brought only a snare drum
and I
played brushes," recalls Tommy. "About '83, I added the bass drum
and hi-hat. I didn't start playing a full kit until the
late '80s. The
group was pretty much acoustic, and I didn't want to scare them away
from having a drummer!"
Cajun drumming requires solid interplay between bass and snare. Tommy prefers a Yamaha kick, but on the road
he'll play les drums du jour.
He'll bring a 7x12 Spaun drum, great for brushes. He keeps the
snares
semi-loose because it "adds character." Cymbals are Sabians combined
with old Zildjian hats. "The group is sensitive
about cymbals," he
states, "so I look for crash cymbals that dissipate quickly."
Let the future unfold, says Tommy.
"We don't project way ahead. I just
like going out and playing. It's really just a fun thing to
do."
T. Bruce Wittet
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