September 2017 Issue – Volume 41 • Number 9
On 01st Sep 2017
Articles in September 2017
V-Classic - V.16 5th-Anniversary Cymbals
Funky new designs from one of Turkey’s most creative companies.
Barry “Frosty” Smith Passes, D’Addario Awards Six Grants, Roland Announces New Partnership and More
Barry “Frosty” Smith Passes Barry “Frosty” Smith died this past April 12. The drummer, known by many for his work with the popular soul-rock organist and singer Lee Michaels, worked in multiple genres since the late 1960s, and his devotees…
Eddie Fisher
Bands get cut loose from record labels all the time, but finding a new home is much easier when a group’s drummer thinks and plays like a record producer. The members of OneRepublic can vouch for that. Eddie Fisher was…
Doc Sweeney - Serengeti Stave-Shell Drumset
A dual-species stave-shell kit with dark overtones, depth, and power.
Live and Learn: A Health Insurance Primer for Musicians
With all of the uncertainty surrounding how federal and state governments will be approaching health care law in the future, it’s tempting to throw up your hands and shout, Wake me up when the dust settles! Unfortunately, the vast majority…
Samba Drumming - Applications and Attitude
The Brazilian samba rhythm is one of the most popular feels in the world. It’s an infectious groove that’s especially popular among dancers, but also among musicians in the jazz field and beyond. The samba bass drum and hi-hat-foot ostinato…
Willie Jones III on Gerald Cannon’s Combinations
A jazz drummer and producer burns on a longstanding musical partner’s sophomore effort as a leader.
Skid Row’s Rob Hammersmith
As drummers, the idea of leaving home for a gig with just a few small items can be stressful. For most of us, the choices we make regarding gear are well-thought-out decisions based on research, experimentation, and experience. The idea…
Universal Audio - Apollo 8P Interface
A professional-grade eight-channel unit with advanced analog-modeling technology.
10 Reasons to Love Bev Bevan
There likely weren’t many impassioned “Where’s Bev?” cries at the several dozen shows Electric Light Orchestra founder Jeff Lynne performed as “Jeff Lynne’s E.L.O.” during 2015 and 2016, and that’s understandable. Though longtime drummer Bev Bevan formed the Electric Light…
On Topic: R&B Legend James Gadson
On Knowing When the Vibe Is Right It’s a feeling that comes over you. Everybody’s on the same wavelength. Before click tracks, the music really breathed. Pro Tools is cool, but it’s not as true as analog. On Starting Out…
Tesla’s Troy Luccketta
“Back in 1987, when I first signed with Tama, I wasn’t all that familiar with their drums,” says Troy Luccketta, who this year celebrates thirty years of touring with the veteran hard-rock band Tesla. “What Tama has done over the…
Dams of the West’s Gabriela Jimeno and Chris Tomson
Roles flip, as the drummer for the indie-rock hitmakers Vampire Weekend steps out from behind the kit to front his own project while recruiting an established solo artist, frontwoman, and drummer to handle his grooves live. The New York–based, world-music-influenced…
Favorite Steve Smith Track?
Since the mid-’70s, Steve Smith’s drumming has enhanced a wide range of albums within the rock, jazz, and fusion genres. Classic hits, jazz-fusion escapades, and even Indian-influenced pursuits adorn the drummer’s discography with artists such as Journey, Jean-Luc Ponty, and…
New releases by Adam Deitch, Man Forever, and Nate Smith
RECORDINGS Taking the Reins Man Forever Play What They Want With his latest drum project, Oneida’s John Colpitts, aka Kid Millions, trashes musical labels while thrashing his kit. Aided by contributions from the percussion ensemble Tigue and avant-garde icon Laurie…
