Roger's World...

One of THOSE days...

Yesterday was one of those days.  One of those days that you remember where you were, what you were doing, oh so long ago. The day and place when you found out ‘The News’.  Kennedy (I wasn’t here yet). The space shuttle (each one). 911.


August 5th marks the sad anniversary of Jeff Porcaro’s passing. You may not know the name, but you’ve heard the drumming. You’ve felt the groove, You’ve heard it since you were young, and not for anything new for 17 years.


I feel the need to elaborate on who this guy was… and still is.

Jeff was one of the finest drummers of the modern age.  Respected by absolutely everyone for his abilities, and they were numerous, he is known as a musician’s musician of the highest caliber. Sony & Cher at 17, Boz Scaggs at 22, Toto, Don Henley, the Bee Gees, Steely Dan… Google him and find out for whom else he played.  You’ll get a small idea of this genius.
 I say a small idea, because if you’re not a musician, or more so, a drummer, some of what makes Jeff’s playing so special might be lost on you.  A young drummer once said that “It was easy to play those songs.  It’s nothing special.”  He hadn’t yet figured out that it has nothing to do with the amount of notes you play, but how you play each note.  And then I started to understand it.  I started to hear what it was all about.  Just about that time, Jeff passed on. He was 38. Just 3 years younger than I am today.  While I was at Berklee, I had the rarest of rare opportunities: to actually play one of His drum sets!  A red Gretsch kit with a 20’ bass drum.  My friend Abe Laboriel Jr. was close to him - Jeff was a teacher/mentor and allowed Abe the use of his kit while at Berklee.  I got to help set it up many times.  It truly was an honor.  I really wish I would’ve been a better player!  Maybe I’ll get another chance someday.


So I’ve been watching him on youtube quite a bit.  Have a listen:


None of us will ever be that good. OK - maybe if you’re Steve Gadd and you’re reading this - but nobody else.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE on the planet will agree with that, unless they’re on some drug that alters perception/reality. But they’ll sober up and I hope and pray that they’ll get it.  Just as I did 17 years ago.

Lessons Remembered...

Since moving to Palm Springs in September '08, I've had the joy (and sometime frustration) of playing with the John Stanley King band.  I say sometime frustrating, because of my challenges associated with my arm, and having been away from any steady gig for over 5 years - I've been rusty!!

Having played with JSK and Rob Martinez every week since January, things have come together pretty well, all things considered:  The Arm Thing, not rehearsing or even practicing, and only playing once a week.  We sound pretty good most of the time - with some very inspired 'jams' that take us to some places none of us have been before. Its usually a fun time!

Because John is a 'local celebrity' of sorts, playing with him has afforded me a kind of 'instant acceptance' by a lot of the local musicians.  It's a nice change from having to prove and re-prove over and over... I get to play and get my name out with relative ease.

With this, I was approached by a writer for a local entertainment weekly magazine.  They spotlight various entertainers/musicians each week, and it became my time. We did an interview of about an hour over the phone a couple of weeks ago, and I gave him what I thought was the most important information in my education/career.  And I trusted him with the facts - facts I thought I spelled out clearly enough.  I was wrong.

The article came out today.  I found a copy early this morning, and began to read.   I was mildly amused at some of the things that were focused on. Some of the people I played with, some of the spelling, the chronology of events... those types of things.  But when the writer suggested that I was a 'Investment Broker" I realized that it was all MY fault:  I didn't request to proof the interview to double check the facts.  I learned this lesson a long time ago in Orlando while running my own quintet.  I forgot it, and it has come to bite me once more.

This is the last time!  I say that with humility and graciousness to the interviewer, and hope he understands that a quick proof will hep everyone in the short- and long-term.  I now remember why...

Out of my head...

Sometimes, when there's a lot going on in our lives, we get inside our heads a bit to much, and get out of the flow. This happened to me last week on a couple of gigs I was doing here in Palm Springs with the John Stanley King Band.

I wasn't focused entirely on the music, and was allowing other things to influence me while I was playing.  This is a very selfish way to act.  I forgot one of the oldest lessons that all pro musicians preach: "Leave your stuff off the bandstand".

Last night however, I was totally immersed, present, and confident. The band sounded great, adding credence to the other old saying: "A band is only as good (or great) as it's drummer".  It felt great for me, the other guys - John and Rob - and the customers at the gig. Even Bill or bartender/friend/supporter suggested that they give me a new nickname: Thor! 

So hopefully, as we go about our days and weeks, we'll remember to stop being selfish, get out of our heads, and be fully immersed, present, and confident.

Miles Davis...

I need to start this off by telling everyone about one of my all-time favorite recordings - a double record by Miles Davis, entitled My Funny Valentine & Four and More.

Recorded live, this was widely known as ‘The Bible’ amongst jazz musicians for decades, due to the high level of interaction between the rhythm section consisting of Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams - who was just 19 when it was recorded.

 

Because of a last minute announcement by Miles, the band was especially fiery this night of this recording.  Miles told the band members that they were playing without pay that evening, as the money was being donated to a charity.  It is a remarkable display of deep listening, genius, and is considered to be George Coleman's best recorded performance.

This is a true classic.  Enjoy!!

Gratitude

I think it's important to focus on gratitude.  A lot.

Let me re-phrase that: 

It is CRITICAL to focus on gratitude.

This is what helps us through the dark times, the times when we're not really sure how we're going to get past whatever 'challenges' we may have.  (If you know me at all - you know that I ALWAYS use that word for any difficult event)

Two years ago was a very challenging time for me.  I broke my arm very, very badly, which is a tough thing to go through.  AND I've been a drummer for 24 years! When it happened, I wasn't sure what was going to happen.  "Will I ever play drums again?" was a question going through my head every 12.7 seconds!  I was scared. In pain... LOTS of pain... until the drugs kicked in. Then it was mostly the uncertainty of my future.

Fast forward two years.  I'm doing great. I can't straighten my left arm, or 'supinate' (turn it palm-up all the way - yet).  But I'm playing drums, and in some ways, better than ever.  This challenge has forced me to change some things that I used to choose to do while playing, which has been a great learning experience that I otherwise might not have gone through. My ego may have prevented me from 're-learning' some beliefs about drumming and music. Had I not gone through this 'accident', I might never had gotten some really important lessons.  I'm grateful for these new ideas!

While I might not be grateful that I broke my arm - it does still hurt sometimes, and it gets uncomfortable when I sleep - I'm very grateful for what it has taught me. I'm grateful every MOMENT I GET to play!  Are you? Do you feel immense gratitude for whatever you GET to do?  Think it through...

But this is the part we all need to remember: Situations are either something we can learn from, or they can pass us by without any thought to the value.  I actively participated in the process by asking my most famous question: "What's GREAT abut this?" Tony Robbins' teaching of this question in one of his books, was, and continues to be, one of the most empowering tools to dealing with whatever comes to me.  Big and small. It's a choice. A choice we get to ask ourselves almost moment to moment.

So do it - ask the question.  Remember to thank a situation, a person, a life-lesson... for something that is being presented to you. If you do, you'll be able to grow in ways never imagined.