I Play Just What I Feel...

Very very nice Bob. You were really feeling that. I liked it all, tuning, playing, and your devilish good looks. Had to watch it twice. Was that totally off the cuff?
 
Thanks Lar, That is a great compliment coming from a fellow advanced player such as you.
Yes, I did that on the fly. I set up the kit, I tuned it, and I flew :)
 
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Yea Bob, I admire your ability to string together ideas smoothly. Drum solos start with the ideas, getting the ideas flowing sometimes trips me up. Like I have a hard time thinking ahead, sometimes I commit myself to something that I can't pull off to my liking. So I have to switch to recovery mode which stops the flow, at least for a bit. I get into this place where I think I have to impress all the time, like a Buddy Rich kind of mode (not that I could touch him) where he is filling up the space with a zillion notes. I admire guys who can stay relaxed and let drum solo ideas flow out naturally. I like that it was very musical and not designed to floor everyone with how many notes you can fit in. I mean I know that's not your style anyway, and it's a breath of fresh air to listen to.

I like space (not too much where it's spacey) and phrasing in solos, plus I like something I can follow. I get lost with Vinnies stuff for example when he is in full Vinnie mode. It's just so far above my head that I can't appreciate it as much as something I can wrap my head around.

I love playing behind the others, it comes easy to me, I can think ahead np, but solos definitely do not come easy for me. Can't relax enough to think ahead. Even alone in my practice studio. I always pretend as if someone is always watching me, so I get used to it. Yea, that hasn't been working for me lol. Still, I make glacial progress with the solos. Not fast enough for my liking. So big props for keeping the ideas percolating out of you.
 
You got it Larry, you don't try to impress when you play what you feel, you just try to play what you think in your mind at the time. I was playing what I was thinking. I was feeling it all the way. It was from my heart. That made it real to both you and I when we heard is played back.
 
Nice playing! I'm kinda new to the swing jazz thing. I can appreciate both the drum quality, selection, and the playing skill. What is the ride cymbal down low to the right? Also, is that hardware original or did you upgrade? I was unaware that kits from that era came in anything except slotted mounts. Of course I've only owned one older kit, and that was a Ludwig kit my brother got from a Buddy Rich clinic (mom bought him the kit Buddy played on) in Arizona in the mid 70s. That kit had slotted tom mounts and was the first kit I played on.

Nice looking kit!!!

Steph
 
Thanks Andy, I really like that kit. It sounds clean and warm at the same time when I crank the tension rods up a bit.
It has all of the right stuff for tight tuning. The 3 ply shells and the COB hoops combined with the 12" 14" 18" sizes are a perfect match.
I know one thing, that kit will never be for sale :)
My heart pounds every time I play it. It is good that I put it away from time to time so I can appreciate it more when I rediscover it. In a few weeks I will pull the Round Badge out again and get the same fresh experience.
 
Nice playing! I'm kinda new to the swing jazz thing. I can appreciate both the drum quality, selection, and the playing skill. What is the ride cymbal down low to the right? Also, is that hardware original or did you upgrade? I was unaware that kits from that era came in anything except slotted mounts. Of course I've only owned one older kit, and that was a Ludwig kit my brother got from a Buddy Rich clinic (mom bought him the kit Buddy played on) in Arizona in the mid 70s. That kit had slotted tom mounts and was the first kit I played on.

Nice looking kit!!!

Steph
Thanks Steph, The main ride is a 21" Istanbul Sultain Jazz. The sizzler on the right is a vintage 22" Paiste 2oo2 ride that I drilled for 8 rivets. The left side ride is an Istanbul Agop Traditional 18" 1706 grams. Hats are 14" Istanbul Sultan. Right crash is 19" K Custom Hybrid. Splash is 11" K Custom Hybrid.

The rail on the bass drum is a modern drum workshop vintage style tom holder combined with a new Ludwig Atlas isolation mount. The two bass drum mounted cymbal holders are modern drum workshop. The bass drum spurs are modern Gibraltar, and so are the floor tom mounts and legs. The bass drum lift is from drum workshop.

I like to play my vintage kits so I use modern hardware because it works better for me than the hardware of yesteryear.
 
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I really like what you feel Bob, and you can tell it's very spontaneous, your body language doesn't lie, it was amazing... at one stage I felt a Ringo's solo vibe (Abbey Road: The End) but with swing :)

Very cool Bob.
 
Love the kit Bob-sounds great. Great playing too-very nice swing-jazzy feel and flow to what you were feeling. Sounds very premeditated. I've been playing along to music so much that I found I was drawing a blank just trying to groove on my own like that, and when I do it sounds too random and not premeditated, and often rushed. I'm inspired.
 
Wow what a great setup, sounds really nice. And your playing is so fluid and full of swing.
Now...what are the 3 rides to your right?
 
That was a real delight - what a treat - thank you :)
 
Thanks all, I have been really getting into the Swing style during the past year. I hooked up with some great jazz players who helped me move up a few notches.
The old adage about playing with people who are better than you to improve is true.
The vibes that I get from my vintage kits also helps. Mojo is a real phenomenon.
I was told that this Slingerland kit was once owned by a really advanced player.
I sometimes feel that he channels through me when I play the kit.
 
I'm not into my jazz but little displays like this are reeling me in a bit.

Takes guts to post a drum solo too, kudos to you.
 
Thanks all, I have been really getting into the Swing style during the past year. I hooked up with some great jazz players who helped me move up a few notches.
The old adage about playing with people who are better than you to improve is true.
The vibes that I get from my vintage kits also helps. Mojo is a real phenomenon.
I was told that this Slingerland kit was once owned by a really advanced player.
I sometimes feel that he channels through me when I play the kit.

I really enjoyed this, Bob. There's nothing more cool than seeing someone play who loves what they are doing. Thanks for the clip!
 
Thanks all; I am so glad that you shared your thoughts with me. I am so happy that you all have understood the reason for this thread.
"Play Just What You Feel"
I want all of you to find your own path.
At age 56 I feel that I am still just beginning to follow my path.
There are many of you who may be ahead of me, and I think that is great! I can learn from you.
Follow the path that you are on, and linger from time to time when you feel the need to fully understand.
Does this make sense?
 
I thought this was going to be another Steely Dan cover! (Deacon Blues)

Seriously, though, I always enjoy your relaxed vibe and the sound of your vintage drums, Bob. Very cool. I can totally relate to the "finding yourself late" situation, too. I'm a little younger than you, but my life is totally reshaping itself. It's awesome to see where your path is leading you.
 
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