Cliff Almond here

Very cool to see you here,Cliff. I actually checked out your website a few months ago and have seen some great videos of you with Camillo. I heard about you many years ago and was trying to remember how I learned about you: Something to do with Weckl, I recall. Anyway, you're fantastic and it will be nice to have you contributing to the forum.

Pasta
 
Hey Guys-
Thanks so much for the compliments. I hope to meet you in person and hear you soon.
Roger im always hearing great things about you whenever your name comes up.......everyone says your a great drummer and a nice guy as well. Hope to meet you at some point.
 
I am new to the forum and just wanted to post my thoughts on Cliff!

I first got hip to Cliff when I started college and he opened my mind to the true role and function of a drummer. I actually got into Cliff's drumming so much I ordered his exact kit to the "T" off of the Yamaha web site! I didn't know much about him except for his drumming was exactly how I wanted to play!

As time goes on I still continued to practice doing my Cliff impression in practice sessions and on gigs. It has been great now that he is so accessible online with his lessons to be able to really study just how he is does it but most importantly why he does it. He is one of the best technicians I have ever heard but he is also one of the best decision makers: always musical, sensitive and appropriate.

I have been fortunate now to hear and hang with Cliff briefly when he has been out to Los Angeles playing, in fact I just saw him a few weeks back at The Baked Potato. Every time I get re-inspired and head straight back into the practice room. Not to mention he is also a super cool guy!

We all have our musical heroes and we rarely get the chance to say thank you. So, thanks Cliff! I still want to grow up to be just like you!

-Mike Bennett-

MySpace.com/MkeBennettMusic
 
Re: Yo Aydee

Hey Aydee-
Just realized I never responded to your thread. Thanks so much for the compliments from a while back. Here are a couple of places you can check out if you are interested in looking at things I've done over the years.


http://www.myspace.com/cliffalmondmusic

http://www.cliffalmondmusic.com/

Thanks-
Cliff Almond

Thanks Cliff, love that bandwidth of the backbeat on Rob Whitlock's 2nd service! The track with Wayne Krantz is fantastic too. Do you gig a lot with him? He is working a lot with Carlock, I thought..is there more of you with him? would love to check it out..

thanks & great playing..
 
Hey Aydee-
Thanks for the compliments on the Whitlock/Krantz stuff. As far as Krantz, he's been using different guys for quite a few years now. Ari Hoenig, Dafnis Prieto, Anton Fig, etc. I've been doing some of those gigs lately. There are a few videos out there, and I am on some his last record "Your basic live '06". There is a video of us from a year or so ago on my myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/cliffalmondmusic

Thanks for listening-
CA
 
CLiff

Always loved your playing, and it's great to see you here! Thanks, and I look forward to hearing more from your website!

J
 
Hey Aydee-
Thanks for the compliments on the Whitlock/Krantz stuff. As far as Krantz, he's been using different guys for quite a few years now. Ari Hoenig, Dafnis Prieto, Anton Fig, etc. I've been doing some of those gigs lately. There are a few videos out there, and I am on some his last record "Your basic live '06". There is a video of us from a year or so ago on my myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/cliffalmondmusic

Thanks for listening-
CA

Will definitely check those out,thanks again, Cliff.

btw,I gotta tell you, last night I jammed with some people in a bar ( streched out chicken, actual proof,etc..) and all I could think of while I was playing was your free-flowing, effortless playing on the Baked Potato gig on youtube.
So when I got a few compliments afterwards, I told them it was'nt all me, it was partly Cliff Almond.

Thanks for the inspiration; )
 
Thanks Aydee-
Happy you liked it. That was a fun gig. I didn't know at that time that it would end up on utube.....but there it is.
That being said.... there is a new video of a latin trade between Cafe and myself in Boston. Here is the link if you want to check it out. Cafe is killing (as usual)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFgXT00BEZo

thanks-
CA
 
Hey Cliff, this is Lutz (SickRick is a shorty for StickTrick).

Man you totally kicked my ass today and on Sunday. Thanks for making all this possible and for every little word of advice. I'm blown away - this day will make a huge difference in our bandplaying and in my whole life and career as a drummer. It feels funny - when I went to LAMA I still had to learn a lot of shit drummingwise (getting my hands and coordination together, learning TONS of rhythms and timing... all that kind of stuff). Today is different: I feel that I can play what I want to play technically, its more a matter of how to play it. It makes a huge difference. It seems like now would be a much better time to learn than back when I still had to learn so much of the basics...

So therefore today and Sunday was fantastic, I (and all the other guys in the band) hope that we can repeat that as soon as possible.

To anybody reading this, wondering what the hell I'm talking about: Cliff and Phil coached my band Dreadnut Inc. today for three hours and kicked my ass real hard. I'm depressed already, but also motivated to make all the little adjustments that hopefully will make the big difference. Still, I feel like a total beginner now.

Both Phil and Cliff truly are two of the very best players that I have ever seen in my life (and trust me: I've seen many), both with wonderful feel and touch and an incredible sense of groove. I'll be doing all the exercises they've given me and I'll try to follow all the advice best as I can.

It was wonderful to meet you guys and hang with you. Sorry for the German weather though...

To everybody: Check out Phils books, they are great! Also check out Cliffs online lessons (I don't know them yet, but if they are only half as good as his real lessons, they must be incredible).

Best, Lutz
 
Hey Cliff
Happy Holidays...you Rock!
I need to check out some of the great lessons you have on your site.
All the best
Frank
 
Hey Cliff,

Boy, I'll never forget seeing you play with Michel Camilo in San Francisco a few years ago - great performance! Also, love your playing on Thru My Eyes. You've severely influenced my approach to playing St. Thomas :)

My question, when it comes to doing fills in latin music, such as on a songo in a latin jazz setting, what are the rules for creating phrases that expand upon the basic groove without destroying it? I've been playing the songo and other latin grooves for years but still have a relatively limited vocabulary when it comes to making longer phrases, fills, etc. I try to avoid playing fills that goes right to '1', cause they seem too obvious. On the other hand, I don't want to play too complex, over the barline, etc. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?
 
Cliff, Joe Morris here. Hey man I just wanted to say that your drumming on "One More Once" stands alone man. That CD inspired me for years and still does. Great Work!!


Joe
 
Cliff, who's playing bass with you & Krantz on your myspace?.... the man is cooking.

You, of course I can listen to forever.

cheers,
 
Hi Cliff...

I've got some M.Camilo's Cds...and I must say your playing is amazing...



Cheers !
LG
 
Hey Guys- Thanks for all the kind words. I haven't been able to log on for a while due to some password issues, but here I am. I will answer these questions shortly, but for now im just checking in. Been getting alot of email about Camilo recently. Im going to be working with him for the next few months starting in April 2009. It will be my first time playing with him consistently for quite a few years. So if you see we are around please come out.

More Soon-
CA
 
Hey Everyone-
Again, thanks for the nice words here about the one more once CD, videos, etc. FYI it looks like there is a possibilty of the entire live DVD/CD of this band being released soon. I keep getting emails about this on my website, but i don't have any specfics as to when or where it will be available. I will post something about it when I know more, but for now im in the dark on this one. I don't know where you guys heard about this, but thanks for letting me know about it.

also thanks for the feedback on the newest lesson that I put up....

CA
 
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