Bob Gullotti/Drum Shop North Shore

JohnW

Silver Member
Last night I went to a fantastic drum clinic by jazz Great, Bob Gullotti:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.250302115126147.1073741837.114612532028440&type=1

He went through 3 different methods of soloing and went in depth about how he came up with them and how to apply them on the stage.

First, he used the Charlie Parker Omnibook while vocalizing the phrases as he played them on the set. He explained various strategies for surviving on the stage including counting, learning tons of standards, understanding song form, harmonic rhythm, etc. The idea is to understand the language of the idiom. Next, he demonstrated themed base soloing as he switched from Afro/Cuban rhythms, to Brazilian and other rhythms. This seemed to me more like the 'danceable' concept of soloing. And finally a purely creative way to develop solos, where it's not based on chops, a specific form or a melodic idea (although he always has melody at his fingertips no matter how outside his playing gets). Instead you draw from a life experience- in his case hiking up a mountain with a roaring whirlpool at its base. He played it in reverse; a trickle of water at the top of the mountain and down toward the bottom where it gained in intensity. Extending that idea, he talked about turning the sound off while watching a movie and playing to it, developing your own soundtrack. And doing it with cartoons! There was so much packed into that 2 plus hour clinic that it's hard to remember it all. But it definitely stoked the creative juices.

Also, I won a 16" A Zildjian medium thin crash in a raffle!
 
awesome. thanks for the link & details ! back in the day (used to live in MA), Bob G. was THE GUY around town. i keep hearing from my Mass buddies he is just KILLIN it lately. so cool to see that old Eames logo...those drums were the thing if you wanted a custom jazz kit back in late 70s / early 80s.
 
You're welcome, double_G.

Eames Drum Company (Saugus, MA) is still alive and kicking! Their drum maker Joe Mack was there as well, though I didn't get a chance to talk to him. They've got a great history:

http://www.eamesdrumshells.com/

They built that set for Bob back in the '70's, I believe. Such a warm sound.
 
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