Ryan Brown’s gift is in his undying passion for all things Zappa. He has been a fan of the music from his earliest formative years behind the drum set. It is obvious upon hearing him perform that he has dedicated many hours to learning the Zappa repertoire. Dweezil’s band draws from all eras of Zappa, from Freak Out through Roxy and Elsewhere and One Size Fits All, up to Zappa’s later material in the 80’s. They even stop off at some 200 Motels along the way. The repertoire is constantly being expanded with new material for every tour. The exuberance of diving deep into the Zappa vault is seen in Ryan’s face when he performs classic and somewhat obscure numbers such as Holiday in Berlin and Rollo. These are tunes for the hardcore fans, of which he is perhaps the biggest.
Read morePercussion Days Showcase: Tribute to Kim Plainfield | Berklee Performance Center
Select Berklee students and faculty will perform in honor of and in memory of longtime Percussion Department faculty member Kim Plainfield, who passed away in April 2017.
Read more1935 LEEDY 6.5 x 15 RED/CREAM/RED DUCO BROADWAY PARALLEL MODEL
The latest addition to the collection comes from my good friend and fellow collector Mark Cooper of Coopersvintagedrums.com I usually stay clear of Duco finishes as a good number of them have not fared well over the 80+ years but this one had two things going for it: 1. Red/Cream/Red Duco which I have never seen. 2. This is a 6.5 x 15 Broadway Parallel model which is somewhat rare.
Read moreHal Blaine to be honored with Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award
Starting his career in the 1950s, Hal Blaine is best known as the drummer and founder of the legendary ‘Wrecking Crew’. He has recorded with numerous iconic artists such as Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and many more. He lent his artistry to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" productions, creating one of rock and roll's most recognizable beats. However, Blaine's talent does not stop at the conventional drum set. Some of his best-known songs include him drumming on water jugs for the Beach Boys' "Caroline, No" and dragging tire chains across a concrete floor for Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water."
Read moreTris Imboden leaves Chicago
Tris Imboden has announced he is leaving Chicago after more than 27 years due to family concerns. The band’s percussionist, Walfredo Reyes Jr. will take over as their new drummer. Tris, who replaced founding drummer Danny Seraphine in 1990, recently broke the news on his Facebook page.
Read moreTaxi Driver Drummer Trivia
At the risk of being accused of practicing sorcery, I assume you are a drum history buff. If, on the off chance, like me, you are also a movie buff and the subject of tonight's “Movie Quiz” meeting is Taxi Driver, I have great news. Simply reading the remainder of this article, you will impress everyone in the room and be the envy of all your colleagues. Are you ready?
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