Question for Erskoman

**royerin** · June 12th, 2003, 06:45 PM

Hello Peter,

I was just wondering what music you've been checking out recently, for inspiration or otherwise?

GREAT to have you checking in on this board!

**FuseU1** · June 12th, 2003, 06:50 PM

DITTO [on Roy's last thought]! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[ June 12, 2003 05:04 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**erskoman** · June 12th, 2003, 08:22 PM

Thank you, Roy and FuseU1 ... of all the drum-related sites I've seen, this one has the most information and ideas flowing, and everyone is really friendly and enthusiastic.

Re: what have I been listening to lately?

Hmm ... let's see: Shuggie Otis' "Inspiraton Information," Wayne Shorter's new album (just got it, haven't really checked it out yet), an amazing album of Cuban music titled "Descarga Total" (it's the sh*t!), some old recordings by Brazilian singer Elis Regina plus Nick Ceroli's amazing big band drumming on a couple of Bob Florence recordings ... and I usually listen to some Bach or Mahler or Stravinsky when traveling. I've always liked/listened to the music of Bartok and Varese; Miles Davis and John Coltrane albums; most anything with Elvin Jones or Bernard Purdie (oh yeah, I'm always listening to "The Best of Aretha Franklin") ... and sometimes I like to listen to old fim music. Stan Kenton's "Cuban Fire" is a great album.

Here's a funny story for y'all: I met Tony Williams in Cuba when I was with Weather Report, and he was really nice. We ran into each other over the years; he was alwsy cordial. At some point in the 80s I went to see him at an LA jazz club; naturally, I started talking about his drumming, etc., and the conversation just kind of went dead. Zip. Tony wasn't interested.

Fast forward a few months later, I went to see him again. I had read about his interest in film music, more specifically his having been studying composition and orchestration. After saying hello backstage, I thanked him for being such an inspiration, talking about the study of writing music, and he just lit up and started talking away like crazy. We talked about film composers like max Steiner and Erich Wolfgang Korngold (those were 2 of the guys who scored the old Warber Bros. classics like "Casablanca" (Steiner) and "The Sea Hawk" (Korngold) ...

and then I brought up something about his drumming. His eyes kind of went down to the floor and he got real quiet and all ... I said goodbye after that; it made quite an impression on me, an impression on me about him. I'm still not certain what it means ... but I do know that he was really proud of his writing endeavors; justifiably so when you listen to his last solo recording.

Triva question: there were some Zildjian ads in the late 80s where a bunch of the Zildjian players were photographed in various poses: Tony with a cigar, Alex Acuna playing soccer, Dave Weckl in the gym, and me with my 2 kids ... what film are they portraying at the moment the picture was snapped?

Greetings from Germany; thanks again.

Peter

P.S. oh yeah, I was also recently listening to 2 tracks from the Mike Stern "Jigsaw" album that I played on; I miss Bob Berg.

**five eight** · June 12th, 2003, 08:47 PM

E-Man, how about telling us what film scores you played on in the old days. You alluded to them in an old MD, "Leaving fingerprints at the scene of the crime," I believe was your quote. When MD asked what they were you demurred but did admit you dragged your girlfriend to these horrible B-movies at drive-ins so you could hear the scores.

Trivia: You're holding one child in your arms and the other looks like he's wielding a light-saber. Star Wars?

**FuseU1** · June 12th, 2003, 08:52 PM

Peter - THANKS FOR THAT [Roy & the rest of the guys will appreciate that, as did I!]... NEAT stories... it's like listening to significant parts of the pages of Drumming History being unfolded b4 one's very "ears"...
You also just turned me on to a couple of recordings i hadn't yet heard...[thx]
...I'd also heard from many friends/"insiders" that Tony often felt this way...he was introduced at his [only, to my immed. knowledge] local clinic here as something like "the Incomparable, Incredible, Unsurpassed TW" [you get the picture], & he kinda went a little weird at that intro; kinda "zoning out" in a frustrated way, & delaying his que to go on for many minutes...
...& yes, i guess we all pretty much feel the way you do about Bob Berg [altho i'm quite sure not NEARLY as intensely as do you, considering you two actually had the fortune of playing w/ one another; at least that was a blessing [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] ]

PS - & SOMEONE needs to post that ad pic that u guys r referring to somehow, please [5/8?!], as i don't recall that 1....

[ June 14, 2003 04:16 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**five eight** · June 12th, 2003, 09:08 PM

It's on page 13 of the October '89 issue with Jack Dejohnette on the cover. My email address is in my profile, Fuse, send me your's and I'll send it as an attachment to you.

**ashio nz** · June 12th, 2003, 09:24 PM

Nice post Peter!

Maybe Tony was keen on talking more about music than his drumming. In one MD article I read ('92) he said he was approached by Dave Weckl but it made him feel uncomfortable..."I stay away from these guys specifically" I think was his quote at the time. Interesting

I once remember seeing Tony in a movie about the late Art Pepper, the horn player but I can't remember the title. I guess he wasn't in a lot of movies at all?

That same Zildjian ad had Vinnie and his wife with their 2 dogs as well pictured.

**FuseU1** · June 12th, 2003, 10:25 PM

...it seems Tony was extremely uncomfortable w/ the whole "Drumming Star"-dom that was heavily bestowed upon him... he seemed to be more interested in music & rhythm as it applied to it, as a whole, rather than just simply the subject of "drumming" in & of itself [especially when it came to HIS drumming in particular]...
...Ashio - do you remember what month period it was [that '92 MD that you were talking about], & who was on the cover? [Tony, perhaps?]... too bad we couldn't hear more of that "Weckl Approaches Williams" story...maybe from DW himself 1 day?! [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

[ June 12, 2003 07:32 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**blake1** · June 12th, 2003, 11:42 PM

Peter, first off I want to thank you for being so curious as to check out this great site that Steve has procured for us.
The story about Tony is an interesting one. It sounded like he wanted to get more credit for his contribution in composition. His drumming was obviously so natural for him but composing really took a lot of thought and energy out of him and he wanted to make sure people were listening to not just his drumming.
Another great musician- Mr. Paul Motian is also known to want to kick his Bill Evans type drummer moniker. He gave a lesson in Perugia, Italy for the Berklee College of music and one student asked him if he could demonstrate the brushes like on some of the Bill Evans' records. He flat out said dead pan- "No... Next Question". This is another example of someone who has made 40 years of music since the Bill Evans trio and people still want to think of him as Bill Evans' drummer. Even though these were student's questions, that must be somewhat irritating.

Cheers

[ June 13, 2003 09:41 AM: Message edited by: blake1 ]