Contraption Podcast

Detroit-area jazz drummer and drum educator Sean Dobbins has been playing since he was a very young man. As a student in the Ann Arbor, Michigan school system, he was fortunate to study under Louis Smith, an amazing trumpet player and long time Blue Note recording artist. Influenced by jazz greats like Ed Thigpen, Elvin Jones and his favorite drummer – Art Blakey - Sean has performed with an amazing number of artist over the years, including Bennie Golson, Frank Morgan, Tad Weed and Mose Allison, to name just a few. Interestingly, Sean is our third interview with a person whose played with Mose Allison! While Sean keeps busy with numerous gigs and recording sessions, he also excels as a drum educator, a career move that came as a bit of a surprise for Sean who, early on, never dreamt he would teach. He's not only an Applied Professor of Jazz Percussion at Wayne State University, but also the Director of the Ann Arbor Public School's Summer Jazz Program. It was great talking to Sean about his approach to drums and in our interview he offers a great deal of insight for the new and returning drummer.

There are many reasons so many drummers respect Ra-Kalam Bob Moses. His seminal book Drum Wisdom brought out his 8/8 concept of playing to resolution points. His ground-breaking 1973 album, Bittersuite in the Ozone, marked the start of a solo recording career that continues through this day. He's worked with some of the most respected names in jazz, including playing with Jaco Pastorious on Pat Metheny's classic 1976 debut album, Bright Size Life.

The godson of Ed Shaughnessy, young Bob Moses was fortunate to grow up in the same building with such greats as Max Roach, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones. Admittedly getting into drums as a young teen to impress others, he soon was inspired by seeing Coltrane and realized that music was about much more than what people thought or admired. From that point on, Bob Moses began playing music from the heart, music that could fill the world with much needed love. In a world of fakes and copies, Ra-Kalam honors his own heroes by going his own way in life, music and art.

In this very special episode of Contraption, I am honored to talk with Ra-kalam Bob Moses, who shares stories of his past, news of his current and upcoming work, and his overall "drum wisdom."

The title of this episode is "Embrace the Mundane," but I really hesitate to call it that because today's guest, Gina Knight, is as far from mundane as you can get.

An incredible drummer, amazing teacher – and by day a super real estate agent (no, I'm not kidding), you probably know Gina as YouTube's Drum Lessons Girl. Her lesson on the half-time shuffle has netted nearly 700,000 views.

Gina is an incredibly busy, gigging Chicago drummer as well as a singer and all around entertainer. She's even played drums in several episodes of the Fox hit series Empire – and she's so humble, she didn't even mention it in our interview.

So, why call it "embrace the mundane?" Well, that's Gina's incredibly profound advice to new and returning drummers, and by the end of this episode, you'll see why it's so important.

In January 2017, when Drum! Magazine published "10 Drumming Educators Share Their Number One Piece Of Advice For Students," they talked with a veritable who's who of those at the very top of their field. Among them, today's most honored guest, Ed Soph, whose work as a professional drummer, clinician, and ground-breaking college professor has made him one of the most respected people in drumming today.

Soph enjoyed a career playing with such greats as Stan Kenton and the Woody Herman band. You may have even played along with him as the drummer on a number of the Jamey Abersold play-along records. In 1987, after twenty years on the East coast, Ed and his wife returned to his alma mater, the University of North Texas, where he eventually became the first tenured professor of drumset at any public university in the US. Some of Ed's students have become famous in their own right, including Jazz drummer Ari Hoenig, LA-based Jason Sutter, and the legendary Dave Weckyl.

Born in California and raised in Houston, Ed—like so many of the drummers we've talked with in this series, began at age four or five, when his father, who enjoyed playing ragtime piano, came home with a wood block and encouraged Ed to play along. Drum lessons soon followed with teacher Elder Mori. Soon Ed was playing gigs and learning from the older, more experienced member of the band.

Recently retired from UNT, students still learn from his books and YouTube videos, including a series of Quick Tips he made for Evans. A new series of videos is coming soon to The Drum Channel.

There are few musicians who, although strongly associated with a particular instrument, transcend that instrument to exhibit an overall musicality. It's not about technique, proficiency or virtuosity -- It's about serving the song as the music pours out of every pore of his or her body.

Jaco Pastorious was such a musician – the man who changed the role of the bass and the way it's played. Tied to that iconic sunburst Fender jazz that he personally defretted, Jaco went beyond the bass – he was the music.

Johnny Vidacovich, today's guest on Contraption, is that same kind of musician.An incredible drummer in the tradition of New Orleans hitters like Zigaboo, Herlin Riley and Stanton Moore, Johnny goes beyond the drums to infuse every set and song he plays with that rare musicality that touches those he plays with and those he plays for.

Johnny credits growing up in New Orleans and hearing the sounds and beats of the bands that passed his modest childhood home. It began, he says, during his infancy, before he could walk or read. It's part of his DNA – part of his very soul.

You'd think someone as gifted and talented as Johnny Vidacovich had set out his whole life to be a working musician, but he was working as a drummer without really thinking about it as a career – that was until his daughter was born when he was 31.

The truth of the matter is Johnny has worked hard – very hard – for his legendary reputation. Taking lessons with New Orleans drummer Charlie Suchor after getting his first drum kit when he was twelve, that eventually led him to a life changing offer as a high schooler…

It should be noted that Johnny was happy to talk with us – he loves to share his story and his ideas related to playing – to be a musician. So all I can say is I'm humbled and honored and so appreciative to have had this time with Johnny to share with all of you.

Mark Lanter, musician, drummist, vocalist, educator, author, producer, and wilderness enthusiast, has been a working musician since age 14, with a steady schedule of touring, recording, and teaching. In addition to his work with the Black Jacket Symphony, which performs covers of iconic albums, Henri's Notions and other bands and projects, Mark teaches private lessons out of his Birmingham, Alabama studio, as well as jazz studies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and his own hybrid Music Appreciation class with an emphasis on The Beatles, American Music, and Jazz Appreciation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

His most recent project as producer and drummer is titled Big Band Of Brothers, a tribute to the Allman Brothers. Over the years, Mark has played or recorded with an incredible number of notable musicians, including Mose Allison, Michael Hedges, and legendary jazz guitarist Mundel Lowe to name just a few. Mark is a regular performer-in-residence at the W.C. Handy Blues and Jazz festival and teaches the Handy Jazz Camp.

Mark talks about his path to the drums, his career, his approach to the kit, the importance of getting his "10,000 hours," and the hard-to-define concept of "swinging the band."

Bob Everett, owner and founder of Beat It Music, Ltd., Canada's biggest vintage drum shop, has worked as a touring pro since he was twelve years old. He's also owned a restaurant, worked as a contractor, done stand up comedy, and been a part of the famed Canadian group, Done on Bradstreet. He's also the proud father of three-time Grammy Award winning drummer/producer, Sean Everret. Bob's Calgary, Alberta Beat it Music is a cross between vintage drum shop and museum. I had the chance to catch up with Bob via Facetime from his home in Brad Creek, Alberta, which lies between the beautiful Banff National Park and Calgary. Bob and I had a wonderful conversation about vintage drums, his career, his playing, the line of Agean cymbals he carries, and his advice to new and returning drummers, including his secret key to successful drum tuning!

Famous for his work with the Pat Metheny Group, Paul Wertico is a seven-time Grammy Award winning drummer. Paul's discography includes a veritable who's who of music, and he has won the reader's poll in both "Modern Drummer" and "Drum" magazines. In addition to his work with his own Paul Wertico Trio, Paul is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts. He has been featured in the new movie, "Masters of Resonance," and is a frequent guest on panels and at special music events. In this interview, Paul talks about his path to drums, his career, and his philosophy of drums. Paul also talks about his exciting new book, "Turn the Beat Around: A Drummer's Guide to Playing Backbeats on 1 and 3" (Alfred Music 2017), as well as his successful battle with prostate cancer.