Lenny White

[jamndrummer]

Hi all,
I did a search on Lenny and didnt find any threads, so I am starting one. Lenny has played with so many artists and has the experience of a life time. Truley people need to see him live. With that said. RETURN TO FOREVER has Returned.....

Check out the tour 2008 schedule and check out Lenny White.

www.return2forever.com

Band members touring this round is
Lenny White - Drums
Al Di Meola - Guitar
Chick Corea - Keys
Stanley Clark - bass....

Looks like they are hitting up the West Coast of U.S first......Dogbreath, this is a must see for you......right in your neigborhood......

[harryconway]

Vertu - 1999 album, Lenny White, Stanley Clarke, Richie Kotzen, Karen Briggs, and Rachel Z. Great stuff (if you're into that kinda thing). And that's Lenny in my Avatar, 1985 Tama.

[KarlCrafton]

Lenny White.....
I don't have much of his music, but what I have heard is killer stuff!

Man, I can put on Majestic Dance, and the sound that JUMPS out when the drums kick in STILL blows me away.

I remember the first time I heard that tune and going, "now that's the stuff".

Even on a crappy cassette, before I got the RW album, it sounded cool.

[aydee]

Most certainly a drumming icon, and a stylist thats played a lot of great music & influenced a lot of players but doesnt get his due.

His use of the hi hats was truly unique, and he really killed with Return to Forever, one of four super musicians.

[goughy]

Gotta see if I've got the right guy here - he plays open handed traditional grip on a right hand setup kit? I've got a cd somewhere called hot jaz biscuits and I'm sure it's mostly him on the drums with various fusion groups. Killing stuff.

[Dr_Funky]

Lenny White was, and still is, an absolutely brilliant drummer. Personally, I find he is one of the most underrated drummers of all time.

If I remember correctly, he can do both grips, but he's well known for playing open-handed. There's a couple of videos of him on youtube, but apparently he had a drumming video out (which isn't sold anymore). Man, I'd kill to have a glimpse of that video.

[KzSgDrummer]

The thing I love best about Lenny (at least in his RTF days) is nothing fancy: just the way how he tended to hit the crash on beats 1 and 3 a lot. Like I said, nothing flashy-technical, but he really knew when to put those in to push the music along. I feel like most jazzers/fusioners would overlook something like that, and yet it was effective. Simple yet effective.

[Dr_Funky]

On top of that, he really had those ghost notes down pat.

Does anyone have his signature Epoch ride by Istanbul Agop?

[Polymetrix1618]

He's definitely one of my favorite drummers and is really underrated. I wonder why?

[Polymetrix1618]

I just got tickets to Return to Forever... Front row F'ing center!

[Steamer]

Does anyone have his signature Epoch ride by Istanbul Agop?


Selecting one tomorrow!

[Polymetrix1618]

Selecting one tomorrow!

Awesome! Tell us how it is when you get it.

[Steamer]

Awesome! Tell us how it is when you get it.

Will do Polymetrix1618. Started a thread about the new Lenny ride and other new Agops that have just arrived off the boat the other day in "Cymbals":


http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37479

[Dr_Funky]

Cool bananas, mate.

Too bad we don't get stuff like that in Australia.

[Guillermo]

In my personal opinion, Lenny was the FIRST true 100% fusion drummer... his sound and approach was not jazz, nor rock... I mean you listen to Tony in Lifetime and it was jazz playing turned up 100 notches... Lenny was something different, it came from a funk groove perspective, with a jazz sensitivity... he along Billy Cobham opened a whole new window of pocket and chops bundled into one... too bad music critics and aficionados always put down that style of music (as well as prog) but those guys advanced the art of drumming to help it becomr what it is today.

[peach_tx]

Lenny is one of my all-time favorites and definitely underrated.
I can't wait to see them next month!!!

[flamchops]

There's a great interview with Lenny White in this month's Traps magazine, taking the reader through his entire career. Good stuff!

[Steamer]

Okay here's front and back pictures of what went from prototypes to this actual production ride that was 2 years in the making involving Lenny and Istanbul Agop that I just selected coming in at 3025g. Great ride cymbal Lenny!

[Steamer]

Great new shot of Lenny at the Madhatter studio in LA with his new ride:

[harryconway]

From what I gather, Lenny is playing Innovation Drums, and using Yamaha hardware.

[Bassdrummer]

WOW

I NEED TO SEE THIS!

EDIT**

Just score 4 tics ..I AM SEEING THIS!

[KarlCrafton]

Okay here's front and back pictures of what went from prototypes to this actual production ride that was 2 years in the making involving Lenny and Istanbul Agop that I just selected coming in at 3025g. Great ride cymbal Lenny!

THAT is a great looking cymbal!

It just looks like it wants to be played!!!

Do you have a shop that stocks a lot of these, or do you do it online by the sound file of the exact cymbal?

Man, I need some new stuff.....time to stop buying different tom sizes and get some of these cool cymbals....

Yep, Lenny plays Innovation Drums, with Yamaha hardware with Yamaha tom mounts on the drums.

[Steamer]

THAT is a great looking cymbal!

It just looks like it wants to be played!!!

Do you have a shop that stocks a lot of these, or do you do it online by the sound file of the exact cymbal?

Man, I need some new stuff.....time to stop buying different tom sizes and get some of these cool cymbals....

Yep, Lenny plays Innovation Drums, with Yamaha hardware with Yamaha tom mounts on the drums.

It really is a beauty Karl especially the sound. It's based off an old heavier Turkish K ride given to Wallace Rooney from Tony Williams played by Lenny during a musical stint he had with Wallace. Apparently it took over 2 years of prototypes based on the old master cymbal that were sent over from the factory in Turkey for his testing/comments for Lenny to finally be happy to put his blessing on the final production model which my sample pictured currently is and the one you see in Lenny's photo I posted.

I'm an Istanbul Agop endorser so I deal directly with the Canadian distributor Noel at Heartbeat Percussion for my cymbal needs. We have a specialty drum shop in Vancouver that deals with retail sales of all things Agop for the general public.

If you have any questions Karl about availability or models and such related to Istanbul Agop i'm sure Noel at Heartbeat will be happy to answer any questions you may have under "contact us" on this home page:


http://www.heartbeatpercussion.com/

[KarlCrafton]

Thanks for the info!

[caprisun3484]

Lenny was on the cover of Traps and there's some good interview material about his whole approach to drumming and RTF getting back together

[Steamer]

There is a excellent interview with Lenny in the new Modern Drummer {July 2008} by the way. Well worth checking out!

As a footnote in the interview Lenny mentions that indeed that his new Agop Signature ride the Epoch was directly modelled after the famous Tony Williams "Nefertiti" ride played by Lenny till a period in time when it developed a crack. It is still owned by Wallace Roney which was given to him by Tony.

[caprisun3484]

There is a excellent interview with Lenny in the new Modern Drummer {July 2008} by the way. Well worth checking out!

As a footnote in the interview Lenny mentions that indeed that his new Agop Signature ride the Epoch was directly modelled after the famous Tony Williams "Nefertiti" ride played by Lenny till a period in time when it developed a crack. It is still owned by Wallace Roney which was given to him by Tony.

do you own an Epoch ride

[deltadrummer1]

I just saw Lenny in Dallas with RTF.

[Steamer]

do you own an Epoch ride


Yes indeed I do. Post #18 shows the front and back pics of my sample. I picked out the heaviest at 3025g and the most intensely hand hammered sample with the most pronounced edge "hook" of a group of 10 samples.

Recorded it has some amazing similarities to the Tony Nefertiti ride it was directly based on. Stunning ride cymbal caprisun3484

There's a couple of threads I started with more info including a set of 3 side shots I took showing the "hook" and profile of the Epoch more directly in the cymbals section caprisun3484:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38280

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37479 .

[Steamer]

I just saw Lenny in Dallas with RTF.

and............. do tell more...

[rendezvous_drummer]

I'm going to see Return to Forever monday night!! First time seeing Lenny White! Can't believe that i'm actually going to see Chick Corea. I love his playing, such class!

[deltadrummer1]

and............. do tell more...

It was a dream come true. I'm impressed with Lenny how he doesn't move much when he plays. An effortless performance.

[Cribby]

I'm going to RTF on June 24 in Cleveland. I cannot wait...Lenny is one of my few drum heros I have not seen live

[harryconway]

Lenny White simply is "one of the greatest". Just got back from seeing RTF tonight. His Istanbul cymbals sounded killer. His Innovation drums slammed. 2 racks, 3 floors. Floor toms sounded massive. My guess is 12 and 13 racks, 14, 16, 18 floors. His web site still lists his cymbals as Zildjian, but indeed, he's flying all Istanbul. His open handed playing style just makes his playing look so effortless. Basically, he did 2 solo's. Both short, and both intense. I never want to sit thru another Peart/Portnoy "arena rock" drum solo again. Been there and done that 10 times (at least). Lenny is fast and fluid. Single kick, single pedal. In his second solo, he brought a snare roll down to and below a whisper, dropped that, and what remained was the faint sound of his right foot rolling on his kick. Then the camera dudes put the action on the 2 big monitor screens, left and right of the stage. 1 beater moving so fast it was just a blur. Then, to add insult to injury, he brought the volume up. Game over. A simply magical night.

[aydee]

Lenny White simply is "one of the greatest". Just got back from seeing RTF tonight. His Istanbul cymbals sounded killer. His Innovation drums slammed. 2 racks, 3 floors. Floor toms sounded massive. My guess is 12 and 13 racks, 14, 16, 18 floors. His web site still lists his cymbals as Zildjian, but indeed, he's flying all Istanbul. His open handed playing style just makes his playing look so effortless. Basically, he did 2 solo's. Both short, and both intense. I never want to sit thru another Peart/Portnoy "arena rock" drum solo again. Been there and done that 10 times (at least). Lenny is fast and fluid. Single kick, single pedal. In his second solo, he brought a snare roll down to and below a whisper, dropped that, and what remained was the faint sound of his right foot rolling on his kick. Then the camera dudes put the action on the 2 big monitor screens, left and right of the stage. 1 beater moving so fast it was just a blur. Then, to add insult to injury, he brought the volume up. Game over. A simply magical night.

Great review, Harry. Please do a more detailed one. Lenny always looks like he's just sitting on the drums, bored, relaxed just noodling & messing around , checking them out..

..but what your ear hears is something else.

Happy to hear you made the gig.. do tell us more

[harryconway]

...bored, relaxed just noodling & messing around...

Yeah, it's those "silent types" that always turn out to be the serial killers. He chews gum. His use of dynamics is flawless. The whole "second set" was acoustic. Stanley on "double bass", Al on classical and acoustic guitars, and Chick on Grand piano. And that's when Lenny really pulled out the stops. Like they say, those "wise men", sometimes what you don't play is just as important as what you do play. Lenny is "Jedi master" of that school. Locked in tighter-than-tight with the bass and always driving the band, but never stepping on anyone. When he hits his 18 floor, it booms. And he smacks it "once" or "twice". And that's just enough. Anything more would be wasteful. He's like the perfect blend of Jack De Johnette and Dennis Chambers.

[Steamer]

Nice review Harry. I gather you liked the Epoch and the rest of his proto samples from Agop :}

Production models of the other proto cymbals he used will be added to his signatues line down the road.

I like the Jack/Dennis blend observation by the way about Lenny and the reference to playing what you mean in the context of ensemble music which Lenny has a clear understanding of.

[Bassdrummer]

Lenny White simply is "one of the greatest". Just got back from seeing RTF tonight. His Istanbul cymbals sounded killer. His Innovation drums slammed. 2 racks, 3 floors. Floor toms sounded massive. My guess is 12 and 13 racks, 14, 16, 18 floors. His web site still lists his cymbals as Zildjian, but indeed, he's flying all Istanbul. His open handed playing style just makes his playing look so effortless. Basically, he did 2 solo's. Both short, and both intense. I never want to sit thru another Peart/Portnoy "arena rock" drum solo again. Been there and done that 10 times (at least). Lenny is fast and fluid. Single kick, single pedal. In his second solo, he brought a snare roll down to and below a whisper, dropped that, and what remained was the faint sound of his right foot rolling on his kick. Then the camera dudes put the action on the 2 big monitor screens, left and right of the stage. 1 beater moving so fast it was just a blur. Then, to add insult to injury, he brought the volume up. Game over. A simply magical night.



I just saw this concert last Saturday the 21st in Sterling Hts Michigan.

Lenny was really great, I'd say he is more of a pocket player now them when he was with WP and the Jaco days. But his ride cymbal work is among the best in the biz! His drum tone was very good and his cymbals did sound amazing considering the sound guy really sucked! Poor Stanley Clark got screwed bigtime! Al Demeola was really agitated and left the stage quite a bit to talk with the techs and stage sound guys, I think he was upset too. I happended to sit right behind the board and the sound guy didn't touch the EQ once. Stanley's slap tone was all treble and his upright was peaking an farting out quite a bit. Considering the junior varsity sound guy Lenny's kit sounded great! The concert was really good..would have been amazing if the sound guy wasn't a hack! Sorry I am very upset, I had a chance to see some of the best in the biz and my expierience was a little dampened by the hack sound guy. I understand they may be very difficult to mix, but like I said I never saw the sound guy EQ anything one time, he just adjusted volumes. Anyway (rant off) Lenny was a pleasure to see play live and I would second everything harryconway had to say.

[Steamer]

No problem ranting about bad sound people I hear you. After a great show I had in a indoor venue with an excellent sound guy on Friday night went to see several outdoor stage shows on Saturday during our international jazz festival. BAD sound on all stages. Really makes you wonder if some of these people have any clue what they are doing and what the heck they are listening for from the instruments well doing a mix and are worthy of even being paid.

Glad to hear that Lenny and the music as a whole came through regardless of the much to common sound "challenges" presented to musicians performing live music

[Bassdrummer]

Drums are about the easiest to mix IMO. If you have good sounding drums and cymbals all you need to do is turn on the volume. I think Chic Corea has control of a lot of his own sound, he had a lot of racks on stage next to him and I saw him do some tweaking. Al Demeola looked upset and was pointing to the monitors quite a bit and talking with a lot of techs. Poor Stanley Clarke, Bass tone IMO is the most difficult to dial in, when you get a guy that plays slap and fingertsyle and plays the upright for the same gig you better have a sound guy that understands what the heck is going on! Under the circumstances these guys were powerhouses to see and it was a very good show!

[drummer40]

Hi:

I thought that you Lenny White fans would be interested in knowing that the issue of Traps Magazine, which featured him has sold out. Traps is now offering a free download of the article. If you go to the DRUM! web site, you can download from there.

Hope this is helpful.

[Steamer]

Helpful indeed! Thanks for the heads up drummer40 and here's a direct link to the free download:

http://www.drummagazine.com/images/posts/lenny-white.pdf


Most excellent indepth look at the great Lenny White. Lenny as always calls it as he sees it and tells some truly amazing revealing stories. Very impressive {by chapter} feature article. Now in my favorites!

[drummer40]

Hey Jamming Drummerworld!

I just wanted to let you know that the download of the Lenny White Story is still available at DRUM! Magazine. There's also a great story written about John Bonham, authored by Chris Welch.

Best,
Drummer40

[Steamer]

Great clip of Lenny from the recent Montreal Drumfest 2008. Enjoy!:

http://www.vicfirth.com/features/montreal_drumfest08/video/montreal08_whiteHQ.html

For those interested that is his signature ride the Epoch he is playing as well as various other Agop signature Lenny White prototype cymbals