June 2016 Issue – Volume 40 • Number 6
Articles in June 2016
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Masterwork
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Masterwork Jazz Master and Valena Series Cymbals by Michael Dawson A tribute to the tradition and a creative push forward. Masterwork, an Istanbul-based manufacturer founded in 2002, specializes in making cymbals using ancient Turkish traditions combined with…
CATCHING UP WITH...John Fred Young
CATCHING UP WITH... John Fred Young by Bob Girouard Black Stone Cherry’s rhythm ace rages at home and abroad Anyone who’s checked out Black Stone Cherry’s music videos might be surprised to learn that in conversation, the man who plays…
Jimmy Branly
Jimmy Branly Story by Robin Tolleson Photos by Alex Solca He blends the best of Cuba’s intricate and colorful percussive tradition with a North American sense of swing and a firm command of 2 and 4—like Walfredo Reyes Sr., David…
ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC - Groove Construction
ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC Groove Construction Part 2: More Snare Displacement by Jost Nickel In the second part of this series, we’ll continue to create new grooves by displacing the snare drum. We’ll start with a basic pattern that consists…
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Porter & Davies
BC Gigster by Michael Dawson Easy-to-use, silent, and portable bass drum monitoring system. Porter & Davies is a UK-based company whose silent bass drum monitoring systems are being used by many top touring drummers, such as Ray Luzier (Korn),…
BASICS - Six-Stroke Success
BASICS Six-Stroke Success Variations on a Classic Roll by Rich Redmond The six-stroke roll is easily one of my favorite rudiments. I was hooked on it after hearing the first few bars of the Temptations’ “My Girl.” This popular lick…
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP - Doc Sweeny
PRODUCT CLOSE-UP Doc Sweeny Midnight Edge and Narra King Snare Drums by Miguel Monroy Custom single-ply and hand-painted stave-shell drums. Doc Sweeny is a high-end custom drum company whose mission is “to create works of drum art that will…
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE - Nine Over Two
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE Nine Over Two Part 1: Accenting the Quarter-Note Triplet by Bill Bachman The simplest way to think about a nine-over-two polyrhythm is by dividing each partial of a quarter-note triplet into another triplet. In this lesson, we’re adding…
CONCEPTS - Organize Your Gear
CONCEPTS Organize Your Gear Part 1: Cartage by Russ Miller I’ve had many requests to discuss selecting, organizing, and maintaining equipment, so this is the first part in a short series on those subjects. I’m starting with the organization of…
Peter Erskine - Playing With Intent
Peter Erskine’s career has been like a highway that is constantly under construction, with numerous detours, side roads, bridges, sharp curves, hills, and intersections.
TEACHER’S FORUM - Those Who Can, Teach
TEACHER’S FORUM Those Who Can, Teach Simple Tips for Making the Move From Player to Private Instructor by Michael Vosbein Drummers today face increasingly difficult circumstances trying to earn a full-time living playing music. To make ends meet, many turn…
CATCHING UP WITH…Kenny Aronoff
CATCHING UP WITH… Kenny Aronoff By Rick Mattingly He’s played with everybody, but he doesn’t get called just for his technique.It’s been more than thirty years since Kenny Aronoff first received national attention as the drummer on John Cougar Mellencamp’s…