Fork's Drum Expo

Hi guys I just returned from Nashville and the first annual Fork's Drum Closet Drum Expo and thought I might share somewhat of a brief review of the clinicians at the eleven hour event.

Johnny Rabb was the first guy up. I've seen Johnny twice before and I have to say I enjoy his playing. If you've seen him perform before, this time was not any different. His playing doesn't stagger my imagination but he is somewhat entertaining. My hope is that he would involve himself in playing with other musicians rather than trying to be just a "drum educator".

Second was Liberty Devito. As with a lot of guys in the forums, I not only grew up listening to 'for-musicians-only' recordings but a heaping dose of AORadio as well. With that said I enjoyed Billy Joel while growing up and still do to some extent if I hear him on the radio today. The element that drew me to those tunes was more the song writing as a whole as opposed to Liberty's playing. Seeing Liberty perform to three Billy Joel songs kept my appreciation status quo. Though he seems like a pretty nice guy his playing does nothing for me. His presentation raised some questions for me as well. At one moment he touted his "philosophical" belief that if an individual is happy, either playing with a band in a basement or selling a million albums and making a million bucks, one is successful. He then states he doesn't 'do' paradiddles and that his playing philosophy is in the 'less is more' vein. He then sarcastically asked the audience if Dave Weckl has ever played Madison Square Garden. Just to recap..less is more equals Billy Joel @ Madison Square Garden whereas Chops AND groove curse one to perform with that talentless hack, Chick Corea. [img]wink.gif[/img] I have to disagree with that rationale and hey.. what happened to what makes you happy?

After a pretty cool Latin band...

Third was Curt Bisquera and Paiste AR guy
percussionist Rich Mangicaro. These guys had a unique presentation in which Bisquera cued grooves from his new 'Bisquera Brothers' CD explained how they came up with the grooves and demonstrated them live without additional instrumental accompaniment. For my money, this is the
'less-is-more' stuff that I enjoy listening to. Bisquera is no Jeff Porcaro but has a nice flow to his playing. Neither did a lot of talking about the session scene. They played, talked about the grooves and Curt demonstrated the groove to the 'Morris Day and Time' tune '777-9311'. Nice stuff.

The final clinic of the evening was the very enthusiastic Steve Smith. What a clinic!! He started the clinic with just himself, a snare, a pair of brushes and a metronome. Humming a blues form and swinging like nobody's business. He demonstrated some phenomenal hand technique with both sticks and brushes. Switching between his big kit and a jungle kit he played awesome jazz stuff a'la Jack DeJohnette along with some cool metric modulations using not just triplets but fives and sevens over two and four beats. Very cool!!! Fielded a lot of questions and he ended the night with his hi-hat solo stick balancing stuff. Nice.

I know you L.A. guys are yawning but it was overall an outstanding outing. [img]graemlins/sleepy.gif[/img]

I dug Liberty's playing w Joel quite a bit, & he has good time...
But, stepping out on a limb here based on what you said [which i don't normally try to do - in PUBLIC, anyway [img]wink.gif[/img] - that blasted "political correctness-awareness"], i'd have to say [& sorry folks, just callin' a spade a spade:] that Weckl could mop the floor w DeVitto, w 1 hand tied behind his back & 1 foot cemented in a block - inside OR outside of "Madison Square Garden"...& that's NOT an opinion [it's a FACT]....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 13, 2003 10:11 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

"He then sarcastically asked the audience if Dave Weckl has ever played Madison Square Garden. "

Wow. That's such weak sauce. Why would he even say something like that? Why even get negative or offer any justification for his simplicity? He obviously feels the need to.

I would take him seriously if he could play with the same facility Weckl does and then CHOSE not to. He acts like he has a choice.

Then again I'de like to see Weck lay down the tracks for the next Billy Joel CD. Might be cool actually. Of course we'd have to take away half his kit.
[img]tongue.gif[/img]

Wow.. That surprises me that Liberty would go negative like that on Weckl (If indeed he meant it like that. ) Yeah, if he hadnt said all that stuff, it would be easier to take his playing for what it's worth. And hey, he's got a point. His playing has helped sell a shitload of albums, if you want to quantify success in that manner. Let see.... favorite Liberty grooves:

1. The Bossa-type thing on "Rosalinda's Eyes", off 52nd Street

2. "Do It Right The First Time" groove off of The Strager(?)

3. "Zanzibar", off 52nd Street again. The Freddie Hubbard flugelhorn solo really makes that tune.

How many drummers can have his own band and survive ? Gotta give it up for Dave Weckl for being the hero of the drum leader. He is holding the torch that Buddy Rich and Art Blakey once held. Only a few are chosen for such a path. Can you believe the energy/gift that is needed to accomplish that?
Liberty is out to lunch with those comments.
He is a great drummer (especially on ballads). I don't know why such a good musician has to go off on someone else. It must be a certain lack of security.

Weckl is the drummer the "name" players think it's OK to bash. Pretty sad.. (and has been for years)

Well said, guys.
That is quite the "bad-taste"/uncouth comment he made...especially b4 a guy like STEVE SMITH is due to come on [who is closer to Dave's level by far than DeVitto - prob even Smith was insulted for Dave]. As a drummer/musician [or person in general, FTM], I would never say such a thing, let alone to think/know that a guy of Smith's calibre might hear me say something like that [img]eek.gif[/img] ...hmmmm...JR/Moffett/DeVitto School of Successful Drumg? [OK, maybe that wasn't fair of me to lump those other 2 in w that; i was more just reffering to the "attention to the 'money-thing' detail"]...

Liberty played some nice shtuff on those tracks, to be sure...
But, let's see now; Weckl could knock out the Joel gig, for shore; Liberty, the Chick gig?!
You decide.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 14, 2003 04:13 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

In actuality I distinctly remember Dave Weckl playing at the Grammy awards one year. The "Chick Corea Akoustic Band" record was nominated for a grammy, and John Patitucci & Dave Weckl performed that night with a large ensemble, for what I think I remember was a Dave Grusin "Gershwin Connection" thing. If I recall correctly, the venue was Madison Square Garden.

I agree with everyone concerning Liberty's comments. I especially think Steve hit it right on the head when he said "Why even get negative or offer any justification for his simplicity? He obviously feels the need to. I would take him seriously if he could play with the same facility Weckl does and then CHOSE not to. He acts like he has a choice." Well said, Steve.

Agreed. We all know that Weckl has already proven himself in both worlds; he has done many sessions/dates which required him to "choose not to"....

I've always liked Liberty and his playing but, yeah, that is an un-PC thing to say for someone of his popularity. Then again you can't blame him for being honest.

I know one place I'm pretty sure he has'nt played that Weck has and that's the Blue Note in NYC. Now it takes more than ape-like skills, insecurity, and luck to play there. That will get you into Fenway Park definitely, but not the Blue Note.