speaking of dennis he can be seen in the music video for the song with santana and michelle branch from carlos' latest album
I don't think Dennis' "limitation" has hurt his career any.....one does not have to be educated to be intelligent, nor does one have to be able to read to be a great musician....
Just because you can't read or write doesn't mean you can't speak the language....
Dennis, Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan....I'm sure this list could go on for quite a while....
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I would assume everyone agrees on that. I merely pointed out reading could be a useful tool, not a necessity.Originally posted by Riddim:
Reading is fine -- I'm all for it, but just because one can read or write does not mean that one can carry on a substantive conversation, verbally or musically, or think well on their feet.
I agree with mkabal that Dennis' ears and memory are pretty remarkable, and with DSOP's assessment that being a busy session player without reading is quite an accomplishment.
I've seen Dennis in clinic twice, and whenever the "reading" question comes up, he always says, "I don't read," rather than "I can't read." Maybe he has a basic understanding of notation but either never developed the skill further, or simply prefers to take a different approach...
[img]graemlins/thinking.gif[/img]
The thread thus far....
1) Dennis is a great drummer, with a great groove.
2) Dennis has made a choice to deliberately avoid acquiring a basic skill of most school age drummers that could help him learn tunes faster and be more professionally well-rounded.
3) His memory is how he compensates for that skill deficit.
My and a few others question:
4) Why not develop both skills?
[img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]
While i def understand sus' point, I am w mkabal, canarsie, mja, addix, & riddim here..."what they said"... [img]wink.gif[/img]
What is obviously apparent is that DC has logged PLENTY of hours on his kit w album playalong, the better programmable drum machine, AWA other great musos...Big ears, no doubt.
It doesn't matter to me if he "can't read"...ALA he plays like that. If it doesn't bother him or the folks that call him, why worry? As was also said, if i were a producer or MD calling him for a session, I'd rather hear him than a guy who can nail the dots, but is cold...we've all heard those folks...can flat nail fly-doo but sound stiff, unemotive, &/or "going through the motions" - like they're, well, reading it down.
Give me DC instead anyday.
But i suspect, as it was pointed out, that by his saying "i don't read" doesn't necessarily suggest that he "can't read [period, or entirely]." He might even have his own way of notation, as some of us have certain "shorthand" we might have adapted & use on a "cheat" [quick] lead sheet or chart [in addition to the standard accepted music notation of today]...i know that over the decades a few "new" jots have been issued to cover what perhaps it would've taken 2 or 3 former jots to notate the same musical idea in the past, for the more concise AWA better, easier...
As i listen to Sco's Blue Matter, Loud Jazz, Pick Hits Live Japan, the CAB stuff, or the Heart of Things CDs, the LAST thing i'm thinking is "meh, the guy 'can't read.'"
"I'se don'ts cares if'n you'se gets there" by swim, walk, car, wagon, boat, ski, jet, bi-plane, rocket, or spacecraft...it's the fact that you arrive / gets there... [img]wink.gif[/img]
JMHO [img]wink.gif[/img] [Don't shoot me...i'm just a <s>piano player</s> messenger]...
PS - [don't think by this post that i'm sayiong reading isn't a valuable tool, that one shouldn't probably acquire those skills if they have the choice & opportunity...cuz i ain'ts...] [img]wink.gif[/img]
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 06, 2005 03:25 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>
Suspiria:
Agree a 100% with what you said dude.Just wasn't sure i understood your statement. [img]wink.gif[/img]
Be able to read is undoubtly a great tool to own.Somebody said Vinnie or Gadd have worked ten times more than Dennis on sessions.That's true.
Obviously,his unability to read has prevented him from working with much more people,that much is clear.What is amazing tho',is that he managed to get calls from so many great musos who apparently were willing to make demos,or play the songs in order for him to learn them quickly.Which means they really wanted him for that gig not somebody else.
As for the Chick video you referred to,what the hell is that video man??? [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]
Vinnie and Gadd with Chick??Is it from the "Reunion 10dvd set"??
If you have it,please share cos' i don't have the bucks to spend on it.
I also agree on the fact that Chick def. needs good readers to play his music.That's why Gadd,Weckl,and Vinnie are his favorites.I would love to hear how Dennis would sound on his music tho'.
DSOP:Be able to read stuff like Chick or zappa or even Waldman's piece of music is not sthg you can achieve in two hour.Basic notations are indeed easy to learn,but read well and play well at the same time is another ball game.Everybody knows how hard it is,that's why only a few guys get called for that kind of gigs.We know who they are!!
http://www.chickcorea.com/
Here you go Addix. Just click on the album cover found in the top left corner of the site. That sould open a quicktime video giving you a brief insight to the recording process. Enjoy.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">...but at the same time, i also DEF agree w this as well... [img]wink.gif[/img]Be able to read stuff like Chick or zappa or even Waldman's piece of music is not sthg you can achieve in two hour.Basic notations are indeed easy to learn,but read well and play well at the same time is another ball game
Bottom line is, I understand where everyone's coming from and it's important to respect that there can be very different opinions on the matter. I feel like this is one of those discussions where nobody walks out having learned anything new. Before things turn into a shitstorm that really has no purpose to it, lets just all say:
We love you Dennis!
One more time, this time everyone together...
[one....two....three....]
We love you Dennis! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
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