Like many of you, as a student of the instrument I would emphasize the need to sit down and view Paul Wertico’s Drum Philosophy DVD in its entirety. Not only will you enjoy this DVD, I can assure you that you will find Paul’s insights invaluable with respect to playing the drum set in a true musical and melodic sense. Also, thanks to Alfred Publishing for their ongoing commitment to the types of instructional gems such as the one we have here in Drum Philosophy.

If you’re not old enough or just haven’t been fortunate enough to experience Paul Wertico, here is some background…

In the early 1980’s, Paul Wertico became the drummer for the legendary Pat Metheny Group, and while with them, earned an unbelievable seven Grammy Awards which included Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, and Best Rock Instrumental Performance. After leaving the Pat Metheny Group in 2001, Paul co-led the critically acclaimed trio, Spontaneous Combustion and Earwax Control, of which a performance can be seen on the Drum Philosophy DVD. Paul also still performs with his closest mates, themselves renowned musical legends (Laurence Hobgood – Keyboards, John Moulder – Guitar, Eric Hochberg – Bass in the Paul Wertico Trio. These are the musicians on the performing on the DVD; and they also share their thoughts on Paul Wertico’s musicality. (see Paul’s website @ paulwertico.com for a much more comprehensive anthology of his experience and the many albums to his credit.

These days, Paul Wertico is as busy as ever since recently receiving a full time appointment as Assistant Professor and Head of Jazz Studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Back to Paul Wertico Drum Philosophy… Teaching comes naturally to Paul, his calmness while explaining his musical philosophies seems to complement the looseness and tension free feel that he displays on the drum kit. His approach to drums is to produce tonal and melodic musicality; much like an artist creates layers of colors, one over the other that ultimately creates the desired feel. Paul Wertico also has the most developed sense of hearing the music that I’ve ever observed; and he offers some great advice on the overall sound of your kit. He also explains his ability to remove himself from the song which is very important because we must always remember that being a professional musician is not all about self-indulgence, but about the listener’s perception.

In Drum Philosophy, Wertico spends ample time explaining how each performance piece was created and the type of feel he was going for. He spends quite a bit of time discussing the importance of every part of the song and what it is trying to convey. In other words, there should be no wasting of musical moments. The chapters include:

Stick Technique to get the sound you are looking for (check out Paul’s recommendation on using knitting needles instead of sticks in situations to bring out additional tones which is demonstrated in Time Impulse)

Melody on playing to the melody; which cuts right down to the type of musicality that can be achieved on the drum set.

Ghost Notes where Paul shows how he uses them to enhance overall tone and dynamics, especially on the cymbals to enhance greater speed.

Drummer advice where Paul offers solid tips on practice, and an explanation of as to how the notion of time and feel are really quite different. This also leads into a stunning performance called Time Impulse, which is a freestyle frenzy which exemplifies his ability to dig deep within and play off each of the other musicians.

Great performances with subsequent explanations & breakdowns of original tunes such as The Smuggler, Cowboys and Africans, which all the while demonstrate Paul Wertico’s philosophy of musicality, movement and melodic expression.

Paul Wertico Drum Philosophy offers a framework to playing the instrument not just as a drummer, but as a true musician. I highly recommend this DVD as it really does represent what I would consider a fresh approach to the drums from the perspective of pure musicality.

Lastly, to those graduating high school this year or next, and are considering numerous musical programs to further their education, I would strongly suggest adding to your list the Jazz Studies Program with Paul Wertico at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Lackowski’s goal has always been to provide the reader with an accelerated path of discovery within a particular genre. It all started with his first book, On the Beaten Path: The Drummers Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them” which earned #1 Educational book 2008 Modern Drummer Magazine, #1 Book 2008 Drum Magazine. I am also pleased to report that Lackowski’s second book, “On the Beaten Path: Progressive Rock” has also taken honors as the 2009 Best Educational Book, Modern Drummer Magazine!

Lackowski and Alfred Publications knew better than to change the format for the latest O.B.P.-Metal; and for those who have enjoyed the book layout in this series, this latest installment stays true to form.

As with Lackowski’s previous releases, O.B.T.-Metal is more than just a book; it is a historical time-line that details the drummers whose individual technique have impacted the metal genre’s evolution. You will experience metal greats such as Chris Adler, Lars Ulrich, and Jason Bittner, to name a few.

In terms of the nuts and bolts of playing the featured metal classics, this is where Lackowski shines with his ability to break down the transcriptions into logical steps that serve as the building blocks to ultimately becoming proficient in this musical style. He also organizes each drummer’s work from beginner to intermediate to advanced level; however you may find some of the advanced level to be easier than intermediate level, as it’s more of a personal thing than a rule. Either way, Lackowski’s strength is putting forth a road map to tackle each bombastic groove and fill.

As always, the On the Beaten Path – Metal is accompanied with a CD where most, if not all, tracks are played proficiently by Rich himself; and without any drum machine assistance that I could tell.

I highly recommend Rich Lackowski’s “On the Beaten Path: Metal – The Drummers Guide to the Genre and the Legends who defined it”. This is a well thought out project that not only explains the mechanics required to perform the selected works, but provides a map to understanding the history of metal drumming. It showcases the many (not all) uniquely gifted artists and their contributions to the genre, and offers the inspiration to further continue your own pathway of discovery.

A student of Dave Calarco and the master Joe Morello as well as attending the Drummers Collective in NYC, Pete Sweeney has been a professional musician for close to thirty years. When it comes to experience Sweeney has plenty playing with the likes of legendary guitarist Larry Coryell as well as famed Police veteran, Andy Summers.

Few instructional books are dedicated to the notion of the drum fill, however in his book, “Drummer’s Guide to Fills”, Pete Sweeney takes the time to examine and differentiate how and in what context the drum fill is to be applied. The first few chapters’ focus and notation terminology; and hand/foot coordination studies. I would suggest that is where the reader’s initial focus should be; otherwise you’ll struggle with dynamics and keeping the count later on.

Subsequent chapters focus on Groove fills, Accents, Sixteenth note fills, three beat Triplet fills, Jazz fills, and advanced fills that include four stroke ruffs, six stroke rolls, common rudiments used around the set, and odd groupings.

All the while Pete Sweeney provides the exercises and ideas aimed at improving vocabulary and dexterities that are the building blocks to drum fill development. “Drummer’s Guide to Fills” also is accompanied by a CD that solidly demonstrates the musical examples.

“Drummers Guide to Fills” will get you on the proper track as to how you think about fills, and Sweeney does a very good job of eliminating much of the confusion that commonly surrounds this issue.

I would also recommend the predecessor to “Drummers Guide to Fills”, which is Pete Sweeney’s book entitled “The Versatile Drummer”, which focuses on various styles of drumming that the serious drummer is expected to know. Remember, your chops won’t mean a thing without the ability groove in various styles, and keep the time in check.

Ten years since the release of Zoro’s first blockbuster book, “The Commandments of R&B Drumming: A Comprehensive Guide to Soul, Funk and Hip-Hop”, which focused on the 1960’s to 90’s influences of these genre’s. This time around Zoro has teamed up with Daniel Glass, a world class drummer and author in his own right, founding member and touring the globe with ultra swing band, Royal Crown Revue, and also wrote “The Ultimate History of Rock & Roll Drumming:1948 to 2000”.

This time around Zoro and Glass set their sites on the ultra cool swing period of the 1940’s and 50’s. With the utmost respect and passion for the era, Zoro and Glass set out to reveal the history of this time period and to explain how the swing era is the foundation of today’s grooves.

The challenge for both in putting this book together is that some of the figures of that era are no longer living. Daniel Glass, being passionate explorer of this time period, fortunately had conducted many interviews while these figures were still alive. Otherwise many of these stories would have not been told.

As its predecessor, The Commandments of Early Rhythm and Blues Drumming is laid out beautifully and includes clear definitions of terms, the hits of the era, and the figures that made them famous. What I found very interesting was all of the different forms of R&B that grew out of different regions of America, for example, Texas and West Coast shuffles. Whether the style is Bebop or Boogie-Woogie, or Faux Latin Rhythms, common denominators exist for each.

This stories told by legends of the style will entertain you, enrich your understanding as to their respective origins, and let us not forget most importantly, this book will teach you how to SWING. The examples both written and played masterfully on the accompanying CD are clear and comprehensive.

A little advice to all of you aspiring drummers out there… You cannot get to where you want to be, until you’ve learned where you’ve been. Today’s Rock drumming is an extension of the American Swing Era, and swinging means that the notes are played in such a way that folks will want to dance to it. Take the time to learn this, it is necessary and will make you a better drummer. The Commandments of Early Rhythm and Blues Drumming will get you to where you need to go.

The first track starts off a little on the abstract side with ambient sounds and 2 grooves played against each other that are not exactly in time.  Never hearing of Mark until now I was a little worried… but the grooves did lock in and I realized that the rhythmic dissonance was an intentional device of Mark’s artistic expression.  The rest of the CD was quite a joy to listen to. Drum Room has great groove, chops and musical expresison. Sometimes it is nice to eliminate the clutter of guitar and vocals and just focus on the beauty of groove. And this was expertly demonstrated by Mark Heaney’s new release.

You can check out “Drum Room” on Mark Heaney’s website, www.mark-heaney.com or his MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/markheaneydrums

Mark Heaney’s Bio:

Mark Heaney was born in the summer of 1970. He started playing the drums at the age of eight and by the time he was ten he was playing 2 to 3 times a week in clubs and pubs around the uk. He has been playing ever since. Mark is a ferocious, uncomprimising player renowned for extremely heavy grooves, endless creativity, flawless feel, incredible technique and remarkable speed which combined make him one of the most exciting players in the world. Mark is a member of Gang of Four and the Black Marquee. He also has his own Jazz trio called the Mark Heaney band. Mark has worked with The Seahorses, John Squire, Howie Day, Gang of Four, Youth, Freelance Hellraiser, The Klaxons, Badly Drawn Boy, The Black Marquee, Hugh Turner Quartet, Jacknife Lee, The Shining, Threshold,the list keeps growing!

This gem is brought to you by Rich Lackowski and Alfred Publishing and follows the enormously popular “On the Beaten Path: The Drummer’s Guide to Musical Styles and the Legends Who Defined Them”

Broken down into begginer, intermediate, and advanced levels, Rick Lackowski always starts out with a concise musician biography and an overview of the hardware used by each. Lackowski then tackles on average three songs from each artist, and with legends featured such as Gavin Harrison, Danny Carey, Neil Peart, Carl Palmer to name a few, get ready for many hours of fun!

This is where Lackowski shines! He has a gift that enables him to break down the core elements of a musical piece and translate those ideas into easily understandable written notation. In a sense, he spoon feeds the elements so that you not only understand the notation, but rather the emphasis becomes on the feel of how the piece is played. This becomes especially important when he explores various polyrythms featured in this book.

Another big plus is the CD at Rich Lackowski includes, where most of the examples are recorded by Rich himself. This is not one of those lame drum machine recordings either. Lackowski records the parts of the studies necessary to give you an audial sense of what your looking at. He stays true to form and proves also that he is a very talented musician and instructor.

Here’s the bottom line; most drummers will readily admit that they devloped their individual styles by adopting the creative techniques of others and this book provides a short cut as it offers a well rounded exposure within a particaular genre. This enables the drummer to add some new perspectives and techniques to their respective arsenal, that they themselves can use as a spring board to create their own individuality. You will also be quite surprised when Lackowski demonstrates that what always sounded difficult, may be downright easy.

On the Beaten Path: Progressive Rock is a must for anybody who wants to get on the inside track to understanding their heroes.

The reason it’s taken me so long since the last review is because I didn’t want to take this CD out of my player! Ramon Montanhaur is a powerhouse on the drums. Boyya is beautiful mix of jazz, fusion and Brazilian compositions all in one package. Boyya is a great CD not only for listening but for learning feel through these different styles. Feel is really an under appreciated facet to drumming, most just focus on the technical aspects of performing patterns. The feel is what gets you the gig and helps you keep it! And Boyya is loaded with it…

Boyya’s compositions were recorded with precision quality and with great musicians. I am always a big fan of a great bass player, Gilberto de Syllos and Sizão Machado are top notch! There is literally not a bad track on the album. I couldn’t pick a favorite because they are all great and produced well.

You can learn more about Ramon Montanhaur and Boyya at: www.ramonmontanhaur.com

Ramon’s Biography:

He began his studies when he was only 12 and soon became a professional, having worked with the most varied music styles since then. He has been instructed by Brasa, Jayme Pladeval, Paulo Campos and Lílian Carmona.

Ramon has played with Hector Costita, Idriss Boudrioua, Yuka Kido, Maria Alcina, Vitor Alcântara, Daniel Alcântara, Léa Freire, Jarbas Barbosa, Cleiton & Camargo, Companhia Filarmônica de São Paulo, Fabiana Cozza, Mandu Sarará, Pedro La Colina & Banda Madretierra, Fernando Ferrer, Célia, Renato Consorte, Misty, Grupo Carcará conducted by Benito Juarez, Virgínia Rosa, Vanessa Falabella, THO, Daisy Cordeiro, Lucinha Lins, Izzy Gordon, Laércio de Freitas, Terra Brasil, Graça Cunha, Alaíde Costa, Consiglia La Torre, grupo Bons Tempos and Raul de Souza. From 1992 to 2006 he was a member of the band that accompanied singer and composer Johnny Alf during his tours and recordings. He was at the Free Jazz Festival in 1996. His drums also appear in the songbooks of Ary Barroso, João Donato and Tom Jobim. Since 2003, Ramon has been working with Orquestra Heartbreakers and there he has been with such artists as Jair Rodrigues, Jair Oliveira , Liena Hernandez , Paula Lima, Simoninha, Paulo Ricardo, Zé Ricardo, Sandra de Sá, Jane Duboc , Ana Carolina, Baby do Brasil, Preta Gil, Vanderléia , Margareth Menezes to name a few.

He recorded the video “Brazilian Duet – Ultrapassando Limites” (Brazilian Duet – Exceeding Limits) along with drummer Alexandre Cunha in 1998, showing innovative fusions of percussion and drums.

Here, some of the workshops coordinated by Ramon:

-I & II Modern Drummer – Drums show
-Batuka 1997
-Drummer Festival of Vale do Paraíba
-IV & V Bateras Beat Brasília
-Cascavel Jazz Festival
-Modern Drummer Festival Brazil 2002
-Ourinhos Music Festival
-Bateras in Cabo Frio
-Book release “Bateria e Contrabaixo na Música Brasileira” at EMT Auditorium in São Paulo.
-Worshiping and Worshipers conference of Integrity Music 2006

Ramon has constantly been in demand at studios, recording albuns of artists like Aline Barros, Elaine de Jesus, Suelem de Jesus, Grupo Comboio, Cristina Mel, Soraya Moraes, Jozyane, Mauricéia, Cacique Jazz Combo, Virgínia Rosa, Marco Aurélio, Rayssa & Ravel, Armando Filho, Andrea Fontes, Celina Borges, Marcelo Onofri, Marcílio Menezes and several others.

His first solo CD, Boyya (Mix House), was released in 2000 and features Hermeto Paschoal, Mané Silveira and Sizão Machado. He also has written a book with Gilberto de Syllos, “Bateria e Contrabaixo na Música Brasileira“ (Drums and Bass in Brazilian Music) Editora Lumiar. It was released in 2003 and has now its second edition.

He owns Drumfeel Escola de Música (Drumfeel Music School) in Campinas (SP) and is a columnist for a drums and percussion specialized magazine, Revista Batera e Percussão. He has been with Orquestra of SBT (a major Brazilian TV channel) in a show called “Rei Majestade” (Your Majesty), where he has played with renowned figures of Brazilian Music.
Ramon has just released his second CD “SAMBASÓ” and plays with singer Luiza Possi who is touring with her third album, “Escuta”.

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