Posts Tagged Drumming
Archive
December 18, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Drummers You Just Can’t Beat: # 19 – Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter – sadly thought of as a punchline by some, known to be an incredible singer and one half of the mega-successful sibling duo, the Carpenters – was a drummer. Brother Richard was in charge of song selection (covers) arranging, producing and composition. But if he was the boss Karen was the star. Ask […]Archive
December 5, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: Tight But Loose
Playing along to Babylon Sisters on the drums. And Angela- the Theme from Taxi. Man, Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad. Beautiful. There’s a philosophy to their playing. They know the magic is in holding back. I never knew how to hold back, so I just dropped out. That’s how it’s usually been. Coming back to […]Archive
September 29, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: Abbey Road at 50
It’s The 50th Anniversary of Abbey Road which means it’s pretty much the 30th Anniversary of me listening to Abbey Road. It might not be the best Beatles album but it’s my favourite. And that’s always been the way. And yes, there are new mixes and outtakes – but today to celebrate we took the […]Archive
August 1, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast # 178: Steve Francis (Bulletbelt)
Welcome to episode 178 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. Steve Francis is the drummer and driving force behind […]Archive
May 29, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast # 170: Gregg Bissonette
Welcome to episode 170 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. Here’s a 35-minute conversation I nabbed with […]Archive
May 26, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Gregg Bissonette Drum Workshop (May 26, Wgtn)
Gregg Bissonette: Drum Workshop Memorial Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington Sunday, May 26 American session-star drummer Gregg Bissonette is in the country as part of Rodger Fox’s touring Jazz Gala and ahead of those concerts for a series of drum workshops. He’s been to New Zealand a bunch of times – some 20 years ago as a clinician and more recently as the […]Archive
May 9, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gregg Bissonette Drum Clinics in NZ: May 2019
As part of the Jazz Gala featuring Gregg Bissonette the legendary session drummer will also be performing a set of drum clinics. Gregg can be heard, across the years, on albums by Joe Satriani and David Lee Roth, he’s now a regular touring drummer for the Ringo Starr All-Starr Band, he’s an in-demand clinician and has played […]Archive
April 3, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 162 – Paul Crowther
Welcome to episode 162 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and La Petite Chocolat. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify library. I recorded this conversation back in January in Auckland. […]Archive
March 12, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine has died. The session drumming legend was 90. What a life. What a legacy. If he wasn’t the most prolific sessioneer skinsman he was certainly the most successful of the busy-schedule players. A part of one of the greatest groups of all time – The Wrecking Crew (not a band as such, a collective […]Archive
March 10, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Nate Smith: Pocket Change
Nate Smith Pocket Change Ropeadope LLC Nate Smith, master drummer – as a composer and musician he is both bandleader and session-sideman. He’s racking up the credits – in the last week or so I’ve reviewed his James Gadson-aping star-support turn on the Jose James album of Bill Withers covers and his furious funk attack as a cameo-star with The Fearless Flyers. […]Archive
March 7, 2019 by Simon Sweetman