January 2019 Issue – Volume 43 • Number 1
On 01st Jan 2019
Articles in January 2019
Portugal. The Man’s Jason Sechrist
Portugal. The Man’s Jason Sechrist first spotted Ludwig’s new hot pink Vistalite kit at Summer NAMM 2018. Although it took a few months for his to arrive, it was worth the wait. This stunning set fits perfectly into the lefty…
Milford Graves
Director Jake Meginsky’s film Full Mantis about drummer, martial artist, teacher, gardener, and scientist Milford Graves begins with a quote, arranged like a short poem: Look at the room downstairs Look at the garden outside Don’t try to analyze it…
Death Cab for Cutie’s Jason McGerr
Most of us would be perfectly content to play in a Grammy-nominated rock band, make an album every couple of years that’s consistently beloved by fans and critics, and go on huge tours the world over. After fifteen years in…
Pataflafla Builders and Shifters
I first discussed pataflaflas in the May 2015 issue, in an article titled “Pataflafla Builder,” and the material in that lesson was later adapted into my latest book, Rhythm & Chops Builders. This month we’re going to revisit the concepts…
New Gear from Gretsch, Vic Firth, Porter & Davies, and Croaker!
Gretsch New Nitron Laminate and Lacquer Finishes Several durable Nitron laminates and lacquer finishes have been added to Gretsch’s Renown, Catalina, and Energy series. The Catalina Club four-piece jazz configuration is now available in Blue Satin Flame laminate, Renown kits…
Turkish Cymbals - Chris Wabich Travel Set
Istanbul-based Turkish Cymbals recently brought in twenty-year endorsing artist and jazz/rock/pop international road dog Chris Wabich to develop a set of small yet versatile cymbals that will fit in a suitcase or carry-on case to minimize issues when flying with…
Warm-Ups and Mobility Guidance
Two of the most common questions I’m asked—both at my fitness facility and by fellow drummers—is how to warm up and increase mobility. Without a doubt, being prepared for the activity you’re about to do is of utmost importance. Being…
J. J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell on Everything’s OK by Whose Hat Is This?
During a 2015 European tour with the blues-rock collective the Tedeschi Trucks Band, members of the group—including the ever-busy bassist Tim Lefebvre, the Grammy Award–winning saxophonist Kebbi Williams, and dual drumming monsters J. J. Johnson and Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell—booked an…
Bobby Sanabria
Photo by Sarah Escarraz When Bobby Sanabria grew up in the Fort Apache section of the South Bronx in the ’60s and ’70s, it was undeniably one tough hood. But for the budding drummer, it was paradise. “I’m very privileged,…
Tama - S.L.P. Series Drumsets
Tama has recently expanded its popular and competitively priced Sound Lab Project (S.L.P.) snare drum series to include three full drumsets. The Fat Spruce kit features all-spruce shells, a wood not often used in drum construction, for a unique sound…
Halestorm's Arejay Hale
More than twenty years into their career, the modern rock trailblazers Halestorm continue to scale the genre’s highest peaks. And on the band’s latest release, their energetic drummer and founding member got a chance to fully explore his true voice…
New Releases from Bill Stewart, Gerry Gibbs, and more!
RECORDINGS Spin Cycle Assorted Colors A group that’s greater than the sum of their top-notch parts. Spin Cycle is led by drummer Scott Neumann and sax player Tom Christensen, and features guitarist Pete McCann and bassist Phil Palombi. Each has…
The Patti Smith Group's “Because the Night”
The saying “It takes a village” certainly applies to the Patti Smith Group’s breakthrough single “Because the Night.” Bruce Springsteen wrote the song around the time of his 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town. Jimmy Iovine, who engineered…
John Bonham’s First Ludwig Kit
A historic piece of gear, whether it’s a legendary studio console or a grimy old drumhead, can act like a time machine. Collectors often set eBay alerts for elusive snares, or we’ll travel far and wide just to catch a…
A Different Approach to Flams
https://vimeo.com/303744570 Last month we used flams to create contrast within common time signatures. Flams are some of my favorite rudiments to apply to the drumset—you can create incredibly expressive phrases when you vary the width between a flam’s grace note…
Modern Drummer 2019 Readers Poll
Make your voice heard in the most important poll in the drumming world. The time to vote has passed for this years' poll. Thank you for visiting ModernDrummer.com.
Polyrhythmic Bass Drum Workout
Vinnie Colaiuta’s playing on the jazz fusion group Jing Chi’s self-titled 2002 record features a feast of amazing phrases and outstanding rhythms. Recently I was listening to the album’s second cut, “Stan Key,” and a figure Colaiuta played on his…
Gergo Borlai
Oh, he can shred—boy, can he shred. But this L.A.-by-way-of-Hungary drummer with rock and fusion greats like Tony MacAlpine and Al Di Meola has visions well beyond technique for its own sake—his ultimate goal is to analyze, understand, and apply.…
What’s Your Favorite ’90s Rock Drumming Album?
From the emergence of grunge and nü metal to evolutions seen in alternative and indie styles, rock music underwent significant change throughout the 1990s. Here we check in with our readers and social media followers to see which rock drumming…
