Ever notice how the best drummers leave a lot of space and force you to interpret the beat? There are a lot of killing rock drummers who switch over to jazz and flood the sound with a swing that's so tight you can't breath. I tend to get depressed when a drummer over plays and swings too hard.
I know what you are talking about but the beat is there even if there is tons of space. I look at it as leaving space for your musical personality to blend with theirs. It is semantics but I think 'force you to interpret' is a funny way to put it. Your combined job is to make the tune move and groove. You are a team and nobody should be forcing anybody to do anything.
Improv is about communication. Think of a conversation. If someone is talking all the time (or a drummer is super busy) you have no room to respond. Same in music.
Do I have to change my name to "FumbleFingers" to join in this thread?
The real earner around L.A. for drummers is Funk/R&B work, so many of them play Jazz as their second speciality. Most are very good, but I always notice the guys that make Jazz their priority.
On the other hand it looks as if I have some fusion work coming up. That'll put the shoe on the other foot; I haven't played fusion for years. I used to use my fretless BG, but I'll be using the EUB this time.
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The older I get, The better I was.
I say force because about six years ago I had never though about drummers and space. Then one day I got to play behind Chuck Zorn at a jam session. It was crazy because for the first time I really had to trust myself and rely on my own instincts. I found that when I began to trust myself the sound really came together. I learned a lesson that day because the beat wasn't spelled out for me and I was forced to think for myself.
That's true about conversation though. A big part of learning to play is learning how to listen. The same goes for talking.
I say force because about six years ago I had never though about drummers and space. Then one day I got to play behind Chuck Zorn at a jam session. It was crazy because for the first time I really had to trust myself and rely on my own instincts. I found that when I began to trust myself the sound really came together. I learned a lesson that day because the beat wasn't spelled out for me and I was forced to think for myself.
That's true about conversation though. A big part of learning to play is learning how to listen. The same goes for talking.
Very true - particularly the listening - that's a key skill (in music and in life).
I've learned so much about time when playing in duo formats (mostly with piano, but some with guitar) - that's when the spaces get really critical.
Who was it that said, "You've got to be a pretty good drummer to be better than no drummer at all."
Andy
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The older I get, The better I was.
Ever notice how the best drummers leave a lot of space and force you to interpret the beat? There are a lot of killing rock drummers who switch over to jazz and flood the sound with a swing that's so tight you can't breath. I tend to get depressed when a drummer over plays and swings too hard.
Leaving space is good, but I love playing with aggressive drummers too - I'd say the "best" drummers can also blow it up real good and stay musical at the same time.
I just played a gig with Han Bennink - famously loud, over the top, and aggressive - but holy ****, what a good listener. He didn't miss a damn thing. That was awesome.
Leaving space is good, but I love playing with aggressive drummers too - I'd say the "best" drummers can also blow it up real good and stay musical at the same time.
I just played a gig with Han Bennink - famously loud, over the top, and aggressive - but holy ****, what a good listener. He didn't miss a damn thing. That was awesome.
I bet it was amazing. He has been really restrained and tasteful the last few times I have seen him with ICP.
I have a gig comming up with William Hooker, same story loud but he listens.
These days I just bring my EUB if there is a loud drummer. It can be a lot of fun if you don't have to fight them. If they want acoustic bass privleges they need to to play transparent enough for me to play acoustic.
Then there are the drummers who play the same amount louder whether you have an amp or not.....
That'll put the shoe on the other foot; I haven't played fusion for years. 
I used to use my fretless BG, but I'll be using the EUB this time. 
