November 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 11
On 01st Nov 2017
Articles in November 2017
Yamaha Drums at 50
After a decade spent laying the groundwork, the Japanese manufacturer captured the imaginations of drummers who obsessed over its top-level endorsers, including the drum heroes Rick Marotta, Andy Newmark, and Steve Gadd. Today players like the Dave Matthews Band’s Carter…
Jack DeJohnette, Jimmy Cobb, Art Taylor, Dale Crover, Nate Wood and More!
RECORDINGS Dig These Dug-Ups Three discs of previously unreleased sessions capture jazz giants swung by drumming greats. It’s not uncommon for “unearthed” recordings issued long after an artist’s passing to be shoddy affairs. But three recent jazz releases take the…
John Dentz, Giovanni Hidalgo, DW Drums and more!
John Dentz Passes This past May 9, Los Angeles–based drummer John Dentz passed away. “I loved the way John played,” says the iconic studio and stage drummer Jim Keltner, who was friends with Dentz since the mid-’60s, and who in…
New Gear from Sabian, Canopus, Promark, Attack, Tama and more!
Sabian XSR Cymbals New models added to Sabian’s XSR line include 17" and 19" Fast crashes, which feature enhanced profiles designed to provide a quick, explosive attack with penetrating definition and power. The 22" ride offers a balance of stick…
Mickey Roker
Jazz drumming great Mickey Roker died this past May 22 in Philadelphia, at the age of eighty-four. Known for his propelling swing, Roker performed with top jazz artists throughout a career spanning six decades. A drummer sprung from swing and…
A Lot Like Birds’ Joseph Arrington
That place where wild improvisation meets super-refined composition? It’s a very sweet spot indeed, and this drummer is at his best when he’s smack-dab in the middle of it.
Collective Soul’s Johnny Rabb
Whether he’s developing new drumsticks, cymbal combinations, or electronic instruments, Johnny Rabb, who’s currently playing with the platinum-selling rock band Collective Soul, likes to remain on the cutting edge of innovation. “I had just graduated from Berklee and moved to…
Agner - Number, Name, and Signature Series Drumsticks
Durable, balanced, and great-sounding models made from hickory, maple, and the little-known hornbeam wood.
Jon Cross - 6.5x14 Macassar/Gaboon Ebony Snare
A powerhouse segment-shell drum with more musicality than most.
What Song Inspired You to Start Playing the Drums?
This month’s cover artist, Tré Cool, certainly inspired plenty of drummers to pick up a pair of sticks. That got us thinking about what drew the rest of us to the kit, and when we asked our readers and social…
Steve Maxwell Vintage and Custom Drum Shop
Glendale Heights, Illinois; New York, New York
Quintuplet Madness - Superimposing Odd Groupings
In this article we’ll play quintuplets within the space of three 16th notes. This concept can create some unique rhythmic statements, such as subtle hi-hat embellishments or twisted double-bass grooves. https://vimeo.com/235035256 Exercise 1 sets up a framework that places the…
The National’s Bryan Devendorf
Bryan Devendorf’s drumming is deceptively simple. A brilliant accompanist to the National’s diverse, moody, and propulsive oeuvre, Devendorf provides vital rhythmic hooks to some of the group’s best-known songs. If you seek out a live performance of “Bloodbuzz Ohio” or…
JP Bouvet
Written on the wall of the ancient Egyptian temple of Luxor is the proverb Know thyself, and you will know the gods. Whether or not he’s come across that bit of wisdom during his travels, this drummer certainly gets the…
Cuban Rhythms for Percussion and Drumset: The Essentials by Aldo Mazza
Aldo Mazza is best known through his work as a clinician and founder of the KoSA workshops, and as a longtime member of the Canadian ensemble Répercussion. Born in Italy and raised in Canada, Mazza has called Montreal home for…
Jess Gowrie on Chelsea Wolfe’s Hiss Spun
Drummer and singer reunite on one of the more highly anticipated albums of the year.
Make Every Second Count
How’s everyone doing? Hopefully life isn’t being too hard on you. Spending time on social media, as so many of us do these days, we become more and more aware of what’s happening in people’s lives—and we communicate the general…
