noVIce LegENd said:Mmmm...He has great chops but i wonder why his solos(on video) are always quite the same... either bass and toms alternate or snare and toms alternate... i seem to realise that he like to have his left hand single stroke( cannot be considered roll ) in all his playing. Can someone enlighten me? Is that his "style"?
Cuauhtemoc said:It's kind of like Steve Gadd, who also seems to do the same things over and over when he solos. Vinnie and Gadd make their living playing with other artists, spending most of that time in the studio. Drummers like Terry Bozzio spend a lot of time pushing the limits of the instrument in the exhibition circuit, which gives them the time to work on new ideas, set ups, etc.
To me it's like a rhythm guitarist. A lot of great lead players cannot play good rhythm guitar because they don't work on it as much as a rhythm guitarist. But both types of guitarists are important and very necessary to making good music.
Vinnie, like Gadd is more of a band player and because he's so good at it everyone wants to have him on their album. Is he the greatest ever? I don't know, some people think so. But you can't deny the impact he has had on the drumming world and at least in his case it's not just popularity, it's talent. But let's not forget that he was one of many drummer who studied Gadd carefully so one begins to wonder where Vinnie would've been if Gadd had not been the drummer he was. This, I think is why so many people call Steve Gadd the most influencial drummer in modern drumming today.
Cuauhtemoc said:That's cool that you disagree with me but it seems like you disagree with Novice Legend more than me because I was responding to his statement, not so much as stating my observations of Vinnie's playing. I was suggesting that he may be interpreting Vinnie's playing a certain way because.... it's all about trying to understand one's point of view before offering comments.
Of course Vinnie is diverse and his track record shows that. But the same could be said of drummers like Terry Bozzio, Thomas Lang, Chester Thompson, Chad Wackerman, etc. It seems to me that you're taking it personal when other drummers don't have the same praises for a drummer that you adore. Subjectivity, my friend! Not everyone has the same pair of ears.
I like Vinnie's playing, he's awesome; one of the best of all time. I even had a chance to meet him. Frankly, he was kind of rude but what the hell, he's human. We all have our days. I guess I just don't hear what you hear but with all due respect, I'm entitled to my opinion, right?
What if I said that I preferred Thomas Lang's playing to Vinnie's? He's shown that he can handle any style. Sure, he hasn't played on as many albums but he also lives in Europe and plays in a different scene and in styles of music that are not common in Los Angeles. Would you say that Vinnie could do all the stuff Thomas Lang does on his DVD? Does Vinnie produce albums and write his own music like Thomas Lang? So you can argue that you like Vinnie's drumming over Lang's but I can argue that Lang is a better drummer and musician than Vinnie based on what he can do. BUT.... I won't because we have our subjective ears and types of drumming as well as musical approaches that appeal to us. But if you're into Vinnie, cool. He's a monster drummer.
As far as grooves..I guess I also have to disagree with you when you say it doesn't get much better than Gadd. I think he's very diverse and gets the job done but I think I'll take Jeff Watts' swing over his, Horacio Hernandez's Latin playing over his and Jabo Starts when it comes to funk. But again, trust your ears because that's what leads to your heart.
Good conversation! You're awesome!
Rhythmic Disciple said:When I first saw Vinnie play on video with Sting in Oslo 1993, I was blown away. Watching his powerhouse performance changed the way I thought about drumming. What impressed me most was how he looked, how he moved and how he touched the drums - it made technical sense without any verbal explanation needed. It was the most valuable lesson I ever had!!!
People talk about Vinnie 'taking the easy gig' with Sting, but I don't agree. Watch the footage from the concert I mentioned above and think again...
Jarek Witkowski said:I saw the battle between Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl. It is a very good concert and I think, that Vinnie Colaiuta was the best.
Jarek Witkowski said:I saw the battle between Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl. It is a very good concert and I think, that Vinnie Colaiuta was the best.