Jazz Drummers: Lessons

**defendbrooklyn** · September-28-10, 10:20 AM

Does anyone know of a solid drum teacher? Preferably avant guard oriented...

**GOAT** · September-28-10, 01:04 PM

Not trying to be facetious here but can a person really teach avant-garde?

**Detroitnerd** · September-28-10, 01:06 PM

I don't know. Those "lesosns" already sound pretty out-there.

**choralmike** · September-28-10, 11:17 PM

Call Oakland University Music Dept at 248-370-2030 and ask to speak to Sean Dobbins. Great Jazz Drummer. If he can't teach you he'll know who can.

**dadinup** · September-29-10, 01:03 AM

Your best teacher is between your ears. You just need to translate it to what you want your hands and feet to do. Practice, practice, and more practice. A set of earbuds and silenced drums can take you a long way towards mastering your kit.
The best part of playing drums is the actual pushing of your personal knowledge and translating it into the pulse of something that has come alive.
I have no clue just what you are looking for so I suggest starting with Jeff Beck on You-tube. His various drummers will give you a solid grounding on what can be done. This is just to point you in a direction, so watch, listen, and learn. From there, it's up to you to define where you want to go. Have fun...
And good luck!

**REL** · September-29-10, 09:15 AM

I would check out the jam sessions at the Jazz Cafe [[lower level of Music Hall). Work the room, and I'm sure you'll find a good teacher.

**defendbrooklyn** · September-29-10, 09:31 AM

thanks for the info...

**blackmath** · September-29-10, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by REL

I would check out the jam sessions at the Jazz Cafe [[lower level of Music Hall). Work the room, and I'm sure you'll find a good teacher.

Thats how all the greats did it. Hang around musicians enough you'll find someone to take you under their wing. I'd suggest not learning avant garde right off the hop - you have to learn to walk before you can run...

**56packman** · September-29-10, 10:43 AM

Put in a PM to Kathleen, her husband is an accomplished pro drummer. If he's not available, call Bill Cairo at his drum shop, he is one of the best in the area.
Learn the basics, learn technique and musicianmanship, the style part will take care of itself. If you don't develop the chops all the style in the world won't help.

**defendbrooklyn** · September-30-10, 06:14 AM

thanks again...
I agree about getting chops first...Chops allows one to develop style. I have been drumming for about 10 years and know a few things, but its nice to study with masters.

**Fury13** · September-30-10, 07:43 AM

Just hit those skins as hard as you can! Never mind the "technique."

Oops... sorry... you were talking about jazz...

**everglade carl** · October-01-10, 05:31 AM

With due respect to the great talents of Sean Dobbins and Bill Cairo, neither of them are avante-garde drummers. It's too bad you missed Gerald Cleaver before he moved to New York. He was great in Detroit and is now one of the top-call NYC avante-garde drummers, playing at the Knitting Factory and other more "out" venues.

Detroit is a city of hard bop and most of its drummers play in that tradition. You'll have better luck in Ann Arbor.

With that said, as a humble fellow percussionist, my recommendation is to make sure you have mastered the styles leading up to avante-garde before you dive in the deep end. Every good jazz musician has developed their straight ahead chops before departing from them. If you can't, with equal confidence, balance the styles, your avante-garde playing might run the risk of unauthenticity. I can compare it to a pianist who wants to play avante-garde and skips learning jazz chords in favor of making percussion sounds on the piano with their fists and elbows. A good rule to follow is, learn all the rules first so you have the perspective to break them.

Given that I know nothing of your experience or talent level, take this advice with a grain of salt. If you feel that you've got a good handle on the straight-ahead, venture out to Ann Arbor to see drummers in groups that advertise themselves as avante-garde. Many times you can also snag a lesson from a "famous" drummer from a touring band if you line it up before they get to town. Their lesson rates are usually $100. Dave Liebman's drummer comes to mind; Marko Marcinko. He is incredible.

Hope this helps!

**Jimg** · October-01-10, 06:28 AM

Good comments, Carl, esp. about mastering the basic bebop stuff before moving 'out'. Louis Hayes is appearing at Baker's on Oct 9 with a friggin' TRIO and that is not to be missed...
Gerald's dad, Johnny Cleaver, is also a fine drumist [[Roy Brooks' term) and he still gigs occasionally around town.

Ravine · October-01-10, 06:34 AM

Dave Liebman!! Awright!! "Loft Dance," anyone?

**defendbrooklyn** · October-01-10, 09:24 AM

I was hoping Tani Tabbal [[Griot Galaxy) was still in town, but he split to NYC. I can't agree with this statement more:

"A good rule to follow is, learn all the rules first so you have the perspective to break them."

:

**ggores** · October-01-10, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by defendbrooklyn

"A good rule to follow is, learn all the rules first so you have the perspective to break them."

And here's a link to some very basic "rules". Once broken [[good luck!), you might be in the avante garde arena, though I think, maybe, "esoteric" is more correct. It's a, ummmm, texture thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudiments