Chris Bridge Archive
Steve Jordan: The Groove is Here
I just picked up the latest issue of Drum! and was very excited to see Steve Jordan on the cover. Steve is one of my favorite drummers because of the way he approaches playing the drums. He is one of the most musical drummers out there and always plays what’s best for the song. Since watching him play and listening to some of his insight, I have picked up a lot of valuable knowledge on playing the drums and being a musician in general.
For a long time I was far too interested in being able to play the fastest or being able to play the craziest fills. I thought that’s what being a great drummer was. Although they were in the back of my mind, I never really thought of the groove or being a great time keeper. That sounds funny as that those things are the most important aspects of drumming. It’s all about the feel and playing in the pocket (which is very self gratifying but not in that kind of way.) Steve taught me that simplicity is not stupidity and that the groove is what drumming is all about. Here is a clip from his dvd The Groove is Here. This instructional video is my favorite of the dozens in my library as it teaches drumming as an art rather than a technical motor skill. This is a dvd in which all musicians and not just drummers can take valuable information from.
Super Fast Drumming…..Suuuuppppeerr Sloooooowwww
A cool clip from the show Time Warp on the Discovery Channel.
Jeff Buckley Tribute
I am posting tonight to honor a musician who has inspired me a great deal over the last couple of years. Ever since music became a serious part of my life, I have had a thirst for new stuff to listen too. I am always looking for new music to take inspiration from. Since embarking on this constant search for new music, I find that there are some albums and artists that I don’t rush out and buy. For what ever reason, some get put into an “I’m interested, but I’ll come across to buying you later” pile.
Jeff Buckley’s Grace was one of those albums for me. I had heard of him and read things saying what an amazing voice he had, how captivating of a performer he was and how Grace was one of the best albums of the 90′s. For some reason, I was like “eh, that’s cool, I’ll get around to getting it sometime.” I finally said to myself, ”his name and this album keeps popping, just buy it already, you will like it, stop being lazy!” So, I bought it and was blown away. I hadn’t heard anything like it, I hadn’t heard anyone sing with such passion and with such emotion. It was so awe inspiringly beautiful and it quickly became my favorite album thus far.
Unfortunately, Grace was the only album he ever released as he died in tragically in 1997 and was added to a growing list of artists that the world had lost far too soon. On what would have been his 43rd birthday I am posting two videos of my two favorite songs off of Grace. The first is the opening track entitled “Mojo Pin” and the second, his most well known, is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah.” Enjoy
What It’s Like From My Perspective
I know I don’t post often on here, but I wanted to share this clip we shot at practice the other night. here is a view of my drums during “Girl, You Don’t Have It.” Enjoy!
K Zildjian…Coming soon to a thatwasthen show near you.
When it comes to cymbals, I am a huge geek. To me cymbals are like a fine wine, full of complex aural flavors. The beauty of cymbals truly lies in the culture associated with it. Cymbalmaking is a centuries old art that has been passed down from generation to generation in many countries, with Turkey being at the heart of the craft. As far as Turkish cymbals goes, no company has carved such a deep lineage as Zildjian. Beginning in Constantinople (yes, when that was still a city) in 1623, Avedis I layed the foundation of what would become the oldest family owned company in America. Years, decades, centuries and heirs of the throne would pass and finally in the 20th century, the Turkish cymbal would be brought to America. Along with Avedis III, the Zildjian Company came to America. From there, many influential jazz drummers like Elvin Jones and later rock drummers such as Ringo Starr, Keith Moon and Ginger Baker would stamp their name into music history with their Zildjian stamped cymbals.
I share this because I love the rich history that cymbals have to offer and I am proud to be a new owner of some Zildjian K hi hats. Here is a video, for all you drum geeks out there, of these cymbals in action. Its from a drum shop in Tennessee called Mempis Drum shop. I really dig this shop because they have videos of all the cymbals and drums on youtube. It makes choosing equipment a lot easier.
Coming soon to a thatwasthen show near you…. K Zildjian.
