John Von Ohlen

Hi drummers,

One of the really nice things about this forum is that every so often someone brings up a name - some familiar, some not so - and everyone gets a shot at either finding out more about the guy, sometimes even discovering a drummer they had since not known about.

A few months back there was a reissue of an album that first hit the scene in 1972 - when I was all of 12! Perhaps in light of that, and the monumental influence and inspiration this album brought me all those years ago it would be nice to throw a new name into the works.

I'll give you a brief outline ...

Since big bands were a big part of my thing back then - especially those that housed a lot of drama and power - Stan Kenton was a very big hero to me. Around '72, BBC television in England had a series called "Sounds For Saturday". A sign of the times indeed ... for this program featured live televised performances of everything from emerging prog rock bands, folk things, jazz/rock (... indeed the famous Mahavishnu televised half hour BBC video bootleg stems from yet another show very much in this ilk, entitled "In Concert".) ... a lot of big bands were featured too such as Harry James (featuring the fantastic Sonny Payne), Buddy Rich of course, Basie and many others.

One Saturday evening I witnessed a show that changed my life. The Kenton band featuring a drummer called John Von Ohlen. This guy gave me all the food I needed. He was totally emotionally charged, boasted a huge open Mel Lewis feeling with a sound the size of John Bonham with a tinge of the lunacy of Keith Moon on occasions. He was literally just "TAKEN" in the music. Totally "gone"!!! Totally catapulting that band, right at the centre of it all.

He played a bigger size Gretsch four-piece set - a slim 22" bass drum with 2 full standard regular looking Ambassador heads on it. His character in this period was very much established by his kick drum - no damping, tuned right down and long, coming off like a tympani! (When he rode it quietly you really heard the presence of that drum, and when he kicked ... EVERYBODY knew about it.) He had what looked like a 9" x 13" and a 16" x 16" floor. To top it all, (and as the story goes) he played gigantic cymbals Stan Kenton himself owned - (maybe Peter Erskine can clarify here??) - I think a 24" heavy sounding ride, maybe even a 22" crash on the other side, a smaller looking crash and the customary grundgy china type. From the looks of it he was also playing 15" hi-hats.

Around two years ago I made an effort to try and find this guy on the Internet. There's not a lot about him (!) other than the fact he's been teaching I think in Cincinnati for quite a time, and recording with a band he leads called the Blue Wisp Big Band. Through the Cincinnati school though I eventually managed to obtain a private phone number for him. One great day I found him in, spoke to him and just thanked him for all that magnificent inspiration he gave me. He seemed surprised and genuinely touched. That was a beautiful moment for me.

So folks ... if you like your music dramatic, emotionally charged, thrilling, swinging and driving then it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the long-awaited re-release on 2-disc CD of "Stan Kenton Today" featuring the amazing Mr. John Von Ohlen on amazing and exhilarating form throughout.

It's now available at Amazon (Amazon.com: Stan Kenton Today: Stan Kenton: Music), CDUniverse and others.

If you never heard of this guy let me assure you you're in for a treat! He sounds as modern today as he did back then. Totally original, not chops-laden, just a guy completely in and for the music.

Enjoy.

And John, if by any chance you may be reading ... SALUTE.

Sincerely,

GH

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 24, 2005 07:26 AM: Message edited by: Gary Husband ]</font>

Clickable link

Thanks for the tip Gary, I remember seeing him in MD back in the day, very serious looking guy.

Sorry don't know how to do make clickable hyperlinks on here ... let me experiment ...

Amazon.com" target="_blank">Amazon.com"]Amazon.com: Stan Kenton Today: Stan Kenton: Music</a>

Hmmm ...

Anyway, John? Serious? Ooh yah. As serious as you'll get, deep and intense. He meant it man!


GH

Don't worry about creating a link, the one provided by Benrand works just fine.

Gary, just use the "URL" button underneath the "Add Reply" button. It will create the link for you, no need bothering with HTML.

Bought the disc set...I trust your judgement.

John Von Ohlen is a great drummer. I grew up in Cincy and had the pleasure of seeing him every wednesday with the Blue Wisp Big Band. He is such a treasure. He used to (probably still does) have a great ride with a humongous chunk taken out of it. It was the perfect sounding cymbal though! I also was lucky enough to study with him on a few occasions. What a great guy as well! I can't say enough good things about him and his inspiration to me. Thanks for bringing him up, Gary!!

von Ohlen is one of the HEAVY CATS. A great drummer out of the Don Lamond (and Mel Lewis) school, but also completely unique. A mesmerizing musical presence ...

Gary ... the cymbals did belong to Stan; the ride was a whopping 28" when I joined the band (a few months after John had left); that was replaced by a 27" inch ride shortly thereafter ... the 2 crash cymbals were 24" each in diameter ... when I joined, I brought my own 22" Swish anjd 14" new Beat Hi-hats ... eventually worked a 19" Crash into the set-up (which Stan did not like at all)!

I join you in saluting the "Baron" von Ohlen!

Peter

P.S. If anyone is in the Des Moines area tonight (Tuesday), I'm doing an 8 pm clinic at Rieman Music in Urbandale, Iowa. Just came back from set-up/soundcheck ... terrific store!

Hi Peter,

Have a great clinic tonight.
And I hope that I could come to see you in Paris with Nguy?n begining july...

Until then have fun and take care.

Roger.

Wow, that all takes me back as well. I saw JVO with Kenton when I was 15. I remember this ENORMOUS ride with a huge chunk broken out of it; and this BIG BIG drum sound that literally lifted you out of your seat. This guy can drive a band like a Mack truck! And what a band! I couldn't believe a big band could move that kind of air.

I remember standing next to Kenton in the men's room at intermission (my brush with greatness). He asked me how I liked the show so far. I said, "Man, you have the best drummer I ever heard." He just grinned and replied, "Yeah, he is special, isn't he?"

Yeah, this whole band was inspirational, and to a bunch of young high school students it turned our attentions away from rock & roll and got us pointed in a new direction

Gary,
That kind of sincere insight from you and all the other great players here are what make this website special. Thanks for the info. I'll be ordering that cd now based on your recommendation.
Also, Peter hope your clinic went well. You did a clinic for a store I managed once and it was a real breath of fresh air. I had just done a Weckl clinic a month earlier and that was a real challenge to setup and tech to his liking. I expected the same challenge from you but was very happily surprised when your requirements were so easy to accommodate. The packed crowd also dug the clinic and I got many positive comments the following weeks. I still have a picture on my wall of fame with you!
Thanks again guys!