"A Night To Remember"

**peter c** · November 13th, 2003, 10:36 PM

Gadd was a shock to me.

I had tried to disect the
drummers like Palmer, Billy
and Tony BUT AS A YOUTH and
with LIMITED perception but
what I COULD understand was
what the players I was work-
ing with were saying.

They were telling me things
like this:

"Pete, you've got great hands
but you need the feet."

"You can play the drums but
can you play the music?"

"You need to make me feel
the rhythm. If I don't feel
it, you're fired."

Steve brought it to my table
and without the cover on it.

That tingle I was feeling
was a new Pete being born.

[img]cool.gif[/img]

**peter c** · November 14th, 2003, 01:17 AM

http://www.thediametrixletter.com/achildrecalled.mp3

How do I convince my mom
that I HAVE TO at Smucker's
the very next night?! I
have to tell her the truth.

She gave me the money. I
went and it was way down-
town, near Stillwell and
Coney Island. I hadn't
been there in a LONG time.

The show? Ralph MacDonald,
the percussionist with
this supporting cast:

Randy Brecker - trumpet
Michael Brecker - Tenor Sax
David Sanborn - Alto Sax
Leon Pendarvis - Organ
Richard Tee - Piano
Will Lee - Bass
Cornell Dupree - Rhythm Guitar
John Tropea - Lead Guitar
Rick Marotta - Left Drums
Steve Gadd - Right Drums

I get there at about 6:30pm
and go right back towards
the stage and the doorway
that leads backstage.

There's a huge guy in front
of the door.

"I'm here to see Steve
Gadd. I saw him last night
and he said to tell you
that he said it was OK to
let me into the dressing
room."

"Everyone saw Steve Gadd
last night."

"But he said to tell you
that it was OK to let me
into the dressing room."

He just shook his head.

"I'm telling you. He told
me to tell you that. Look,
I'm going to write a mes-
sage down on this napkin
and you bring it to him
and you'll see."

He took it and disappeared.
I waited. He came back.

"You gave it to him?"

"Yup."

"Well, did he say it was
OK to let me in?"

"He didn't say anything."

"Did he read the note?"

"Yup. If he wants you, he
will come up and get you."

I waited, figuring he'd
remember. I wrote down the
details about helping him
set-up and the subway tok-
en. There's no way he'd
forget that.

6:30, 6:45, 7:00, 7:30pm...

He'd forgotten...

Showtime is at 8:00pm. Oh
well... I looked at the
bouncer. He shrugged his
shoulders. I looked down
and started to make my
way towards the back. The
good seats were gone now.

It's tough being let down
like that after the high
I was taken on the night
before. Just my luck...

Then...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 13, 2003 10:51 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

**five eight** · November 14th, 2003, 01:36 AM

Over the HOD loudspeaker: "Peterc, return to your keyboard. Peterc, return to your keyboard." [img]tongue.gif[/img]

**shedder** · November 14th, 2003, 01:38 AM

omg, i hate you.

**sashal3** · November 14th, 2003, 01:51 AM

Holy Shit! I'm dying.....

**peter c** · November 14th, 2003, 01:55 AM

...someone tapped me on
the shoulder and I turned
around and it was HIM!

"Pete, you made it! Hey,
come on down and meet the
guys."

The bouncer let us through
and we stepped down into]
this kind of abyss into a
smoke-filled room and in
that room were all these
players. I recognized a
couple from the night be-
fore. There was Richard
Tee and I couldn't miss
Cornell, smoking his pipe.
I didn't know anyone else
though, until Steve took
me around...

"Pete, this is Randy
Brecker..."

[img]eek.gif[/img] Gawk!

"Here's Michael. There's a
little family resemblance..."

[img]eek.gif[/img] Gawk!

"You know Richard and Cornell..."

By this time, everyone in
the room that is watching
me is laughing because I
was in total shock! These
are the Breckers from Bil-
ly's albums! I might have
peed in my pants!

After that, Steve shuffled
me to a tiny room adjacent
and he sat down and talked
to me.

"So, Pete, man... What do
you want to do with the
drums?"

I told him I wanted to be
just like him. He laughed.

"You don't want that. What
are your plans?"

I told him about going to
Berklee and that I wanted
to study with Alan Dawson,
the teacher who I thought
taught Tony (he helped).

This is what Steve told me
and you have to be sure to
remember that this was then,
not now...

**peter c** · November 14th, 2003, 02:12 AM

http://www.thediametrixletter.com/achildrecalled.mp3

..."People that teach are
people that are out of work
or can't play. Do you want
to work?"

"Yes."

"If you want to work, don't
go to Boston. Stay here. This
is where it's happening, not
in Boston."

This was really throwing me
for a loop. I was sold on
Berklee. We sent them the
money and everything. They
had all these almumni...
I told Steve that.

"I can't tell you what to
do. If you want to learn
theory and study with these
cats, then you should go.
If you want to work, you
stay here with me and get
to working."

He knew I was confused. The
time was ticking away.

"Do you anything you want
to ask me?"

"What was your favorite gig,
Chick Corea?"

"Chick is great but I'd say
Paul Simon."

"Paul Simon?!"

"It's about the music and
the group dynamics."

"Do you practice much?"

"No time."

"What are your favorite
drums. I like my snare
drum but it's about the
heads and tuning. The
bottom head is really
important. Use it for
pitch and the top for
tension and feel. Small
drums can sound deep if
you tune them right."

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT STEVE GADD
IS TALKING VERY SLOWLY THROUGH-
OUT. HE HAS A PRONOUNCED LAG
IN HIS COMMUNICATION, CHRONICALLY
TIRED AT THE TIME ETC.

"What are the most important
rudiments?"

"Probably the Flam-a-diddles."

"What about sticks?"

"Heavy sticks help build your
muscles BUT light ones help
to define them. Use both."

"How many hours a day do you
work, typically?"

"Maybe 16 or 17."

"Do you like any younger
drummers?"

"Steve Jordan and Chris
Parker. We have to get
going."

It was time. The show
was about to start. I
got a great seat in a
VIP section, I guess
and I sat and saw the
greatest show but all
night, all I could think
about was what he said...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 13, 2003 10:51 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

**beat Hit** · November 14th, 2003, 02:15 AM

Peter, so nice of you to share that unique moment with us... Suspence... Suspence... I am really digging it... [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]