Tommy is a great drummer when it comes to technique. He learned from all the right people ! And his playing experience is tremendous, seeing he has been playing in the pit of The Lion King in NYC for years !
But I have to admit with some of you, he is lacking soul and feeling when he plays. I've seen him play "live" twice and, the same thing: Great technique and that's it. That's why he is producing educational videos/DVDs.
About the drum sound, I believe it's just the recording. The DWs he plays usually sound great. But I admit with Steve Holmes, they do sound like cardboard in the two clips offered in a post above.
He's really good, but these clips are very bashing like. He also stops and waits for the click as if he was a bit off in his licks. Very Wecklish, as he studied with Weckl in NYC back in the day. He uses the Weckl lick rllffrlff alot--I know I do! [img]graemlins/cake.gif[/img]
Overall, he rocks, and I'm here in VA, so...
I'm a tommy fan. [img]tongue.gif[/img] I have an album of his somewhere. It's not perfect, he does make mistakes, but his playing is great. Particularly on the 'sultan swings' if you happen to know that tune? I agree though, his toms on one of these clips I saw don't sound too good.
His toms sound assy on the video, as well. But like I said, some of his world grooves are off the hook.
Havent heard this DVD [or those clips yet], but I thought his playing very cool with the NY Voices...JMO. [img]cool.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ah yes, that was it fuse, New York Voices. I couldn't remember the album I heard him play 'the sultan swings' on, but it was with them before he recorded it on his own album. First time I heard it I thought it was weckl. Some serious chops on that tune.Originally posted by fuseU1:
Havent heard this DVD [or those clips yet], but I thought his playing very cool with the NY Voices...JMO. [img]cool.gif[/img]
[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
wow - just watched the intro clip. His time is shocking, all over the place during the first 16 bars. He stacks it within the first 2 beats... and they left this take in?
Also, that first solo was orrible. Loud and tasteless. Why is this guy playing "with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Stanley Jordan, Art Garfunkel" if he can't hold a simple groove down and play in time with a click? I don't get it.
[img]graemlins/thinking.gif[/img]
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Tommy's father has had a significant impact in the drumming community. I have suggested the above DVD to many students and young drummers. Tommy is a solid player--my only disappointment was this is a DVD geared for new drummers. They, for the most part, will not catch what MethodAir did, BUT...this is for new drummers and he should live what he teaches and teach what he lives. There really is no excuse for this mistake and it should have been done over, especially for new drummers wanting to know what drumming is all about. I think we all jump time here & there, but we all aren't making an instructional DVD.Originally posted by MethodAir:
hmmm...on the GETTING STARTED ON DRUMS intro clip, kinda surprised to hear the bass drum out of sync on several notes.
T-Bo is right on however with the other DVD by, "eating the watermelon and spitting out the seeds." Having the ability to pull out those "World Grooves" at will or inserting them partially into a tune, ala Gadd on Late in the Evening is musically sweet.
Umm.... Maybe Tommy was just showing the younger crowd that even HE makes mistakes... [img]eek.gif[/img]
...Or maybe not...
Ok, truth be told: Tommy and I are great friends and he was so kind as to let ME sit in on the first two bars of HIS DVD intro! Yes, i admit, the audio you are hearing is all me and Tommy actually doesn't make mistakes [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]
I posted my comments on the video clips thread... didn't know the party was in here! lol
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