Introduction and Recommendations?

**Flipit** · September 5th, 2003, 12:35 AM

Just wanted to introduce myself and thank everyone for their thoughts. I've been visiting the site because of the VC cult following (well-deserved), great players, and nice people.
I e-mailed Randy Walker, who I saw lived in my area, and met with him the other day. Very nice guy who immediately picked up on some of my technique problems I've been having lately and is the most knowledgeable drum guy in town (at least)
I've been playing since I was about 12, I'm now 27 and I'm working on putting together a fusion combo because my last original group just split up. Just as well because I've wanted to change styles for awhile now.
Any recommended listening? Remember I can appreciate VC but I sure as hell am nowhere near his level. Please don't recommend any Dave Weckl band either (personal reasons). I'm looking for stuff to cover that will not only impress but make people listen.
Thanks and Cheers.
Kaleb

**Randy walker** · September 5th, 2003, 01:27 PM

Weather Report........... Procession and Domino Theory with Omar on drums are good, any WR with Peter Erskine
John Scofield, Still Warm, Blue Matter
Los Lobotomys
Karizma any
Jeff Beck There and Back, Guitar Shop
Any Simon Phillips solo work
Eddie Jobson The Green Album
Steps Ahead Any

**Geoff_G** · September 5th, 2003, 02:59 PM

if you go thru Zappa's "shut up & play your guitar" there are a few songs that work with a fusion band like 'the deathless horsie' a fav of mine. of course the vocal Zappa stuff as well...'dong work for yuda' is pretty bitchin' to play.

**FuseU1** · September 5th, 2003, 03:12 PM

Hello, K, & welcome!
That's a tough one, depending on your [self-admitted] "level"...
...& fret not; to try to play something like a Vinnie or Weckl is impossible because, well, none of us are Vinnie or Weckl [besides, no one can play like those two guys anyway! [img]wink.gif[/img] ]...
I started the fusion scene w bands like the Dregs, Jean-Luc Ponty, Al DiMeola, Gino Vanelli, & Return to 4ever after I'd already been in the rock & prog-rock scene for awhile [Kansas, Rush, Genesis, Yes, ELP, Tull, early Crimson, i'll even throw Van Halen into that pot, etc]...
You might want to take some standard or popular rock, funk, or jazz tunes & cover 'em, spicing 'em up to your groups' members' tastes... stuff like "The Chicken" is always a good, "basic" one, for example; or, say, something like off of Stanley Clarke's earlier stuff, like School Days or something off I Wanna Play For You live; or Jeff Beck - something that will let band members shine in solo sections [both while everyone is playing/comping the tune AND when just indiv by each one], & yet still which has a 'catchy' melodic [& harmonic [img]wink.gif[/img] ] hook to latch onto... stuff that can have a little 'broader' or 'looser' interpretation, if you get my drift... blues-based/laced fusion, jazz, & funk generally seems to "crowd-please;" & even country & classical laced tunes [a' la' the Dregs/Stv Morse Band] seems to go over [all this also depends upon your demographic, which can have an influence in determining your band's 'success' as well]... experiment w/ arrangements, & sometimes segue into different parts of these types of tunes to make it fresh... i don't know if that was a good response or not, as i read back over it [it's late - gettin tired... good excuse to use!] [img]eek.gif[/img] - hope i "read" your post right .... "Good luck" w the 'fusion' thing, because it's a touchy, hit-or-miss genre that's sometimes not necessarily an easy road to hoe, locally speaking [depending on your demographic], monetarily [img]eek.gif[/img] ... just whatever u do, play the SNOT outta what you're playing ["mean it!" - but then again, that's a given!] - & hopefully people will catch on in due time....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 05, 2003 01:11 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

**FuseU1** · September 5th, 2003, 05:33 PM

...cuz Dave's a door-to-door hara-krishna [in his spare time, & strictly a red-meat eater, to boot]... didn't u know that, Louie? [img]wink.gif[/img]
[OKAY, okay; maybe sneaks a veggie in here & there]...

No, really, it's prob cuz he's soooo bad-a**....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 05, 2003 02:35 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

**BennyAndTheSkins** · September 5th, 2003, 06:53 PM

Yeah, I was also going to ask why no Dave Weckl?
Oh well, get ready

My listening list would be:
1. Any Vital Information with Steve Smith
2. Any Allan Holdsworth (Gary Husband, Chad W.)
3. Any Chad Wackerman solo stuff (sounds kinda like Holdsworth)
4. Simon's solo stuff.

5. Pat Metheny, more from a compositional standpoint, than blazing drumming. (You ARE a musician before a drummer, right?)
However, a young Danny Gottlieb kicks ass on Metheny's "American Garage" from '79.

6. Chuck Mangione - James Bradley Jr. kicked it pretty good back in the day.

7. Tony Williams Lifetime - The precursor of alot of Vinnie's and Steve Smith's playing.

8. Steps Ahead - Peter Erskine, and Steve Smith on NYC.

9. Mahavishnu - Two time periods here - Back in the Doves of Fire and Inner Mounting Flame periods with Billy, BUT also during the mid-80's. The album Mahavishnu with Billy Cobham, and Adventures in Radioland with Danny Gottlieb are some of my favorites.

10. Weather Report - Randy covered the Omar/Victor Bailey period, but I'll ring the bell for the Jaco/Chester Thompson/Alex Acuna albums. (I seem to be pushing Jaco alot, eh? Sorry I cant help it.) Black Market (Chester Thompson), Mr. Gone (Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd), Heavy Weather (Alex Acuna)

See the other thread about Chester, listening to Jaco's phrasing/ideas WILL make you a better drummer, and I think that Alex Acuna's drumset playing on Heavy Weather is what alot of the El Negro critics are looking for, but not getting from him.

Acuna's playing is explosive, and really comes from the percussion side of the kit, versus the conventional drumming side of it. Check out his playing on Havona, off Heavy Weather. Like a kick boxer..........

**five eight** · September 5th, 2003, 09:46 PM

Eleventh House, Return To Forever, Dixie Dregs.

**Flipit** · September 5th, 2003, 09:51 PM

Excellent Recommendations...some of this stuff is on emusic.com! Have you guys checked this thing out? Pretty cheap downloads. No Dave Weckl Band because I just can't listen to it. It's too contrived and lacking groove to me. I didn't want to start anything on that topic because I've seen it go on for days here before, right?
Anyway...I'm busy listening and practicing Snap-ups, right Randy? [img]wink.gif[/img]

**Flipit** · September 5th, 2003, 09:55 PM

Oh yeah, Fuse, that's exactly what I was talking about...in your first post. Fusion that is playable and hopefully suited to a wide demographic.
Thanks again.