mike.thies's blog

Photo Credit: Chris Kuklis

I wanted to share a playlist of cool drum-related videos I made for my students. There's everything from classic videos of pioneers like Papa Jo Jones and Buddy Rich, to modern-day marvels like ?uestlove and Mark Guiliana. Also included are regional examples of music and rhythms that have influenced many generations and still do. In addition to that, there are some great interviews and segments that deal with day-to-day issues that often come up in a drummer's world. Take a look and feel free to skip whatever you're not feeling.

Here's a brief description of each video:

Papa Jo Jones - most famously played with Count Basie.  I've never seen a person look so happy when playing.

Buddy Rich vs Animal - Buddy had amazing chops! There were a lot of cool artists that appeared on The Muppet Show (Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, etc..), Buddy Rich plays with so much fire and intensity!

?uestlove - he's the drummer for The Roots. Here he talks about a lot of common issues that come up for drummers - it's not just a plug for Vic Firth drumsticks! I particularly like when he talks about recording and how it doesn't always sound better to hit harder.

Steve Jordan - Another great drummer with amazing groove and concept.

Billy Martin's Life on Drums - Billy has such a sound when he plays. To me it is so clear that he utilizes all his cultural and rhythmic knowledge in a very ordinary beat. This video is very well-done, and there are a lot of great clips of him improvising.

Zakir Hussain - He's probably the most respected Tabla player/musican in the world. Indian music is very different than Western Music in so many ways. I studied Tabla for a couple months and it's interesting to me that you often won't touch a drum for weeks until you are able to vocalize what you're gonna play. I often tell this to students: "Can you sing that beat"?

Yoruban Bata Ensemble - Every single type of music one can think of has some kind of roots traceable to West Africa. Although this video doesn't demonstrate a dancer, Bata music translates to a language that dictates to a dancer what will happen next.

Senegalese Djembe Drumming - A fine example demonstrating the Djembe, which is perhaps one of the most popular hand drums.

James Brown - Clyde Stubblefield was the famous drummer with the great James Brown. I'm actually not sure this is Clyde in the video, but wow this sounds good!

Most Important 6 Sec drum loop - I guarantee you have heard this MANY times. This is a great video explaining its origin.

Mark Guiliana - Absolutely one of the most talented drummers on the scene today. Tim Lefevre is a great bass player as well.

Brian Blade - He has such a soft touch and defined sound. You could find him playing everything from straight ahead jazz to rock music with Daniel Lanois.

D'Angelo (w/ ?uestlove) - Great song, and groove to-boot!

Mangueira Samba School - Samba troops are packed full of energy and tradition. If you ever get a chance to see one, do it! Brazil has one of the richest cultural traditions for music, and it shows here.

Bill Stewart - This was a personal favorite for me. I remember seeing this and thinking how clear everything was he played. Not a wasted note.

Stevie Wonder drum solo - Yes, he's a great drummer, too!

Bernard Purdie - "The hit maker"!! He's called that for a reason. To date, he is one if the most recorded drummers ever.

Understanding Latin rhythms - Carlos 'Patato' Valdez. This was some kind of instructional record that sounds amazing! I love that it's just drums. If you can find the Guaguanco track from this, you'll be in rhythm heaven.

Thomas Mapfumo - I recently saw him at Southpaw in Brooklyn. What a show! This video demonstrates how good everyone's sense of rhythm is in the band to mold one unified sound.  Like Fela Kuti, he also went to jail because his government of Zimbabwe didn't like what he was singing about.

Stella Chiweshe - Amazing thumb pianist / mbira player. This almost reminds me of a contemporary classical piece!

Wrong Drummer for the Gig - Self explanatory. This guy is nuts!

Mike Thies teaches drums and keyboards with Brooklyn Music Lessons. To learn more about drums and all the stuff Mike is into, check out his BML page and schedule a lesson.