Big Bands! I love big bands! My path as a youngster, mainly because our high school jazz band (Francis Howell, Weldon Springs MO), had me listening to a lot of different bands, and playing a lot of that music. Of course, big band music is ONE style I like to play, there are many!
My father also helped the journey by bringing home a Buddy Rich record when I was around 12 yrs old. The infatuation started back then, and continues today, with what I consider to be one of the most inspiring, influential drummers of our time.
I love to channel Buddy and his music whenever I can - it’s of course not to COPY him - that would be senseless (and impossible!) but to aspire to
continue to understand how to support a big band like that, with the fire and passion, and the DYNAMICS, and the SWING. The texture Buddy (and others of course) created with those big drums and specifically chosen cymbals, and of course, THE TOUCH, is the real art of this type of music.
This song, "Apples" (which starts after the drum solo), has become a new favorite of mine that I wanted to play.
Here, I am playing my Yamaha PHX kit, with a specially made 14 x 24, set up the same way those guys did it back then, with a felt strip on each (Remo Coated Ambassador) head. The toms are 13, 16, 14, and 18 on the left. Coated Ambassadors on top, Clear on the bottom. The snare is my 30th Anniversary Brass Signature Snare. Again, Coated Ambassador.
Cymbals are from my left to right; 17” Evolution Effekts w/3 rivets, 17” Evo Crash, 12 and 7” Evo Splashes, 22” Legacy Heavy Ride, 18” Evolution Crash, 14 Evo China on top of an 18 Evo Crash. (14” Hoop Crasher on the 18 fl. tom for part of the solo). LP Timbale bell. ( and of course my Vic Firth Signature sticks!)
I mixed this song with a lot of the natural room mics on to attempt to capture ’that sound’ from back then. Shure KSM 44’s for OHDS, BETA 52 outside kit. I used my older SM 98’s on the 13, 18, and beater side of the kick. SM 27 (one) for the 16/14 floors.
All were recorded and monitored with my QSC TM-30 mixer (I’m to the point of needing to use in-ear monitors in most situations now to save the ears).
The band sounds fantastic, and I’m having a ball with this! I hope you enjoy it!
THE BAND
Saxophones
Alto 1 - Jason Swagler
Alto 2 - Kwanae Johnson
Tenor 1 - Ben Reece
Tenor 2 - Joel Vanderheyden
Baritone - Aaron Lehde
Trombone 1 / Asst. Music Director - Dave Dickey
Trombone 2 - Jim Owens
Trombone 3 - Miles Cole
Trombone 4 - Eddie Clark
Trumpet 1 - Andy Tichenor
Trumpet 2 - Dustin Shrum
Trumpet 3 - Jeff Strahelm
Trumpet 4 - Danny Campbell
Piano - Ken Kehner
Guitar - Eric Slaughter
Bass - Eric Warren
Drums - Dave Weckl
Special Thanks
Sponsor - Bradley Currey
Assistant Coordinator - Kevin Gianino