reviews
Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
A Six-Pack of Jazz and Fusion
This year has already seen its share of top-shelf jazz and fusion releases. Here are six that have been in high rotation at the Modern Drummer offices over the past few months. Chris Potter Underground Orchestra Imaginary Cities Drummer:…
Album Review: Anton Times Two
A pair of recent recordings, Eric Johnson and Mike Stern’s Eclectic and Joe Bonamassa’s Different Shades of Blue, reveal what Late Show drummer Anton Fig is up to when he’s away from the TV cameras—namely, making some famous guitar slingers…
VIDEO! Product Close-Up: DW Collector’s Series Concrete and Thin Aluminum Snares (December 2013 Issue)
by Miguel Monroy DW is renowned for producing top-quality drums and hardware, and the company has had a consistent output of innovative ideas that meet the needs of the drumming community. The two DW Collector’s series snares we have for…
Sennheiser Evolution e900 Series Microphones
January 2013 Electronic Review Sennheiser Evolution 900 Series Microphones by Butch Jones I’ve been recording drums for a very long time, and I’ve always had at least one Sennheiser microphone as part of my setup. Usually it’s an MD 421…
Gretsch Brooklyn Series
Gretsch Brooklyn Series Drumset and Snares by Michael Dawson From 1883 until 1970, the Gretsch factory was based in Brooklyn, New York. These days, all Gretsch USA Custom drums are handcrafted in a facility in Ridgeland, South Carolina, but to…
Meinl Classics Custom Extreme Metal Cymbals
Meinl Classics Custom Extreme Metal Series Cymbals by Michael Dawson The original Classics Custom series comprises mid-priced B10-alloy splashes, crashes, Chinas, and rides in Medium and Powerful weights, all of which proved to be a good choice for rock and…
Canopus Yaiba Aluminum Snare
Canopus Yaiba Aluminum Snare by Michael Dawson Canopus launched the Yaiba series a few years ago, in an effort to bring down the cost of manufacturing without sacrificing quality. To do that, the company developed new die-cast lugs, in…
Provenance Cast-Aluminum Snare
Provenance Cast-Aluminum Snare by Michael Dawson The U.K.-based Provenance Drums makes one-of-a-kind instruments out of recycled top-grade aluminum culled from discarded high-performance machines, like the engine of a Jaguar sports car, a NASA rocket, or, in the case of this…
Gibraltar 9608-2T 2-Tone Compact Saddle Seat Throne
Gibraltar 9608-2T 2-Tone Compact Saddle Seat Throne by Miguel Monroy Gibraltar has continued to assert itself as one of the industry’s most consistent manufacturers of durable and rugged hardware. The company recently brought us new innovations such as the Quad…
Zildjian 13" A Pocket Hi-Hats and 21" A Custom 20th Anniversary Ride
Zildjian 13" A Pocket Hi-Hats and 21" A Custom 20th Anniversary Ride by Michael Dawson New additions to Zildjian’s all-purpose A and A Custom lines include a set of super-funky and articulate 13" Pocket hi-hats and a limited edition 21"…
Mapex Saturn Special Edition Studioease Drumset
Mapex Saturn Special Edition Studioease Drumset by Michael Dawson The Saturn series is a line of high-end drums designed for professional touring and studio drummers alike. Whereas Mapex’s other high-end line, Orion, is built exclusively with North American maple shells,…
Fidock Blackwood Snares
Fidock Die-Cast, Wood Hoop, and Slotless Blackwood Snare Drums by David Ciauro Australian drumsmith Stephan Fidock’s handcrafted pieces are the drumming equivalent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, in that they embody the beauty of the environment from which they came.…
Wavemachine Labs Drumagog 5
March 2012 Electronic Review Wavemachine Labs Drumagog 5 by Butch Jones Since its inception, Drumagog has been one of the top choices for drum repair work because of its ability to accurately detect hits and then trigger samples from an…
Jimi Hendrix: New CDs and DVDs
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Winterland (4 CDs) Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix in the West (CD) Jimi Hendrix: The Dick Cavett Show (DVD) Jimi Hendrix: Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight (DVD) It was Jimi Hendrix’s overriding artistic…
Noble & Cooley CoolMount Tom Mount
March 2012 Product Close-Up Noble & Cooley CoolMount Tom Mount by Miguel Monroy When most drummers begin the life of a gigging musician, they’re so excited just for the opportunity to play out. As time goes on, however, and they’ve…
