Yeah, I get that. The context was it was a beginning Latin class, early in the year. Richie Garcia had been the instructor, but then he got hired to go on tour, so Efrain came in.
And the class is all young, green players. We're all still just learning how to play ubber basic latin grooves, and suddenly Efrain is discussing polythrmic fills and esoteric soloing concepts, and it was like,hey, wait a minute, how can we do fills and solos when you haven't even taught us the basics yet!
Had it been toward the end of the year, for the advanced Latin class, it would have been great. But it was like going from zero to 60, while skipping everything in the middle. LOL.
Dear Ones!
Thank you all specially Ian for taking the initiative to open a communication line about my teachings etc.
I must clarify a few points and fill in some blanks.
First of all I am sorry you had a rough time in my class a PIT but you must have been assign to it wrongly I mean you should have been in a noter group or taken the class at a later quarter.
Also my friend Richard Garcia was my sub. and not the way you recall it ;-) I actually met Joe Porcaro at my first movie session which was for a most well know movie "Fort Apache The Bronx" with PAul Newman. The session lasted 4 days and Joe told
me that he and Ralph were planning to open a school and if I wanted to come and do a workshop on latin drumming and I said yes of course. So about a month later he called me and the masterclass was apparently very successful so that he offered me a job at PIT who had just opened a month before! It was not until about 3 years later that Richard became my sub as I had many well known drummers sub for me before. I went on the road with CSN (Crosby, Stills and Nash) and got a new guy in town called Chuck Silverman to sub for me because I needed someone that was not a working traveling musician to be there but after my first 3 month tour when I came back I had a meeting with Joe and Ralph about the fact that Chuck was telling everyone that I did not know what I was teaching ;-) so HE WAS FIRED!!! Then here is when I remembered about Richard whom i had met about 3 years before visiting some friend from PR that were living in LA!
So there you go! All these stories and many more are included in a new book about my nightmare in Peru 3 years ago, soon to be published called "THE PERFECT SURFING DAY" in which I also document about my neighbor of 18 years, best man in my wedding and musical partner and how he and other very mediocre top studio dudes in LA had plotted from time to time to not have me in their recording sessions crew… AMAZING to say the least but true… It is actually very exciting stuff…NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THNG BABY!!!
Inspite all I have done way over 1,000 recording sessions with many Grammy wining albums and blockbuster movies and Top TV shows as well as award winning commercials…!
I also have 16 books and 4 more on the works… 6 new videos coming up and 2 are already bring sold on AMAZON etc… for a total of 8. ALL AT RHYTHMLINEINSTITUTE.COM
MY new drum book almost finished is called FROM LINEAR TO HARMONIC… some of the top drummers in the world have my books and used them quietly and some endorse them. I have never made any money in education as I was a studio musician for a while and the most I taught at MI was 9 hours in a week.
If any of you would like to know the thruth about things you must ask the characters if you will. Have the guts to call the dudes and ask them but to spread misinformation is as bad as lying!
Be well and in RHYTHM… I try!
Sincerely
et