Obligatory Steve Reich insta-reblog. See also.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Tag: percussion
Drummer Gene Krupa performing at Gjon Mili’s studio. NYC, 1941
*Amazing* photographs from LIFE Magazine’s photo archives. Originally featured in the July 9th, 1941 article, “GENE KRUPA SHOWS HOW TO PLAY DRUM IN THESE FANTASTIC SOUND PICTURES.”
In these unusual shots Krupa illustrates some rudiments of drumming. They were taken by Gjon Mili’s multiple-exposure camera so you could follow the track of Krupa’s drumsticks whizzing through the air. But they are interesting also as impressionistic portraits of sound, suggesting the rhythmic pandemonium of a Krupa jam session.
….As a drum historian, he likes to tell how Napoleon Bonaparte was once defeated by Russians who were roused to a fighting frenzy by Cossack drummers. Says Krupa proudly, “I have Cossack blood myself.”
Also, be sure to follow the LIFE Tumblr.
Scene from the 1971 George Englund film Zachariah
So Elvin Jones walks into a saloon, shoots a dude dead and then plays the fuck out of the James Gang’s drums, basically fulfilling every fantasy you ever had. Because, yeah. Also? WHAT DIMENSION IS THIS FROM? I DON’T EVEN. I CAN’T. OMGGFNFG
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
New toy. Now I can finally put those tabla lessons by Venkat to use. Which reminds me…
Japanese drum notation for “Dienst Mars” (Service March) by Inukai Kiyonobu, 1865. Western Military Drums in Japan.
Score for Clapping Music by Steve Reich. Video of Reich playing it with Russell Hartenberger, I think. See also the Rise and Fall of Steve Reich.
Percussive Arts Society: Library of Cylinder Recordings
When you learn from the awesome 80-year-old instruction book written by dudes like George Hamilton Green, it’s nice to hear him play, too.
I like this idea of working up drum patterns via text editor. It’s disorienting to see the instruments listed that way (bass on top and the hats on the bottom), but looks cool.
Though I’ve been a percussion player/enthusiast for a number of years, I’d never heard of a hang drum until I got clued in at Crushing Krisis last week. Hang is like a hybrid of a steel drum, gamelan, and an udu. Here’s a video of some hang playing. It’s a pretty sweet instrument and it’s too bad that the only manufacturer is on hiatus right now. Can’t find the thing anywhere.
I stumbled on a video of Glen Velez playing a frame drum. I saw him in a workshop a while back when I was in college. Insane skills. We also did some overtone singing, but one of the coolest things I remember was him improvising a little solo with shakers, with all kinds of mind-bending polyrhythms.
A video of Bob Becker playing some novelty xylophone tunes with a college group. I saw Becker playing with Nexus a few years back. He’s insanely skilled.
I stumbled on these tabla lessons by Venkat last night and I am sorely tempted to buy a set. So cool.
Mark Larson 