You didn't ask, but...

October 2005

You didn’t ask, but…

Here is our 2005 PASIC preview!

PASIC 2005 PREVIEW by The Dreaded Drummer

www.dreadeddrummer.com

The Fife & Drum Effect on the Modern Drummer

There will be many great musicians giving clinics and concerts at PASIC. Here is a preview of some of the performers with roots in the Fife & Drum/Traditional World of Rudimental Drumming. You might say they are all part of the fife & drum "family tree."

1. STEVE GADD drumset clinic, Saturday, 5pm/concert 8pm

2. ANDREW REAMER symphonic bass drum lab Saturday, 11am

3. TOMMY IGOE marching/drumset master class Saturday, 12 noon

4. CONNECTICUT VALLEY FIELD MUSIC marching clinic/performance Saturday, 10am

5. JEFF PROSPERIE & JEFF MOORE marching master class Saturday 2pm

STEVE GADD drumset clinic, Saturday, 5pm/concert 8pm

One of the greatest drummers ever is Steve Gadd. Although you may not have realized it he has roots in the fife & drum world. During his early years he was lucky enough to have none other than Bobby Thompson teaching his drum corps. Bobby was a fife & drum legend and an anchor in the world famous Sons of Liberty , drumming alongside rudimental pioneers Les Parks, Ken Lemley and Nick Attanasio (to name a few)!

Prior to PASIC 1986 Bobby asked me to tell Steve he said hello. When I mentioned Mr. Thompson’s name it was like a light bulb went on and Steve talked to me about his left hand. He said Bobby Thompson was the architect behind the grip and he was grateful for everything he learned during that time in his drumming life.

ANDREW REAMER symphonic bass drum lab Saturday, 11am

Most people recognize Andrew Reamer as one of the great symphonic percussionists. However, many people I've talked to don't know that his roots are tied to the world of fifing and drumming. As a young musician he played in the Independence Fife & Drums corps from Broomall , Pennsylvania . During this time he wrote a number of drum charts which are published in The Company of Fifers & Drummers Music Books. Andy is the son of legendary rope drum maker Bill Reamer who was a National Champion rudimental drummer and is a world class gentleman.

One of the sponsors of this clinic is The Drummers Service http://www.drummersservice.com/

TOMMY IGOE marching/drumset master class Saturday, 12 noon

Tommy Igoe is one of the greatest clinicians I have ever seen. I like that he always gives credit to his drum corps background and one of his most influential instructors, Dennis DeLucia. As most of you know Dennis is a disciple of the Bobby Thompson school of drumming and that makes Tommy part of a legendary family tree of drumming.

CONNECTICUT VALLEY FIELD MUSIC marching clinic/performance Saturday, 10am

Although a fife & drum corps would be an obvious place to find drummers with ties to some of the legends of the fife & drum world, this corps deserves more space than I have to share. For the past 15 years Connecticut Valley Field Music (CVFM) has evolved into one of the worlds premier and most unique fife & drum ensembles. This isn't a corps settled on one genre of music. Instead they have experimented with styles not usually associated with the world of fife & drum.

"In addition to the usual military music and folk music found in the fife and drum repertoire, CVFM has arranged works based on spirituals, Appalachian fiddle tunes, and African-American influences. Additionally, CVFM has explored the complex meters and the varied melodic modes of Turkish folk music in their works." (Excerpt from the biography of CVFM) This clinic is sponsored by one of the world’s greatest supporters of fife & drum music, The Cooperman Company http://www.cooperman.com/

Although the corps is stocked with some of the top fifers & drummers in the world, two names deserve mention.

JIM CLARK is one of the great rudimental performers and instructors of the late-20th and early 21st centuries. He was heavily influenced by the legendary Ken Lemley who was one of his mentors and idols. He is the musical arranger and director of CVFM and I am sure he will leave you wanting to take a rope drum home with you!

DON MASON is one of those drummers you have to see (& hear) to believe. Many people look at a bass drum and think of it as an impact or accompanying instrument. This is not the case when Donny Mason is playing. At PASIC many people were exposed to the beauty of bass drumming by Nick Attanasio's performance in 2002 & 2003. Donny is the drummer who has taken bass drumming in a different direction, but equally as beautiful. You will be hypnotized by his playing. He was taught as a youngster by rudimental great, Bob Redican (who was taught by the legendary Earl Sturtze) and has been inspired by the writing of Charley Poole, Jim Clark, Ed Shank and Paul Cormier.

JEFF PROSPERIE & JEFF MOORE marching master class Saturday 2pm

When you talk about a percussionist who can do it all at the highest level one of the first drummers to come to mind is Jeff Prosperie. Whether he is on the field with a drum corps, a soloist in the recital hall or playing concert percussion with a symphony Jeff is right at home. What many people may not realize is that his roots go right back to the world of fife & drum. In his bio he mentions Dr. John Wooton, Marty Hurley and Dennis DeLucia as a few of his former instructors. These three legends all have ties to the legendary Bobby Thompson, a legend in all circles of rudimental drumming, and lifelong fife & drum enthusiast.

Jeff Moore does not have roots in fife & drum, but his resume is equally remarkable. You only need to hear him talk for a few minutes and you can hear the sincere passion for rudimental drumming (& all forms of music) in his voice.

This clinic as well as Jeff Moore’s Snare FUNdamentals with Kirk Gay are both definitely must see events.

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So there you have it. The Fife & Drum Effect on the Modern Drummer is going strong. Make sure you check out some of these great clinics and if you see me around, be sure to say hello.

AND

Don't forget to check out Meredith Music Publications new release, The Favorite Rudimental Solo's of CAMPBELL, CUCCIA & PRATT

The Beat of a Different Drummer by Dominick Cuccia

http://www.meredithmusic.com/

I'll see y'all at PASIC!!!!!

In the spirit,

Dominick Cuccia
http://www.dreadeddrummer.com/