Jazz Is Dead

**FuseU1** · December 4th, 2002, 08:12 PM

Anyone hear of or have seen these guys? Going to see them tonight - Cobham, TLavitz, Kenny Gradney [bassist 4 Little Feat], & Jeff Pevar [gtr. 4 CS&N; Phil Lesh & Friends] & was just wonderin what to expect...alumni/revolv'g band members include or have included Rod Morgenstein, Jeff Sipe [Aquarium Rescue Unit's drummer], Alphonso Johnson [who's-who of jazz/fusion bass legend himself], Pink Floyd tribute band "The Machine's" drummer; Jimmy Herring...supposedly they do renditions of Grateful Dead arrangements a' la' funk/blues/jazz/rock?!

[ December 05, 2002 01:35 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**PocketPlayer** · December 5th, 2002, 08:36 AM

How was the show? Hey Fuse, you live in Florida right? Have you heard of Dick Cully? Big band drummer w/BR chops. Check out his audio clip.

http://www.worldsgreatestdrummer.com

**FuseU1** · December 5th, 2002, 05:34 PM

JID gig was real cool. Great jazz, fusion, & rock players play'g their arrangements of Grateful Dead tunes. Mostly rock/r&b/funk oriented groove motifs w/ kix & chops, & a little dash of the Dregs, Niacin, Allmans, Derek Trucks band, & Marshall Tucker[!] thrown into the pot [not in the veign of CCEB, DWB, or PX & the like - but cool nonetheless]. The small but mighty crowd seemed to love it. & it was great to see all the women really gettin into it! I've never really been a huge GD fan, but this took the stuff out to another level. & altho BC ain't no VC/DW/DC [maybe I shouldn't go there again! [img]wink.gif[/img] ], he played typically well "a' la' BC." He's a great player; a little on the "licksy/chopsy" side of things, kinda like old school[BR & the like] meets new - [I prefer VD, DW, DC's phrasing - more contempo], & his meter ebbs & flows, which I don't necessarily mind [but his meter isn't as strong as VC, DW, DC tho, either - he tends quite a bit to cram the firey single-strokes/rudimental lix into a bar & rushing it to come out of it] but don't get me wrong, he's still the great BC, & still enjoyable to watch & listen to - he really gets into it; he**, he's a "living legend" for Elvis' sake! & some of the stuff he did WAS killer - grooves & lix] - [Now b4 any1 gets onto me, I realize that he's a drum'g/musician legend; 1 of my major influences, & 1 of VC's, DC's, VD's, & DW's[?} AW!] [img]wink.gif[/img]

& to hopefully clear up[?] that "BC was a real pri**" thing - he was very friendly, humble, & gracious to EVERY1 aft the gig - shaking hands, smiling, laughing, etc. [evn to the occasional alcohol-breathed drunk who stumbled up to him mumbling confusing inanities]; even giving out hugs to some of the gals who wanted them [go figya!] [But hey, who wouldnt?] And he remembered "old faces" when brought to his attention. So, I have a great last impression of the man who is 1 of those cats who were SOOO influential on the road to accelerate drum'g in music....

Pocket - I dont know / havent seen him personally, but Bruce Harper [drummer & all around great guy for "Stan Mark [formerly w/ Maynard Ferguson] & the Sin City Suitz" bit**n big-band] knows him & gave me a copy of his vid a while back ["Dick Cully - Secrets of the World's Greatest[!] Drummer"] - but I haven't given myself a chance to look at it yet [maybe since, w/ VC, DW, GN, RG, & VD out there, I know that title has to be a misnomer!! [img]wink.gif[/img] ]

[ December 05, 2002 01:51 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**PocketPlayer** · December 5th, 2002, 08:40 PM

Yo Fuse
I dig your enthusiasm in your posts!

The World's Greatest Drummer thing from Cully is not about himself, but Buddy Rich. He has disected Rich like few have and the video is all about BR. Check it out. I'd love to get a copy but he sort of disappeared. Last time I spoke w/him he mentioned having his third heart attack and all...so I hope he's ok. His email isn't working. You can send me a private email about the video if you want rather than bore everybody else.

I love the detail in your GD post too. I like a review that puts me smack in the seats- drummer 2 drummer. I don't really hear subtle time shifts when I watch a concert with guys at that level, so I appreciate your sensitivity in hearing. I will see Planet X Monday here in the So Cal area and will look for that as a learning tool, not to be critical. Last month they seemed so rock solid with Virgil and Ric F. holding it down.

**FuseU1** · December 6th, 2002, 12:43 AM

Yeah, I hope I didn't sound like a 'musical snob' or 'hypercritical a-hole', if u know what i mean. It certainly didn't take anyth'g away from the show, either; not really. I think music should be allowed to 'breathe' a little bit anyway, ESP. 'live.' Besides, not all of us can be like DW, VD, VC, & esp. Marco M & M Mangini, as far as the machine-like tempo goes, on a consistent 100% basis [LOL]!! - but I'm workin on it da** hard. I don't feel that I'm quite there yet, at least to where I want it to be, to my ears. The 1st step is to try to 'hear' it at that level, I guess. Works 4 me, anyway.

You're right - w/ PX u prob. WON'T hear any really obvious tmpo shifts - unless it's strictly intentional!! You fortunate CA bast***s!! PX was supposed to come & play a small bar here in town @ this yrs. beginning [I was really psyched; 'prepped' all my friends for it], but they cancelled. Prob. due to lack of interest/ticket sales, whatever. Da**, enjoy the show!! Think you'll be able to record it?! [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]