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At saturday I've visited JR's clinic in Bratislava, Slovakia, Europe ,where I live..
Only one word... Great GROOVE ...
..Photos tomorrow.. [img]wink.gif[/img]
..I videotaped it, but at this time, I'm unable to convert it from tape into avi or mpeg.. Maybe later too.. [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]
Cool! I'm going to one this saturday. What can I/we expect besides "Great GROOVE", (don't say drum solo, please [img]eek.gif[/img] )??
http://www.johnjrrobinson.com/JR-pag...live_road.html
[img]tongue.gif[/img]
He played songs w/ minidisc .. Eric Clapton, MichaelJackson, Rufus and a few songs from his new record.. Also played 2 solos and explained his drum and cymbal setup..
Photos:
http://fotky.azet.sk/album.phtml?i9=...77ae8&al=78334
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Tell me...
How does it seem that JR
has evolved over the last
few years, from what you
can tell, in your opinion?
I don't think JR has changed at all, still plays the same type kit, 13",14",16"18 and a 24" kick. Bigger cymbals than most guys. Human drum machine, works all the time. I can't watch him play though, saw him with Frampton and noticed live he tended to speed and rush a tad.
He has a strange way of holding the left hand when playing 16th's on the hat.
But overall, the guy is consistant.
"I can't watch him play though, saw him with Frampton and noticed live he tended to speed and rush a tad."
That's surprising, considering how much he must work with a click.
I was wondering if anyone else
thought the same thing, Randy.
Have you noticed how Garibaldi
has evolved over the last 20
years or so? He just expands.
I can say the same about Harvey
Mason. Steve Gadd has explored
whole new sounds. Billy Cobham
has been exploring all kinds of
new ideas in composition and
dynamics.
As much as I love what JR has
done, I am wondering where he
is and more importantly, where
he's going.
I remember how wonderful Benson's
"Give Me The Night" was.
[img]cool.gif[/img]
I was surprised too John, but I have a Frampton Live video with JR and it shocked me.
Peter, personally i don't really think about where he is and or where he is going, in the studio he is great and has a slew of credits to his name. He's not my fav drummer but I respect everyting he has done from Rufus, to Dave Koz, to Frampton. He did a drum video and it was OK, kind of showed the ego side to JR, but again that's his personality. Jeff and Carlos were never like that.
Don't get me wrong, Randy.
I LOVE JR's stuff. You're
right. He has SO MUCH under
his belt. I love his stuff
in the studio. There are
few with a record like his.
He's one of the most re-
corded drummers in history.
I have been listening to his
more recent stuff with James
Newton-Howard (film-scorer)
and it's just perfect, as al-
ways. He gets the chart and
he performs it. It's always
rock-solid.
I was looking at him creat-
ively - down the road. I was
thinking of new directions
for him. I can't see them
yet. I was wondering if any
one else can or has.
[img]cool.gif[/img]
Carlos was one of a kind. [img]frown.gif[/img]
I dig JR too; also give me Jeff, Larrie, or Carlos any day.
While it is important to concern oneself w the management of your money, i don't want to hear much about it in that way from a "pro" w that much fortune in his life, unless it's to help someone else how to achieve their goal & become successful in their own endeavors...
Personally, i'd prob never go to another JR clinic...if i want to hear his great pocket playing, i'd rather just listen to an album he's acredited on...watching him play to his extensive list of tracks is a novelty at best [you know; the thrill of hearing those songs you remember at that period of your life, being performed by the very same guy who played them], but somewhat boring & tedious to me after that...whereas VC & Weckl constantly improv & keep you spellbound & things fresh when you go see them live.
& that little quip reminds me of the time i saw a "multi-clinic" w Dom, Deen Castronovo, Johnathan Moffett, G Biss, & 2 others "big names" [I can't remember now]...Moffett was the only one who pulled up in a top-of-the-line Bentley, custom tailored suit, expensive shoes, & the assorted gold jewelry...[kinda like, just to letchas know, in a SUBTLE way, that he "done good"]
ConFUSEcious say [in best Chinese-American english]:
"Money [management] important in life; but Vinnie/Virgil/Dave/Dennis in black T & joggin' pants kick your gucci candy aspiration[s] in."
Don't get me started on Carlos & Jeff [which makes me also think of Bonzo]...just makes me hurt...for them, their family & friends, & we the admiring listeners & musicians of this world. We all lost something on those 3 fateful days....
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 14, 2003 09:20 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>
i think JR has really ugly technique, but surprisingly it works for him.
Brian Blade & Kirk Covington both look odd/uncomfortable to me when they play AW [drum angles, posture, &/or grip]... but the playing itself, look the he** out....
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 14, 2003 04:28 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>
Blade is wild. I loved his
contributions in Herbie's
tribute to Miles band, last
year. They were innovative.
[img]cool.gif[/img]
Yeah Blade and Covington are awesome......
As for thier postures...Well everyone's got thier own thing....It can be uncomfortable to watch sometimes...But in the end it's all about the music ....right????
"Moffett was the only one who pulled up in a top-of-the-line Bentley, custom tailored suit, expensive shoes, & the assorted gold jewelry...[kinda like, just to letchas know, in a SUBTLE way, that he "done good"]
yeah, you never know how much money those guys really have, or if they've spent their last nickel..
Reminds me of a Hal Blaine article, where he cant get any more work, and had to sell his Rolls Royce, his yacht, and his Rolexes... Sorry, dude. I cant identify. If you dont have the brains to put a few bucks aside for a rainy day, I dont have much sympathy for ya........
A few years back I went to a Zildjian Day in London. Loads of guys came out and solo, including Niel Wilkinson, Chuck Sabo and Weckl, to the point where I was bored as f*ck. Then John Robinson got on stage and announced to the croud that he was 'going to do what he does and gets paid for'. He then proceded to play along to Ain't Nobody and another track which I forget and was KILLING. His groove was awsome and he simply played MUSIC. In my opinion he put the other guys to shame as his time, feel and taste were all astounding.
He showed that after a while watching continuous displays of chops and technique puts you to sleep, whereas nothing will substitute a toe tapping, funky backbeat that puts a smile on your face. Personally I would rather listen to MUSIC than 'drumming' any day. [img]graemlins/music.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]
*BAM!*
Ouch - i think ya might've "gotten" me that time, Dazz! [img]wink.gif[/img] ...once i pull that dart outta my azzz.... [img]tongue.gif[/img]
But i know that Weckl [& VC, & SSmith, to name a few] is just as capable of grooving as musically & as hard as JR & others - i've seen & heard him do it... but can JR play the "musical chopsfest" AW?
To me, Weckl is one exceprtion... when he is busy, which we all know he CAN be, he is STILL very musical...he is NEVER "un-musical," IMHO...when he wants to be busy, he places the most musical things in all the right places & catches all the hits or dances around them [as blake once said, even when he is "licksy," he NEVER disrupts the time & rarely if ever interferes w the other players]...a level which JR, who altho is very good & has a track record that speaks of itself [far beyond any of my accomplishments AFA the world is concerned], just simply cannot match [& don't get me goin' on Vinnie] ;o) ...
Upon closing, let me say lastly that in NO way am i deminishing JR's playing ability or accomplishments & contributions to the world of music & drumming in particular...i have the utmost respect for his playing...
...it's just that Dave is better [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Nyahh! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [Sorry, i've turned it once again into the infantile, "who's better'n who"]
I hear what you're sayin' guy, & i agree with what u r tryin' to say...
Just havin some fun with ya....
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 14, 2003 09:23 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>
Dazz I'm with you dude....
VC is my absolute favorite drummer EVER...
But I've learned the HARD way that most folks want to GROOVE...
So I've come to love guys like JP,JR,SG,Pretty, and a WHOLE bunch of the studio guys who just LAY IT DOWN......
I cant stop dancin to their stuff......
It moves me spiritually and emotionally.I mean all the countless gigs I've done that were "Dance" gigs.Well needless to say the "Garlic" did not work the way I had planned.Most folks thought it was TOO MUCH!!!!....
But when the fusion stuff calls ..Well my butt is first in line.....Now if I could find some DC area cats who will play the fusion stuff then I would be in heaven.I could show my azz all I wanted to...
But being semi-pro...You've got do what the song calls for and nothing more.....
It can be a bummer sometimes but hey,That's what we are here for most of the time.....
Making that Dough!!!!
Nice photos of the John Robinson clinic and Vinnie's gig too, JaRReP. Thanks for sharing them.
Dittos to what Kit_Girl said.As a mother,it breaks my heart to see my child hurting or going through tough times,but "things" dont make it better, what our kids need is our love and support.Now look at the thousands of children who lost EVERYTHING when Katrina hit.I think maybe those kids could use a care package.